UPPCO Preparing For Snow Melt

The Upper Peninsula Power Company has begun lowering the water levels at its hydroelectric reservoir on the Dead River system in Marquette County.

UPPCO’s regional generation supervisor, Robert Meyers, says they’re gradually lowering the water levels between now and April 1st to get ready for rain and melting snow that is part of the spring runoff season.

There is a safety concern for people who go near the reservoir because when they lower the water levels, it can create “bridging” under the ice. That, Meyers says, can deteriorate the ice and make it unsafe in some areas.

UPPCO plans to start returning the reservoir to normal levels in April, depending on how much rain the area gets and how fast the snow melts.