HENDERSON, Ky – Kentucky State officials have confirmed that rehab work on the Audubon State Park Scenic Lake dam won’t be finished until well into 2020 at the earliest, meaning the park’s campground closure will stretch into at least a third year.
Audubon State Park campground did not open in 2018 due to the start of work on the adjacent dam, and it has remained closed since then.
The campground closed because it is the only way to access the dam, and it was deemed unsafe to have heavy construction equipment and materials transiting through an occupied campground with children, pets, bike riders, etc.
Phase One of the $6 million dam rehab project, which included amending and stabilizing the soil foundation of the levee with a concrete-like material, was finished in that first year.
But the two-part project stalled out this year — and the campground closure has continued on.
Audubon State Park is a Historic property listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Officials have been working with the Corps of Engineers and the state historic preservation officer to finalize plans to lessen the impacts of the construction on the property.
Concerns are focused on aesthetics of what will be there when the project is complete and what can be done to make sure the repairs fit into the historic environment.
Phase Two of the dam rehab project, the actual repair and reconstruction of the dam itself, including the spillway and widening the crest of the dam, is planned for 2020.
The Corps of Engineers has issued a permit, and the dam project is in the final design. And the project contract will be let by the first of the year. If everything goes as planned, construction will start in the spring and be completed by the end of next year.
The earliest construction would get underway would be March or April.
When or if Audubon State Park campground will open next year is unknown because its opening is dependent on when construction will be done. And some safety concerns within the park must be addressed before construction crews can begin work.
As for campers, because it is not known when construction will be completed, camping reservations will not be made for 2020.
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