Extreme temperatures could raise water levels downstream of Claytor Dam
ROANOKE – Appalachian Power (APCo) wants boaters, kayakers, tubers and other recreational users downstream of Claytor and Leesville dams to know water levels on the New and Roanoke rivers could rise rapidly starting on Wednesday, July 23, and fluctuate through the weekend, and possibly into early next week.
The National Weather Service is forecasting high temperatures over the next week, and PJM, the independent regional transmission organization that manages the electric grid in 13 states, has notified APCo that it may need to increase power generation at its hydroelectric plants to maintain the reliability of the regional electric grid if called upon to do so.
Below Claytor Dam, water levels could increase up to two feet in a matter of minutes. Water levels below Leesville Dam could increase as much as eight feet over seven hours. Those considering recreating on the rivers should monitor AEP’s website for additional information and follow the Smith Mountain Project and Claytor Facebook pages for updates.
Located on the New River in Pulaski County, the Claytor Dam is operated by APCo. The total installed electric generating capacity of the plant is 76 megawatts. Leesville Dam, with a generating capacity of 50 megawatts, is part of the Smith Mountain Project, a 636-megawatt pumped storage hydroelectric facility on the Roanoke River.
July 23, 2025 @ 9:09 am
What is going on with Claytor Lake?
We have had several “warnings” this summer citing several different reasons why the water levels may fluctuate.
Heavy rains, generator tests, dock repairs, and now high temperatures.
Then there was the notice that they were going to lower prices by raising prices.
If APCO was being run by the government, I would suspect some sort of coverup.