(SLEPC)
March 2011
www.slepc.org
Membership Renewal Information
For
annual members, the mailing label on this newsletter shows the last date your
dues were received; membership renewal is due one year from the date shown. Lifetime
Members are noted also. Thank you for your continued support!
Meeting with Elected Officials
The
As of today, the following officials have
accepted the invitation:
State Representative Mac Buttram
**State Senator Paul Bussman is going to
try to work it into his schedule
Stephens Foundation provides grant to SLEPC
Based on a request from Nelson Brooke,
River Hero Award Presentation
The Alabama
Rivers
SLEPC Flags are still available
Hopefully you
will begin the see the new SLEPC blue and white flags flying on boats and on
docks around the lake. Jimmy Wallace of Printers Alley and his wife, Elaine,
helped to design the flag and Printers Alley handled the printing, shipping and
delivery. In addition, Printers Alley donated 20% of the cost to the group and
bought a flag! Thanks to Jimmy and Elaine! If you would like to thank them or
have some printing materials or signs designed you can contact them at (256)
747-4932 or Printersalley@yahoo.com.
On
Copies of the
proposed rule and the summary of reasons supporting the revisions are available
on the Internet at: http://adem.alabama.gov/PubHearings/PubHearings.htm.
Removal of Abandoned Structures from the
Many of you probably noticed a lot of cleanup work going on
around the lake over the winter months. The cleanup effort was financed by
Alabama Power Company and was contracted out after a bid process was used to
select a contractor to remove the structures and other debris. Approximately
300 abandoned structures were removed. Thanks to
Moratorium on some
shoreline activities for
According to excavating companies around
the lake that install rip rap and other shoreline stabilization, the moratorium
for placing rip rap, building seawalls or boat ramps, etc. along the
Change at the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office
Lt. Brett Holmes attended some of our SLEPC
meetings and encouraged everyone to send him their email address so he could
establish a quick way to communicate with folks around the lake regardless of
where they lived. Many of you did this so I wanted to let you know that Brett
has started a new job with the District Attorney’s office. He is still around
but the Sheriff’s Department email address is no longer valid. Hopefully at the
April 9th meeting, Sheriff Rainey will help us find an efficient way
for lake residents and others to share information with his department and also
for the Sheriff’s office to share information with us as needed. Remember to keep
your eyes open and report any suspicious activity to your local Sheriff’s
office.
Walker County Sheriff’s
office: (205) 302-6464 and (205) 384-7281
Winston County Sheriff’s
office: (205) 489-2115
11th Annual Mike Beasley Memorial Poker Run
The 11th Annual Mike Beasley
Memorial Poker Run will be held on Saturday July 16, 2011. Proceeds are
distributed to the
The Slide at
According to a recent article in the
Cullman Times, the slide at
Save The Date – The State of the
The SLEPC Annual Meeting and State of the
Newsletter Sponsors
Our
newsletter reaches hundreds of households and businesses with an interest in
Fall 2010 newsletter sponsor: Black
Warrior Riverkeeper – This
membership-based nonprofit organization’s mission is to protect and restore the
Fall 2009
newsletter sponsor:
Summer
2009 newsletter sponsor: South Shades Crest Animal Clinic ***Repeat Sponsor***(205)987-4838 located at
Thanks
to all of our generous donors and sponsors!
Habitat Destruction around the
If you have brush below
the full pool line, you are encouraged to leave that brush for fish habitat
which has been described as building birdhouses for fish.
In addition, in order to
minimize erosion,
Smith
--The
--The
nine-inch crappie limit has been lifted for public waters of 500 acres or less.
Since
--The
web site for Alabama Power’s Fish Habitat Enhancement Maps with
State Boating Law Highlights
---All
persons 12 years of age and older who operate a motorized boat in
---BoaterExam.com
is a new online interactive course that may be taken for a cost of $29.95. Upon
passing the course, a certificate will be issued that can be taken to the local
driver’s license office so that the “V” can be added to the license.
---The
Coast Guard Auxiliary currently has about 20 folks participating on
---
---Vessels
passing head on should keep to the right. If you cannot see around a bend in
the shoreline or a rock formation assume that there is a boat coming at you on
the other side and stay well to the right.
---Scuba
divers should always have a diver’s flag flying on their boat. The flag should
be at least 12 inches square, colored red with a two inch strip running
diagonally from the top staff corner to the bottom fly corner. Boaters
should stay a minimum or 100 feet away from the displayed flag.
