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Post by mwardncsu on Dec 3, 2012 0:21:36 GMT -5
Passing along info received tonight......
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Dear Friends, Neighbors and Citizens of SML,
Are you concerned about the low water levels on Smith Mountain Lake? Did you think it was only because of a drought? Please come to an urgent meeting, Wednesday, December 5th at 7:00 PM to learn the facts and what YOU can do about this issue.
Russell Johnson, former Franklin County Supervisor, will present the current information about our water levels. He believes we all have a voice and need to be heard in Richmond. The Governor will be appointing a new person in January to sit on the Water Release Board. Come learn how we can organize to petition our views and possibly change the current situation.
The year 2015 will be a larger impact on water levels. With Smith Mountain Lake being the economic engine of Franklin County, we need to do all we can to protect it now.
SML Water Level Urgent Meeting
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
7:00 PM
Bernard's Landing Conference Center
Sailor's Cove Drive, Moneta, VA (updated location info below)
Thank you for your consideration of protecting our beautiful lake!
Concerned Citizens of SML,Ron and Gail Gawor
DETAILS PROVIDED AT THE MEETING. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL.
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Post by jb4sml on Dec 4, 2012 15:44:26 GMT -5
From: "TheOffice SMLAssociation.org" <smlassoc2@gmail.com>
Date: Dec 4, 2012 2:22 PM
Subject: WATER LEVEL MEETING LOCATION CHANGE ***
To: <TheOffice@smlassociation.org>
CHANGE IN LOCATION: The scheduled meeting below will now be held at
Trinity Ecumenical Church Parish located on Rt. 122 in Moneta.
Start time will remain at 7PM
SMLA would like to advise you of a local public meeting regarding management of lake water levels.
The current water release protocol is scheduled to be reviewed in 2015. The SMLA Board appointed a committee at our November board meeting to determine the ways we can influence changes in the protocol set by the state and under which AEP manages the Smith Mountain Project. We will keep you updated on opportunities for your input and involvement.
Sincerely,
Kristina Mize
President, SMLA
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Post by mwardncsu on Dec 6, 2012 10:15:38 GMT -5
Curious if anyone made it to this meeting, and what the highlights were.....
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Post by mwardncsu on Dec 7, 2012 9:58:06 GMT -5
Here is a report I received from someone that attended the meeting.....Yes, I went to the meeting along with a couple of hundred other people. It was a large crowd! What I learned was that the present protocol for releasing water from SML was established 2 years ago by the Department of Environmental Quality in Richmond. This governing body made the decision after input was received from various interest groups including the residents and businesses that live downstream, the fish hatchery, the residents and businesses of SML, and AEP. There may be others that I did not catch but these were the main groups mentioned. Simply put, the protocol was designed using a computer program and “formula” and has not been changed since it was established. Because of this, the low water levels are being caused by the present drought. He stated an example from this week. The protocol calls for a minimum release of 400 cfs and when the lake refills at 390 cfs, we are releasing at a deficit. What can we do?? The speaker (Russ, didn’t catch his last name), from the SML Association, suggested we write to several groups and/or individuals and request an interim review of the water release protocol. The protocol isn’t normally up for review until after 5 years (2013) so he encouraged a letter/email writing campaign to the following: Gov. Robert McDonnell Patrick Henry Building 1111 East Broad St Richmond, VA 23219 (804) 386-2211 www.governor.virginia.gov Doug Domenech, Sec of Natural Resources Patrick Henry Building 1111 East Broad St Richmond, VA 23219 (804) 786-0044 natural.resources@governor.virginia.gov David Paylor, Dept of Env Quality 629 East Main Stree PO Box 1105 Richmond, VA 23218 (804) 698-4000 www.deq.virginia.govdavid.paylor@deq.virginia.gov Bob Duncan, Director, Dept of Games and Inland Fisheries 4010 West Broad St. PO Box 11104 Richmond, VA 23230 (804) 367-9231 www.dgif.virginia.govbob.duncan@dgif.virginia.gov There were several individuals at the meeting who voiced a concern that the interests of the residents and businesses of Smith Mtn Lake had not been sufficiently represented when the new protocol was established, so they felt a renewed “lobbying” effort might help.
