Officials monitoring Indiana reservoir that's near capacity

BIRDSEYE, Ind. (AP) - Southern Indiana officials are closely monitoring Patoka Lake after recent heavy rains filled the sprawling reservoir to near capacity.

Representatives from the cities of Jasper and Huntingburg and Dubois (doo-BOYS') County met Wednesday to discuss rising water levels at the 8,800-acre reservoir, which has climbed to nearly 90 percent of capacity.

The (Jasper) Herald reports local stakeholders voiced support for aggressively releasing water from the lake over the next two weeks.

Patoka Lake is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which approved releasing extra water from its dam in March after local government agencies and area farmers expressed concerns about its rising waters.

More than 13 inches of rain have fallen since then, complicating efforts to release sufficient water to lower the lake to a normal level.

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Information from: The Herald, http://www.dcherald.com