Panels of experts from inside and outside the Nashville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the second week of December will do a final safety review of the Wolf Creek Dam Rehabilitation Project that will determine if the lake will be in normal operation next summer.

The panel, called Vertical Team, will consist of upper management and technical personnel from the Corp and experts outside the Corps. The Vertical Team will review technical information about the $594 million dam rehabilitation project and then make a recommendation to Brigadier General Margaret W. Burcham, commander of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division of the Corps.

Burcham will make the final determination if the lake can return to normal operation by summer of 2014. Normal operation may have the lake at pool stage at 723 feet above sea level (tree line) at the start of next summer’s vacation season. However, Don B. Getty, manager of the rehabilitation project, has emphasized plenty of rainfall next spring is necessary for the lake to fill to the brim.

Getty said the safety review probably will last about two days. There is no set time for a response from Burcham, but Getty expects her to make a decision sometime this winter.

Lake Cumberland was held about 40 feet below normal for six years while Wolf Creek Dam was repaired. The lake was allowed to rise 20 feet last summer after a concrete protective barrier wall, 4,000 feet long and 275 feet deep, was inserted into the dam.

The wall was designed to stop uncontrolled seepage that resulted in the 62-year-old dam being declared in “high risk” of failure.

The lake level this past summer ranged between 700 and 705 feet up from the target 680 feet during the rehabilitation project.

Normally, the lake is lower in fall and winter, but the Corps in mid-August purposely began to lower the level to facilitate narrowing the work platform on the upstream side of the dam and putting riprap in appropriate places.

“We’re at 691 (level)…our target is 690 feet,” said Getty. “We don’t intend to lower the lake below 690, but it could go lower because we don’t get much rain this time of year.”

Unrelated to the lake level is an extension of the cutoff wall installed during the 1970s to protect the electrical switchyard immediately below the dam. Engineers believe rapidly rising and lowering of water in the tail race may be undermining the switchyard where two large sinkholes developed during the 1960s.

Getty said about 15 percent of the piles (concrete-filled holes) to form the 180-feet-long extension of the cutoff wall have been completed.

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The Wayne County Cardinals wrapped up regular season play Friday night, November 1 at Jewell Field, hosting rival Rockcastle County.

The Cards were coming off an open week after a 67-6 drubbing of McCreary Central and owned a 9-0 record and #2 ranking in the latest Associated Press Class 3A poll. The Rockets entered 2-7 on the season and were coming off an impressive 36-26 win over district foe Clay County. The contest marked the 21st meeting between the two schools with Rockcastle owning a 16-4 series advantage, including a 33-7 home win in 2010.

Before the game Wayne County honored 17 seniors who have helped rewrite the Football Cardinals record books. Led by that group, Wayne County raced to a 41-0 halftime lead and never looked back, cruising to a 48-15 win.

“To finish the regular season 10-0 is just a tremendous accomplishment and I’m so proud of this football team for their continued dedication, commitment and the work ethic they bring to the field every day. We certainly enjoy this moment, but we know a new season starts Friday night with LaRue County,” said Cards head coach Shawn Thompson.

Wayne County opened district play against 0-10 LaRue County this past Friday night (too late for press deadline.)

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The Monticello Police Department arrested a local woman on Wednesday, October 30, following an investigation into credit card fraud.

Pandora Decker, also known as Michelle Decker, 43, was charged with four counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and three counts of second degree forgery.

She was also arrested on a parole violation.

Decker was lodged in Wayne County Detention Center.

At the time of Decker’s arrest, Cecil Baker, 53, of Monticello, was also arrested and charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution.

Agents with Operation UNITE and the Lake Cumberland Drug Task Force assisted in the investigation and arrest.