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BentRod
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Post by BentRod on Dec 7, 2012 10:03:19 GMT -5
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Post by mwardncsu on Dec 13, 2012 16:39:32 GMT -5
Attached is another summary of the meeting... Hello Neighbors, Several of us attended the Water Level Information Meeting at TEP Wednesday night. The primary purpose of the meeting was to give us information on what is causing the low water levels and what, if anything, we can do about it. Russ Johnson gave a very informative talk and offered his email (RussJohnson@smlassociation.org) to anyone that would like to receive ongoing updates regarding water management. Basically, our problem is twofold. First, the lack of precipitation has kept the inflow of water low (this is the major cause of our low water) and second, the requirement by FERC (Federal Emergency Regulatory Commission) last year to set up an automatic protocol to control the outflow of water required AEP to implement flows that do not favor SML. Unfortunately, the meetings that took place at Gretna, Charlotte and Richmond, a couple of years ago, were not supported as strongly by the Lake Community as needed and we were not as organized as our opponents from the neighborhoods downstream from us. Therefore, when the rules for the protocol were defined, the decision that a certain amount of water must be released was not base on inflow = outflow, so we ended with more water being released from SML than is coming in at times. Both short-term and long-term suggestions were presented. Short-term: There are organizations and people that we can write to explaining our concern and asking for help to have the current protocols reevaluated to see if they are working as they should and whether they can be modified to be fair to SML while not creating major impact to the downstream towns. It was stressed that these letters must not be confrontational, since we need these individuals and organizations to work with us now (such as the Shore Management Plan) and in the future and do not want to antagonize them in any way. They are not the ones that caused our current problem, we are only hoping they will step in and help us get the protocols looked at to see if we can modify them in a way to eliminate some of the problems that have resulted because of them. Now, rather than have to wait until 2015 when the current license is up. Any communications should admit, up front, that we realize that our primary problem is the current draught and that no one can do anything about that. However, the low water level at SML is exacerbated by the required outflow being higher than the inflow, causing an unfair disadvantage to the SML communities. Additionally, the low waters are putting us at risk, since the Marine Fire and Rescue boats, in which we depend on for our safety, are unable to reach most homes in case of an emergency. Our hope is that as these organizations will become aware that the current protocols need to be evaluated to make sure they are working as intended and they realize that the current water flows are causing environmental damage as well as unfairly affecting the safety of the SML community. If the outpouring from concerned citizens, businesses and home owner associations can influence these officials in a non-confrontational, but in an educated, concerned way, hopefully they will make modifications to the current protocols that will ease the effects of future droughts. Long-term: We need to stay involved so our community will be organized and prepared for the next licensing meetings in 2015. We do not want to allow our opposition to influence the decisions made that will, once again, hurt our lake. In addition, we need anyone that has knowledge in legal, environmental, water management, etc., to apply for the openings that will be coming up in June 2013 for board positions on the water management team. At present, many cities along the East Coast and North Carolina are working to influence the control of our water. Currently, all board members are from the North and Eastern coast of Virginia and we do not have any representation on this board. As there are many very critical decisions coming up in the future regarding the water management of Virginia’s water which includes SML, we desperately need qualified representation on this board. We expect two openings in June 2013 and, as of now, we have no applications for these positions from our area. Ideal candidates would have a background in law, conservation, hydrology, environment management and or aquatic fish biology. If anyone knows of someone with this knowledge or anyone that might be interested in finding out more about these positions, please ask them to get in touch with Russ regarding the requirements and process to apply for these positions. Please watch for more information from the Smith Mountain Eagle, the Roanoke Times and/or the local television news programs, which had reporters there also. Stay in touch with Russ Johnson, email him or call him (540-537-6378) and let him know if you would like to be informed as to future happenings or if you want to be considered for the committees that will have to be formed to address the current and future issues. RussJohnson@smlassociationa.org Regards, Ann Coriasco Read more: smsc-forums.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=lakenews&action=display&thread=44&page=1#ixzz2EyEF65bH |
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Post by bigjon on Dec 13, 2012 20:36:51 GMT -5
I guess I am one of the downstream folks. I fully understand the concerns of the downstream community because I have seen and lived it growing up down this way. With that said I full agree it is not wise to have a set mandatory amount of downstream flow reguardless off what's coming in. In my opinion a water defecit should be shared all the way down. If this was the case SML would no doubt still be low but not near what it is now. All that is one rednecks Thursday evening opinion.
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Post by hillbilly on Dec 13, 2012 20:44:08 GMT -5
better a Thursday evening opinion from a redneck.........than a friday or saturday evening opinion after the beer drinking has begun  |
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Post by bigjon on Dec 14, 2012 6:16:45 GMT -5
better a Thursday evening opinion from a redneck.........than a friday or saturday evening opinion after the beer drinking has begun Heck I don't even check the site after the beer drinking has started anymore, safer that way! ;D |
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Brian
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Post by Brian on Dec 14, 2012 9:56:00 GMT -5
I guess I am one of the downstream folks. I fully understand the concerns of the downstream community because I have seen and lived it growing up down this way. With that said I full agree it is not wise to have a set mandatory amount of downstream flow reguardless off what's coming in. In my opinion a water defecit should be shared all the way down. If this was the case SML would no doubt still be low but not near what it is now. All that is one rednecks Thursday evening opinion. I guess we need more rednecks in charge because that right there is the correct answer if we could past all of the selfish politics and petty BS. I would also advise *not* saying the following in your letters: As soon as I read that, I rolled my eyes, thought "Drama Queen" and immediately discounted any other points, no matter how valid, that person had to say. |
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Post by mwardncsu on Dec 14, 2012 10:12:25 GMT -5
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BentRod
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Post by BentRod on Dec 14, 2012 10:16:22 GMT -5
Get a longer hose.
Don't think for a second they care about anything downstream except keeping Gaston full so they can pump it all to Va Beach. The drought is the main cause but those release regulations are making it worse than in years past.
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Post by bigjon on Dec 14, 2012 20:24:17 GMT -5
Bigun, I'm going to let you take this one!  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2012 17:27:41 GMT -5
Bigjon, there is no way you are going to trick me into a converstaion about BentRods longer hose.  Mward is already threating to delete my account if I don't start showing some restraint. I told him I thought I was, and he could ask SS if he didn't believe me. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2012 17:41:59 GMT -5
Sorry mward, I meant BentRods longer hose "remark".  |
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