---A
properly installed kill switch must be attached to the driver of a
moving vessel less than 24 feet long with greater than 50 horsepower.
---As of April 2003, stern lights (anchor
lights) must be at least one meter above the navigational lights (running
lights) and must be visible for two miles.
--The Alabama Marine Police
recommend that lake residents place their 911 address somewhere that is visible
from the water and that the letters and numbers be reflective and at least
three inches high. This could help them identify a location easier and quicker.
Other News Around the
--- As
of
---Smith
Lake Living is a magazine that includes various articles, advertisements and
information about
---An
Alabama Power web site is available for lake level information:
http://lakes.alabamapower.com or you can access lake level information from our
web site www.SLEPC.org. The 1-800-lakes11 number also provides lake information.
---
www.smithlakeliving.com.
---Remember
to call Alabama Power’s representatives BEFORE you begin a seawall, a dock or
begin construction that could affect land below the water storage easement of
522 feet
----To
receive Alabama Power’s free Shorelines, which includes draw down
information, estimated filling schedules, cleanup schedules, etc., write to
Shorelines 12N-0980, Alabama Power Company, POB 2641, B’ham,
----The
Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) oversees any land
disturbance of one acre or larger or if the disturbance causes a water quality
violation. ADEM’s
----Cullman
County PALS (People Against a Littered State) LITTER HOTLINE! If you see
someone littering, you can make a report by calling the hotline at (256)
775-4706. Their web site is http://home.bellsouth.net/p/pwp-cullmanpals.
----
----Cullman
County Sanitation Department will pick up old appliances such as washers,
dryers, refrigerators, etc. This service is free of charge to residential
customers. Call (256)287-1142 for pick-up.
Requests
Please
secure items on your docks such as buckets, rafts, and chairs to prevent
littering the lake.
With
the low lake level, please watch for islands just above and below the surface.
Keep
an eye out for dock and foam dumpers and report them.
Web Sites of Interest
-
-Smith
Lake Living Magazine at www.smithlakeliving.com
-Black
Warrior River Keeper at www.blackwarriorriver.org
-
-Winston
County Smith Lake Advocacy, Inc at www.wcslai.blogspot.com
-
-The
Clean Water Partnership for the Warrior basin at www.warriorcwp.org.
-Cullman
Co. PALS at http://home.bellsouth.net/p/pwp-cullmanpals
-Alabama Dept. Conservation and Natural Resources web site for online
purchasing of hunting and fishing licenses is www.outdooralabama.com.
-Alabama Department of Public Health web site for statewide fish
consumption advisories is www.adph.org/tox.
-Federal Energy Regulatory Commission web site for information
about relicensing, commercial permit applications, etc. is www.ferc.gov.
Board and Committee Contact Information
2010
Board of Directors re-elected at November 2009 Annual Meeting:
Debbie
Berry, President - (205)823-0015; email: debbiecberry@aol.com
Ben
Tingle Vice President – (205)608-1291; email: TBtingle@aol.com
Becky
Gray, Treasurer - (256)747-6262; email:beckyg@hiwaay.net
Eddie
Hand, Secretary - (256)287-1545; email: ehand@att.net
Edwin
Calvert, Director At Large - (256)734-9337
Committee
Chairs:
Jerry
Gray, Membership Committee - (256)747-6262; email: jrg@hiwaay.net
David
Gilbert, Nominating Committee - (256)287-1269 or DWGRUST@aol.com
IF
YOU WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THE SLEPC BOARD, HAVE NOMINATIONS FOR THE BOARD, OR
WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON A COMMITTEE PLEASE CONTACT
Membership Information
The Smith Lake Environmental
Preservation Committee (SLEPC) was formed in 1995 as an
Please join us in our endeavors
to preserve
Individual Membership Dues: . Business
Membership Dues:
$20 for a single annual
membership... Annual
membership $50
$30 for a couple annual
membership. Annual Supporting
membership $100
$100 for a single lifetime
membership Annual Patron
membership $500
$200 for a couple lifetime
memberships
$250 for a couple steward
lifetime memberships
Please help us defray expenses
and continue our efforts by making your check payable to The Smith Lake
Environmental Preservation Committee.
Mail to: c/o Deb Berry 860
Sincerely,
Debbie Berry, President
Smith Lake Home
Page
Mission Statement
In the News
Contact Information
Relicensing
Water Quality
Fishing
Information