10 things to know about the draining of Lake Busbee
Santee Cooper is draining Lake Busbee on Thursday. In a month, the iconic lake along Highway 501 south of Conway will be returned to wetlands.
Here's what you need to know:
What is Lake Busbee?
Owned by Santee Cooper, the lake is a former cooling pond created for the coal-burning power plant known as the Grainger Generating Station. It was shut down in 2012 and demolished in 2016.
Why are they draining it?
After studies showed that there was copper and arsenic in the lake, Santee Cooper and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control couldn't agree on whether it was safe. DHEC told Santee Cooper to restrict access to the site, do more studies to determine if it was safe, or clean it up.
Santee Cooper, citing the cost of maintaining it, decided to restrict access. After the City of Conway refused to take over the lake because of questions about contamination, Santee Cooper began draining the lake in order to return it to wetlands.
The initial timeline was that the lake would be drained by the end of February, but rain slowed down the evaporation of the lake. Santee Cooper officials said the slow evaporation is the reason why they're pumping the lake now. That way, the ground will be stabilized by December, when saplings will be planted.
How long will it take to drain?
It will take about 30 days.
Where will the water go?
The water in the lake comes from the Waccamaw River, and will be pumped out of the lake and into a ditch that flows back into the Waccamaw.
How big is the lake?
It's 330 acres by area, between three and four feet deep and holds 376.4 million gallons of water.
How much does it cost to maintain the lake?
Every year Santee Cooper would spend about $100,000 to pump in 1.9 billion gallons of water to maintain the water level in the lake.
What happens to the fish?
Santee Cooper is working with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to identify the types of fish in the lake to determine whether or not they need to be relocated.
Will it smell?
Probably. Santee Cooper spokesperson Susan Mungo said they're expecting some odors similar to the smell of other wetlands, but that they're not completely sure what it will smell like. Some fish may die in the process, which could contribute to the smell. But Mungo said Santee Cooper is hoping that as the lake drains, natural predators such as birds and alligators will take care of the fish that are left.
What happens after the lake is drained?
Santee Cooper plans on planting 300 to 400 native tree saplings per acre during the planting season of December through March. Species include Bald Cyprus and Swamp Tupelo.
Will it contaminate the Waccamaw River?
Santee Cooper says no. The contamination was found in the sediment, which will stay in the site. The lake is being drained from the top, so no contamination should end up in the Waccamaw.
Christian Boschult, 843-626-0218, @TSN_Christian
This story was originally published April 12, 2018 at 10:04 AM with the headline "10 things to know about the draining of Lake Busbee."