FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                    Contact: Gretchen M. Wintermantel
May 25, 2005                                                                                               202.225.6511

Congressman Kanjorski's Statement on the Inflatable Dam:

"The fact that the county is now applying for permits for the inflatable dam is very good news. I would like to thank the Luzerne County commissioners and the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority for taking on the leadership of this project and selecting an excellent design firm in Gannett-Fleming, which garnered national and state awards for the feasibility study it completed in 2000. The inflatable dam is a project that will benefit the entire region and that is why I have been such an advocate of it. The entire Riverfront Development project relies upon a stabilized water level that would be provided by the inflatable dam. The Susquehanna River will offer a variety of recreational opportunities, once again becoming the jewel of the Wyoming Valley. With these opportunities comes a tremendous economic benefit for our area. I am pleased to see this project moving on to the next phase," Congressman Kanjorski said.

Facts:

● The location of the inflatable dam will be approximately 1.5 miles south of the Market Street Bridge, just north of Richard Island.

● The initial award-winning Gannett-Fleming study indicated a dam is economically feasible and found no insurmountable reason why the dam should not be environmentally feasible as well. 

● The inflatable dam would create a seasonal 400-acre lake that would maintain a constant water level of about six feet during the summer months and the river will be entirely within its natural banks. The uniform water level would span for about 4.5 miles from Richard Island to slightly downstream of Forty Fort.

● The dam will be about 9.5 feet in height. The height will vary depending on the flow of the river. The higher the river, the more deflated the dam will become. When the Susquehanna reaches flood stage, the dam will be completely deflated at the bottom of the river.

● The water level at the Market Street Bridge will be five feet, which is deep enough for most recreational boats.

● Migrating fish will be allowed to pass through a fish ladder, which is the same design the state will be installing to permit fish passage at Sunbury's inflatable dam.

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