YORK COUNTY, Pa.– The drawdown of Lake Williams was initiated on Monday, July 9, 2018 in anticipation of the planned rehabilitation of the Lake Williams Dam after the 2018 Labor Day Weekend. The work includes the installation of a valve on the upstream face of the dam and the installation of a pipe liner at the 106-year old dam.
Although the lake will be closed for fishing and boating for several months, when the pipe work is completed and the lake refilled, we expect the lake to provide another 106 years of pristine boating, recreation, fishing, and most importantly: a portion of the drinking water supply for our community!
Effective Friday, July 13, 2018 at dusk, Lake Williams will be closed and fishing and boating will be prohibited until further notice. The Lake Williams boat launch will also be closed until the lake is refilled this fall or winter (depending on rainfall).
In cooperation and coordination with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, York Water had previously requested a waiver of all creel limits at Lake Williams. As part of the Company’s continuing effort to preserve the natural resources in the lake, on Saturday, July 14, 2018, from 8:00 AM-4:00 PM, the public is invited to help transfer fish in a controlled manner from Lake Williams to Lake Redman. Volunteers will assist York Water and its licensed contractor with counting and transporting a permitted number of permitted species of fish from one lake to the other.
Interested volunteers will be asked to help transfer select fish from Lake Williams to holding tanks. Lake Williams will be closed to boating and fishing. Boats and trailers will not be allowed to enter the Lake Williams boat launch, so please do not bring boats.
The bridge over Lake Williams will be closed starting Tuesday, September 4, 2018, and will remain closed until various dam improvement projects are completed, which is expected to be at least one year. Detour signs will be posted, and most vehicles will likely use the Susquehanna Trail as a detour.
SOURCE: York Water Company
