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!

 

Dr. Neil Sass, Alabama Department of Health, will discuss the new Fish Consumption Advisories issued for Smith Lake -- Sept. 27, 2008      

 

The Smith Lake Environmental Preservation Committee is hosting Dr. Neil Sass, the state epidemiologist for the Alabama Department of Public Health, as their guest speaker on Saturday September 27, 2008 at 9:00AM at the Dodge House Restaurant. Dr. Sass will be discussing the fish consumption advisories for largemouth bass recently issued for Smith Lake due to mercury, methods used and how decisions were made on this topic. The meeting is open to the public and everyone is welcome to attend. The Dodge House Restaurant is located a quarter of a mile west of I65 at exit 299 on Alabama Highway 69 in Dodge City. 

 

 

For additional information, call Deb Berry at (205) 823-0015 or (205) 915-8830. 

Summary of Fish Consumption Advisories     

 

The Fish Consumption Advisories for mercury are for largemouth bass from the following locations:

 

Cullman County location: Ryan Creek in the vicinity of the County Road 222 bridge

            One meal per month

Winston County location: Rock Creek in the vicinity of Little Crooked Creek

            Two meals per month

Winston County location: Mouth of Clear Creek, mouth of Butler Creek

            One meal per month 

Styrofoam Removal Deadline      

Reminder: January 1, 2010 is the deadline for removing non-encapsulated beaded Styrofoam from the lake.

We had our cleanup this Spring and removed 17.81 tons or 35,620 pounds of Styrofoam for a total of 1313 tons or 2,626,000 pounds.

Other cleanup information below:

Walker Co. cleanup contact: Jim Beason (205) 387-2654

Winston Co. cleanup contact: Laverne Matheson (256) 747-4422

Cullman Co. usually has free dump month during May at the landfill for Styrofoam, wood from docks, and other trash. The coupon usually comes with your Cullman Electric Coop power bill prior to the free dump month.    

PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW YOUR DOCK OR STYROFOAM TO LITTER THE LAKE. INSURE PROPER DISPOSAL EVEN IF YOU PAY FOR REMOVAL.  

John Ledbetter, Smith Lake Land Manager      

John Ledbetter, the new Smith Lake Land Manager, replaced the retiring Mack Thomas in early 2008. John was the guest speaker at our meeting on April 19, 2008 with about 70 folks in attendance. John was very informative and answered several enforcement questions as well as permitting questions. We appreciate him taking the time to speak to us. John and his administrative assistant, Christy, can be reached at (205) 384-7385. Other Alabama Power contractors are as follows:

Sharpe Johnson – Cullman side including Ryan’s Creek, Simpson Creek and tributaries. Bud Castle – Sipsey Fork from Smith Lake Dam to Duncan Bridge including Rock Creek, Crooked Creek and tributaries.

Ferrell Drummond – Sipsey Fork from Duncan Bridge to Double Springs including Clear Creek, Brushy Creek, Yellow Creek and tributaries.

K. D. Huey will be a floating contractor for the entire lake

Mort Kelley – Shoreline surveillance

Donnie Cagle - Shoreline surveillance

In addition to the shoreline permitting and surveillance, APC is also using light aircraft to monitor the lake.

Shoreline Permitting and Inspection Contact Information 

 

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 MSL (mean sea level). Call 205 384-7385 for permitting information and to make an appointment for an onsite visit. 

State of the Lake Address November 15, 2008

 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

 

We will be having our Annual Meeting and State of the Lake Address with Dr. Bill Deutsch of Alabama Water Watch as our guest speaker on November 15, 2008. The meeting will be held at the Dodge House Restaurant at 9am and is open to the public. Bill always brings interesting folks with him and always has a wonderful presentation of our citizen monitoring data collected by our own volunteer monitors from around the lake.  

 

For background information, the 2007 State of the Lake Address presentation is posted on the Alabama Water Watch web site homepage at www.alabamawaterwatch.org (it is the third story on the left side that rotates with the pictures). At that time Smith Lake appeared to be well balanced; this can change very quickly so we must all be diligent in protecting our water quality and preventing mud etc. from entering the lake. If you see problems with erosion controls or if you see failing erosion controls allowing runoff into the lake, you can contact the ADEM office in Decatur at (256) 353-1713 to report the problem.

 

If you want to become an Alabama Water Watch monitor you may register for training through the alabamawaterwatch.org web site.

Many land disturbance effects can also be monitored via satellite through the earth.google.com web site.

Newsletter Sponsors

 

Our newsletter reaches hundreds of households and businesses with an interest in Smith Lake and we are always looking for sponsors. The sponsorships are $220 and sponsors will be acknowledged in each quarterly newsletter for at least one year. Let us know if you are interested in reaching Smith Lake folks through a newsletter sponsorship!

Sponsor for June 2007 newsletter:

South Shades Crest Animal Clinic ***Repeat Sponsor***(205)987-4838 located at 2304 Hwy. 150 Suite 110, Hoover, AL 35244. Dr. Susan Stark is the owner and veterinarian for the clinic and is a member of SLEPC. 

 

                      Sad News                                                   

 

Tommy Walker, one of very dedicated and entertaining cleanup volunteers, passed away April 19, 2008 after a very short battle with cancer. He will be missed and remembered.

 

We also lost one of our long time supporters and Steward Members, Paul Kassouf. Paul and his wife, Naomi, also supported us through their foundation, The Decimal Point Foundation. He too will be missed and remembered.      

