Sandy Springs To Drain Lake Forrest Dam

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On May 21, the city of Sandy Springs will begin a phased draining of water from the primary lake serviced by Lake Forrest Dam.

The lake will be reduced up to 50 percent of capacity, as the cities of Sandy Springs and Atlanta coordinate an Intergovernmental agreement.

The 60-year-old dam, recognized by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources as a Category I Dam, has been identified with several deficiencies impacting its structural integrity, the city said. It’s located along Lake Forrest Drive south of Long Island Drive.

“If the dam were to fail, it could lead to loss of life downstream,” said Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul. “As we work through our agreement with the city of Atlanta, we felt the drawdown was a necessitated safety measure to reduce the pressure on the lake.”

The reduction of the lake is a safety measure undertaken by the city at its own expense, as it continues to work with the city of Atlanta on the agreement.

Schnabel Engineering will oversee the draining of the lake, and will monitor the dam during the reduction process. The lake is expected to be fully drained following approval of the agreement, which is expected to go before both the Atlanta and Sandy Springs city councils in June.

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