The outgoing Board of Carbon County Commissioners took a stance on how they feel the water in the Francis E. Walter Dam should be used in the future.

On Thursday, the board voted 2-0 to pass a resolution stating that the existing flow management for whitewater recreation and fishing opportunities should be maintained or improved at the dam and not sacrifice for other uses, such as reserving as much as 15% of the water in the reservoir for New York City. Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard, who was in favor of taking a position with this resolution last week, was absent.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a $3 million Francis E. Walter Dam Reservoir Reevaluation Study. Of that $3 million, New York City is funding $1.475 million of the study.

Last week, representatives from area whitewater rafting companies approached the commissioners to ask them for their help in this fight over the future of the water in the Lehigh River.

The study, which has not yet started, “will define problems, needs, and opportunities associated with project operation and evaluate the feasibility of various alternatives to optimize project operation and consider changes in past, current and future conditions.

“The study will focus primarily on flood risk management, with consideration to environmental, water supply, water quality and recreation to identify possible improvements to the existing structure, infrastructure and operations that will support the current and future demands within the region.”

What concerns Jerry McAward of Jim Thorpe River Adventures the most is New York City’s involvement because essentially they could request designating a portion of the water in the Francis E. Walter Dam be used for New York rather than Pennsylvania.

The resolution will not be sent to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia office for inclusion in an upcoming meeting on the study. A second resolution by the new board of commissioners is also expected to be adopted on Jan. 6.

The meeting will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Jan. 9 at Mountain Laurel Resort in White Haven.

A public commenting period on feedback and study recommendations for the scope of the feasibility study is now open and may be submitted via email to PDPA-NAP@usace.army.mil or in writing to USACE Philadelphia District, Planning Division, 100 Penn Square E., Philadelphia, PA 19107. Comments can be submitted before the Jan. 9 meeting, as well as after the meeting.

For more information on the reevaluation study, visit https://bit.ly/36TeCrL.