Kentucky Testing Dam for Possible Earthquake Damage

Officials in eastern Kentucky are conducting tests on a dam to see if a recent 4.3 magnitude earthquake centered near Blackey enlarged the flow of a small stream at the bottom of the structure. Inspectors from the Kentucky Division of Environmental Protection joined city officials from Jenkins and engineer Paul Nesbit at the Elkhorn Lake dam. Nesbitt told The Mountain Eagle that the stream is 10 times larger than it was five years ago, but it is not a cause for panic. “All dams leak,” said Nesbitt. “But this is not a slight change.” Nesbitt said the growth of the stream is “a concern” and officials will decide what needs to be done after tests are complete.