ARWA issued the call for voluntary water conservation on Thursday after the lake level fell to the equivalent of 300 days of supply at projected rates of water consumption. At the time, the lake was 12 inches below the top of the dam.
There is no assurance that the lake will remain full. Typically, summer is the driest season in this area and the Appomattox River's flow usually drops significantly from June through September. Under ARWA's Drought Response Plan, if the lake again drops to the 300-day supply level, another call for voluntary conservation could be issued.