History of Lake George

 This article appeared in the Crittenden Press, May 5, 2022, my history column, Forgotten Passages.

Louisville Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY, Oct. 11, 1954

Soil Conservation Helps Town Get Needed Water - 1954

Lots of folks talk out the need for cooperation between farm and city. Here in Crittenden county they are doing something about it. For years water has been a serious problem in Crittenden County. Recent droughts have forced farmers to haul their stock water from the Ohio river all during the year. During the worst of the drought during the last two summers, Marion had to ration its water supply to City users. But the drought only served to point up a problem that had been growing for almost 20 years.

Crittenden hardly is what would be called a rich county. Few farmers have tobacco bases. Most of them must work hard at dairy, beef and poultry projects to make a living.

Marion offers little opportunity for jobs for the children who grow up on the farms. A silica plant and a printing company are about the only industries in town. Once the fluorspar mines offered jobs, but foreign completion has shut down that industry here.

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Industries Lost

In the last few years some industries have been interested in setting up plants here. One company wanted to set up a clothing plant that would have hired 75 workers. Another considered building a plant that would have hired 250 workers. A glass company thought of setting up a factor to process the silica mined here.

None of these plants were built. the reason? Not enough water.

The city's water supply came from a man-made lake on Crooked Creek. In 1940, that lake had silted up to a depth of four feet. The City then spent about $5,000 to raise the spill. By 1952, all that added capacity had been wiped out by further silting.

At that time George Strickler arrived. He is the work-unit conservationist of the United States Soil Conservation Service. In working with the Crittenden Soil Conservation District Board of Supervisors, of who Harvey Lowry is chairman, Strickler came to realize that what was needed here was a co-operative project between the farmers in the Soil Conservation District and the city folks of Marion. Strickler and the supervisors met with the City Council and Mayor Sylvan Clark. The farmers, he explained, needed soil-conservation work on their farms to cut down the silting of the City water supply. The City needed more water. By cop-operative agreement they both could get what they needed.

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Three lakes planned

When the City Council was convinced, Strickler and the Board of Supervisors went to work on a watershed plan for Crooked Creek. Farmers were organized into a watershed association. Marion merchants agreed to support the plan. Strickler worked long hours, ofter late into the night, plotting the needs of the watershed. He came up with a plan for three lakes. Lake No. 1 would hold 25,000,000 gallons. Lake No.2 would impound 150,000,000 gallons. Lake No. 3 about 500 feet above the old City lake, would hold 200,000,000 gallons. The old lake has a capacity of only about 7,000,000 gallons.

It was decided that Lake 3 should be built first. The City agreed to put up $50,000 that remained from an old bond issue.

Thirteen farmers contributing to the 750 acres that form the runoff for this lake. The lake itself will cover about 65 acres. Part of the $50,000. was used to buy this flooded area.

Work on the 30 foot high dam was begun July 30 and now is nearing completion. Water already is collecting in the new lake and feeding through a sluice to the old reservoir. Farmers are working out plans for conservation measures and cropping practices on the watershed land to protect the soil against erosion.

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