Topeka ? A drawdown of lake levels being conducted by the federal government to help barge traffic on the Missouri River has drawn the ire of Gov. Bill Graves.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has started releasing water from Perry, Tuttle Creek and Milford lakes to boost water levels in the Missouri River for navigation flow.

Larry Gilbert, Lawrence, takes advantage of a summer afternoon at Clinton Lake. Gilbert, seen here on Friday, has been riding at Clinton and Perry lakes for three years. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently began drawing water off of Perry, Tuttle Creek and Milford lakes to boost water levels in the Missouri River for navigation flow.

But Graves said the move could have an adverse effect on the economy and drinking-water supplies.

Clinton Lake west of Lawrence is not part of the system of reservoirs to supplement navigation flow and will not be affected, according to Steve Spaulding, hydrologic engineer in the water management section of the corps’ Kansas City, Mo., district office.

Graves has written the corps and President Bush protesting the water releases.

“I am concerned with the short notice and terrible timing of this action,” Graves said. “The Fourth of July holiday weekend is one of the peak periods for public use of Kansas reservoirs.”

He said corps plans called for water levels in the three lakes to drop by three feet in July. The levels could drop by six feet by the end of the year.

“I do not believe the limited benefit derived from drawing down the Kansas River basin reservoirs by six feet this year can be justified,” Graves said. “The poor timing is exacerbated by the fact that water supply conditions in this part of the state are deteriorating, even as releases are beginning.”

Graves has issued a drought warning for 61 counties in central and western Kansas. Counties in the Milford and Tuttle Creek drainages are included in the warning area.

The drought warning means water shortage conditions are present and water supplies are beginning to decline. Additional water-use restrictions are suggested, especially those for nonessential uses.

	Missouri River Region Corps of Engineers Governor Bill Graves’ News Releases

But the corps said it hoped to increase water levels on the Missouri River for barge traffic. Corps spokesman Paul Johnston said the Missouri was at its minimum navigational flow.

“The tributary contribution is so low that without the water from the Kansas River projects, we’ll probably not be able to meet our navigation target flows, which means the towboats themselves won’t have enough water to operate,” Johnston said.

Release orders for the three Kansas lakes had been authorized by regulations governing the reservoirs, he said.

The three major northern reservoirs that feed the Missouri are from 18 feet to 25 feet below normal levels, he said. The corps has ordered additional releases in Kansas nine times in the past 22 years to boost navigation levels on the Missouri.

Graves warned that the drawdown would hurt recreation on the lakes during the summer. In the fall, migrating waterfowl might be affected.

About 762,000 Kansans depend on the reservoirs for drinking water. Counties next to the Kansas River account for more than 40 percent of the state’s population. The river also is the sole source of water for many industrial users, including four power plants.