Kyle Lake Project Will Begin Soon

FALLS CREEK, Pa. (EYT) — Kyle Lake, still known as B&O Dam by some, outside of Falls Creek in Jefferson County was a place where an angler could hope to hook into a largemouth bass of note.

Walleyes were also a target of many fishermen, but those days are a distant memory for the few who are still alive and fished the lake.

The Pa. Fish & Boat Commission is hoping a project to rebuild the dam will result in a better fishery. While there is still the potential of catching a hefty bass, the vast majority of fish are less than 15 inches, which is the minimum size to keep a bass.

Wednesday evening in DuBois, staff from the Fish & Boat Commission explained the project, timeline and plans after the work is done. Nearly four dozen people attended.

The dam was built in 1909-10 by the Baltimore Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway to supply water for the steam-powered locomotives that transported coal, among other things.

The lake was drained in 1985 with the hopes of killing off some of the vegetation that often chokes the lake during the summer months.

It worked for a short while, but didn’t last long.

A few years ago the state Department of Environmental Protection declared the dam at Kyle Lake to be a high-hazard, unsafe structure.

Since then, Bill Sabatose of Brockport has worked to secure money for the project and earlier this summer, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that he was releasing $25.7 million in capital budget funding for the repair of five high-hazard, unsafe dams, including Kyle Lake, and the design of two other dams.

High-hazard, unsafe dams have deficiencies of such a nature that if not corrected and the dams were to fail, substantial property damage and a probable loss of human life could occur.

While the likelihood of such a catastrophe is extremely low, it remains and with the money to do the project, it will remain a fishery for area anglers.

“We are very fortunate to get this opportunity,” Sabatose said. “Some of these dams that have been declared high hazard are taken apart and not rebuilt. And that’s not something we want to happen.”

While water from Kyle Lake is not used for public water, there were some questions about the water from Kyle Run that is used by area people.

Michele Jacoby, the Director of Engineering for the PFBC, said there wouldn’t be any issues with the water supply as the water will flow through and continue downstream.

The lake is expected to be fully drained during September and early October.

A fish salvage will then be conducted to move as many fish as possible to Cloe Lake, near Punxsutawney.

In advance of the fish salvage, the PFB temporarily lifted all seasons, sizes and creel limits at the lake, effective Aug. 26. The lake holds largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish and walleye.

“We have chosen to temporarily lift the regulations in order to reduce the number of fish in the lake in advance of a fish salvage and a complete drawdown of the lake,” said Jason Detar, Chief of the PFBC Division of Fisheries Management. “We want anglers to fish the water and make good use of as many fish as they can.”

Detar said once the construction is done, the plan to restock the lake will begin with fathead minnows, a small baitfish preferred by bass and other larger fish.

Bass stocking will follow, then bluegills, sunfish and crappies. Channel catfish will also be stocked.

There are no plans to stock northern pike.

Also, Detar explained that in the first 5 years, it is likely that no fish will be allowed to be harvested so the fishery can rebuild.

Another part of the project that may help fishing is with a new structure, the lake will be able to be drawn down in the winter, which can help with keeping weed growth under control.

The estimated $4 million construction is expected to start in late spring or early summer 2017 and last through 2018. The lake is expected to be refilled and open for public use again in spring 2019.