CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – Over the next several weeks, the West Virginia Conservation Agency and the Capitol Conservation District will be drawing down the pool at Elk Two Mile No. 14 dam in Kanawha County to allow for a seep repair to the dam’s embankment.

Elk Two Mile No. 14 dam sits off Hunter Road in the Rutledge area. According to the organizations, repairs are expected to begin in June. The pool will be reduced by about one foot for at least the next month prior to the repairs.

While the expected time frame for the excavation and installation of a seep collection system is expected to be 60 calendar days, the agency and the district say the prep work and repairs could go on for several months and the pool may not be fully replenished until the fall. The pool will be reduced by about one foot for at least the next month prior to the repairs. Officials with the WV Department of Environmental Protection’s Dam Safety Office say the slow draw will reduce the chances of any slipping upstream from the embankment.

The 66-foot tall dam was built in 1996 and has a maximum storage capacity of more than 75.2 million gallons, or 231 acre-feet, of water.

Officials say fishing will be allowed to continue during the drawdown period and anglers are encouraged to keep their fish, but must still comply with the WV Division of Natural Resoruces’ daily creel limits. Officials also urge anglers to be aware of any soft soil or muddy conditions in areas where the water has receded.