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Feds Recommend Draining Ohio Lake Because Of Weak Dam

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the chance of dam failure is so high at a central Ohio lake that the agency is recommending it be drained until repairs can be made.

The Corps was brought in by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to assess the safety of the dam at Buckeye Lake about 30 miles east of Columbus. The agency recommended that the lake be drained or the 180-year-old dam be replaced immediately to prevent potentially catastrophic failure.

The report says a dam failure could endanger the lives of 3,000 people who live and work near the popular recreational lake.

The state says it will keep the nearly 5-square-mile lake at lower winter levels until it can evaluate the report.