D.C. Rogers Lake, west of Fayette, re-opened last week after the gravel road leading to it was smoothed out. The area had been closed due to issues with the road, which boasts a steep hill leading to the lake.

Fayette Mayor Greg Stidham said the city’s road grader had a mechanical issue, so he contacted the county, which lent their grader.

Work on the wing wall at the lake’s dam is still pending. A plan from MECO Engineering was kicked back from the state, which is demanding the lake be lowered by five feet before work can commence. This will likely be done by siphoning water over the dam using a series of pipes.

The primary overflow drain will be blocked at the same time.

“If we got some major rainstorm, that water could go over top of the dam, even though we’ve got that overflow on the north edge,” Mayor Stidham explained during the city council’s last regular meeting held on Tuesday, March 11. “They don’t think that’s sufficient if we get some kind of 100-year rainstorm.”

In addition, Peters Lake will also have to be lowered five feet because water from it feeds into D.C. Rogers.

“If it rains, Peters is going to start overflowing and that water starts going into D.C. Rogers,” the Mayor said.