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Oct. 23, 2023 Editor, The News-Gazette: The Maury River flows entirely in Rockbridge County. It is a source of recreation, tourism and the source of drinking water for the city of Lexington. Part of the Maury is already a designated “Scenic River of Virginia.” To say the least, this river is of important ecological and economic importance to the county. Above the beloved Goshen pass is a large dam (1,300 feet x 43 feet tall) encompassing a lake (when full) of almost 400 acres and with a drainage area of 85 square miles.
Lake Merriweather is owned by the National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. It is a well-known fact that if this dam would break, for any reason, even partially, the devastation downstream would be horrible.
The mission statement of the Boy Scouts is “to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices… “The 5 values of the BSA are integrity, respect, care, belief and co-operation.” I cannot fathom any reason a private recreation lake needs to be so big and such a danger to the community. At the present time the lake has been lowered for cleanup, and at this level is still plenty big enough for any reasonable recreational needs.
It seems to me that a sensible compromise would be to leave it at the level it is now, plant the newly exposed edges with native plants and watch an ecosystem evolve.
Respecting nature, caring for all life and co-operating with the community seems a goal to believe in. This is integrity, this is an ethical and moral choice.
MARSHA HEATWOLE Rockbridge County
