It won’t be much longer until Cullman County has a brand new lake.

With work on the dam structure virtually complete and a temporary concrete plug installed, the new Duck River reservoir is officially starting to fill with water.

The temporary plug was installed on Saturday, Dec. 19, and officials say the reservoir has already backed up 22 feet of water. The bottom of the river is at 605 elevation, and water has risen to 627. Full pool for the lake is set for 725, so the water level will still need to rise another 100 feet over the next several months. The water level will reach the intake at an elevation of 657.

The dam itself is at an elevation of approximately 741-743, with the spillway at an elevation of 725.

To start backing up water for the reservoir, a temporary plug made of 36 yards of concrete — approximately four truck-loads — was installed in the 10-foot diameter pipe. Eventually, a final plug will be fully installed. Throughout the entire process, the city is still maintaining downstream releases as to not affect the ecosystem beyond the dam.

The reservoir project will create a 640-acre lake with a 32-million-gallon-per-day capacity in northeast Cullman County, which will work in conjunction with the area’s current sole major water source Lake Catoma. The design will be a hybrid, with roller-compacted concrete in the center and earthen wings.

Officials say the project remains on budget, though some final changes could potentially push construction above or below projected costs.

The price jumped significantly to approximately $110 million due to a required redesign once some additional geology was uncovered before the start of construction, though officials say the final cost could come in lower than projected thanks to savings in materials and supplies. Solid numbers on the final cost will likely not be available until January 2016, and officials note some lingering contractor disputes could push into next year.

Once the lake does open for use, officials say it will likely be limited to boat motors of 9.9 horsepower or lower, much like Lake Catoma. It could also take several months for the lake to be stocked, a task that is being handled by the state.

Though the reservoir is beginning to fill, officials wanted to reiterate it remains an active construction site and trespassing is prohibited due to safety concerns. Though the site is closed, an overlook on County Road 1640, is available for curious on-lookers to keep tabs on the progress.