                      Good News                                               

The Environmental Management Commission (EMC) of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) voted to lower the acceptable risk of cancer from chemicals allowed in our waterways from 1 in 100,000 to 1 in a million. They determined that this would provide a great public health benefit without having a significant economic impact. This is a huge step for the health of Alabama citizens.

                      Smith Lake Fishing Info                                                

 

--The Smith Lake slot limit for bass is 13 - 15 inches.  Any bass caught in the slot must be released back into the lake. The total length includes tip of nose to end of tail.

 

--The nine-inch crappie limit has been lifted for public waters of 500 acres or less. Since Smith Lake is 21,200 acres the nine-inch limit on crappie remains in effect for Smith Lake.  

 

--Alabama Power’s Fish Habitat Enhancement Maps can be obtained via the internet with updated GPS information. These maps can be accessed at www.southernco.com/hydro. Go to Lakes and Recreation and from the drop-down menu select the dam for the lake you want and the topic “Fishing”. The link to the GPS coordinates will be in the text to the right of the drop-down menus.

 

                      State Boating Law Highlights                                        

 

---Smith Lake is surrounded by DRY counties and, therefore, not only does the legal blood-alcohol limit of .08 apply but also the laws associated with dry counties. It is our understanding that this means that any alcohol in a boat on Smith Lake, including just one beer, can be considered a violation of the law. As always, the severity of enforcement is up to the discretion of the officer.

 

--Alabama law now requires an annual inspection of onboard waste disposal facilities (heads) to insure that Y valves, if present, have been rendered incapable of discharging to the waterways. If you have a vessel that has a head that has not been inspected, you can contact the Marine Police District Office at 1-800-499-1667 and leave a message for the Smith Lake Marine Police.  

 

---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.

 

----Studies show that 19 of the 22 Alabama drowning deaths in 2004 might have been prevented if the victim had been wearing a life jacket. Something to think about!

 

--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 Lake                    

 

---A new 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 level and generation information. 

 

---Smith Lake now has a web cam. The camera is just south of Ryan Creek Boating Center and can be accessed through the Smith Lake Living Magazine web site:

www.smithlakeliving.com.        

 

----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, AL 35291-0980. You can also view this publication at http://www.alabamapower.com/lakes/shorelines.asp.

 

--Smith Lake Living is a magazine that includes various articles, advertisements and information about Smith Lake. You can purchase a one year subscription by mailing a check for $15.00 to Smith Lake Living LLC, 788 Co. Rd. 97, Bremen, AL 35033 or you can pick up a copy at various advertisers locations around the lake. If you would like to place an ad, contact smithlakeliving.com    

 

--SmithLakeDog.com is a new web site with information about Smith Lake and the surrounding community. For more information contact Keith@smithlakedog.com.

 

----The Church by the Lake has early services each Sunday from 8:00am to 8:45am at

Ryan Creek Boating Center. Come as you are!  

 

----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 Decatur office handles this program for the Smith Lake area.  (256) 353-1713.

 

----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 now has several locations for recycling used motor oil. For a complete list of locations call 1-800-452-5901.

 

----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.

In addition to the shoreline permitting and surveillance, APC is also using light aircraft to monitor the lake.

License Extension Issued for Smith Dam

 

As most of you know, Lewis Smith Dam was scheduled for relicensing in 2007. The original license issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) was for 50 years which began in 1957 when construction began. The new draft license application went to FERC in July 2005. If FERC has not completed their review of the draft license application before the expiration of the old existing license, then FERC is required to issue an annual extension of the existing license until it has time to complete the required review. The extension of the existing license was issued in September 2007 and FERC has requested additional modeling which is scheduled to be submitted in the next couple of months.

We have been actively involved in the relicensing process since it began seven years ago with Deb Berry as our SLEPC representative. You can see what issues have been addressed and/or resolved and the funding priorities for new or enhanced recreational facilities on Smith Lake by visiting the Relicensing Web Site at: www.southerncompany.com/alpower/hydro.   

                   Requests                             

Please secure items on your docks such as buckets, rafts, and chairs to prevent littering the lake.  

                      Web Sites of Interest                                           

 

-Smith Lake Environmental Preservation Committee’s at www.slepc.org.

 

-Smith Lake web cam at www.smithlakeliving.com

 

-Alabama Power Lake Level info at lakes.alabamapower.com.

 

-Black Warrior RiverKeeper at www.blackwarriorriver.org

 

-Alabama Water Watch’s, www.alabamawaterwatch.org, provides water quality data, information about upcoming training workshops and re-certification workshops.

 

-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.conservation.alabama.gov or www.alabama.gov. 

 

Board and Committee Contact Information

 

2008 Board of Directors re-elected at November 2007 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 US.     

 

 

Membership Information

The Smith Lake Environmental Preservation Committee (SLEPC) was formed in 1995 as an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) non profit organization with the goal of preserving and enhancing the water quality of Smith Lake and its tributaries for people, recreation, fish and wildlife thru education and volunteer efforts and by working with officials and agencies and other organizations with similar goals.

 

Please join us in our endeavors to preserve Smith Lake and its tributaries. All donations are tax deductible and very much appreciated.

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 B. Gray, 492 County Road 165, Crane Hill, AL 35053

           

      Sincerely,

      

           

     

      Debbie Berry, President

      860 Alford Avenue

      Hoover, AL 35226-1963  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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