(SLEPC)
October 2010
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!
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Annual Meeting and State of the
The Smith Lake Environmental Preservation Committee (SLEPC)
is hosting the Annual Meeting and State of the Lake Address
on Saturday October 30, 2010 at the Dodge House Restaurant at 9
AM. Dr. Bill Deutsch and others from the
In addition, Marine Police Officer John
Mark Williams will be discussing damage and fines associated with hazardous
wakes, excessive noise from exhaust, etc. and he will also recap some
interesting statistics about the summer swimming and boating
season.
The meeting is
open to the public and everyone is encouraged to attend and bring a friend. The
Dodge House Restaurant is located on Hwy 69 just west of I65 at exit 299. For
more info call Deb Berry at 205 915-8830.
The
The improvements were funded by a $25,000 ADECA grant
obtained by Zeb Little and a $10,000 grant from the TVA "in lieu of
taxes" money.
The event is open to the public and the candidates
running for office have been invited.
For those that do not know, the
Come on out and see all the improvements that have been
made!
For more information contact Edwin Calvert at (256)
734-9337.
Moratorium on some
shoreline activities for
According to Alabama Power Shoreline
Management, there is currently a 6-9 month moratorium for placing rip rap,
building seawalls or boat ramps, and dredging along the Smith Lake shoreline so
that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can study the effects that these
activities have on the endangered/threatened flattened musk
turtle. Therefore, they cannot issue permits for these activities at this
time and must send all requests for the above mentioned activities to the
Burglaries on the rise—Keep your eyes open
There have been several burglaries around
the lake in the last few weeks so please 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
Meet Your Elected Officials
Come to
Santa on
On
If you would
like to decorate your boat and participate in the boat parade just let us
know and we will reserve a place for you.
If you would
like to be a sponsor for Santa on Smith Lake and be listed on the web site,
which is active year round, just make a check payable to 'Santa on Smith Lake'
for $25 (or more if you wish) and mail it to 860 Alford Avenue, Hoover, AL
35226. Santa and his elves will use the
funds to purchase prizes and goodies for the children.
Of course, the
children enjoy seeing Santa but we also want to have a little something for
every child that attends so please help out with a donation if you
can!
For more
information visit the web site at: http://www.santaonsmithlake.com
Mike Beasley Memorial Poker Run Proceeds Distributed
On August 30, 2010, Harold Beasley hosted
a wonderful event at Café Bill’s in Jasper and generously distributed $30,000
that was raised during the Mike Beasley Memorial Foundation 10th
Annual Poker Run that was held on July 17, 2010.
Proceeds were distributed to the
Update on
The deadline for the
removal of the white beaded Styrofoam from docks around the lake has come and
gone. According to John Ledbetter,
If you have completed your
white foam removal or replacement or removed the dock completely, please return
your certification to Alabama Power Shoreline Management, 5558 Curry Hwy. Suite
3, Jasper, AL 35503 or call them at 205 384-7385 and let them know so they can
update your permit file.
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
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