Rainbow Forest Lake is now draining due to DCR and soil and Water Conservation board ruling on lack of progress.

Homeowners surrounding the lake are understandably upset. The lake will leave a neighborhood with new real estate assessments. But it will leave a lake begun in the 1960s dead in the 21st century. A wildlife haven as a well as a popular fishing spot will be no more.

The “lack of progress” is the reason cited to Floyd when she attended the VSWC meeting in Richmond. The RFLA feels that saving close to $31,000 for the engineering study has been progress. They are not sure how they can get another property owner to agree to repairs that may cost trees and a place to deposit debris, nor do they understand why rules changed from the 100-year flood to the 1,000-year flood. Also, Botetourt County has continued to allow construction of homes in the flood plain below the dam, noted Mike Labosch, also on the board of the lake association.

Therein lies the problem. This lake is loved by many but does not have funding. To get a loan, the association needed money on hand. Part of the repair work ordered by the Dam Safety in 2004 isn’t on the property owned by the lake association. Additionally, the culverts now deemed too small for a 1,000 year flood belong to VDOT, who has stated vehemently that the dam is not part of their ownership, though they OK’d the water line that runs across the dam several years ago. Labosch said he has the documents in hand.

On Jan. 23, he and resident Jim Cable opened the valve. Perhaps by nature’s ordaining, the large amount of water pouring into the lake due to heavy rain over the weekend has the lake above full currently.

More to come.