Sutherland Canal to be drained for maintenance

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - The Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) announced the Sutherland Canal in between Lake Ogallala, Sutherland Reservoir and Lake Maloney will be drained to conduct maintenance and inspection activities in conjunction with the fall renovation work the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will be conducting at Lake Ogallala.

In order for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to conduct their work, water levels in Lake Ogallala will be lowered. Once water levels are low enough, releases of water to the Sutherland Canal will be halted, according to a press release from NPPD.

At this same time, NPPD will be emptying water out of the canals in between Lake Ogallala, the Sutherland Reservoir and Lake Maloney. The process to dewater Lake Ogallala and the canal will take roughly two weeks to complete. The canal will then remain dewatered for approximately five to six weeks before being refilled to normal operating levels.

“NPPD, Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District, and the Game and Parks Commission have worked together to coordinate this work, so it can be done in a timely fashion, which allows for all the organizations to complete our work without having to lower water levels in the system multiple times,” NPPD Canaday, Water, and Renewable Energy Manager Kirk Evert said.

While canal waters are lowered, crews will be conducting general maintenance activities along the canal. They will inspect the gates at Keystone, inspect the Sutherland Reservoir Outlet, drain the forebay above the North Platte Hydro to inspect the penstock that delivers water into the hydro and complete maintenance at the hydro.

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