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(Smith Lake Specific)
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Name:
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waterph
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Subject:
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Can't we all just get along?
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Date:
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5/3/2008 2:08:15 PM
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I totally agree with your comments about everyone getting alone. I am friendly with all my neighbors; fellow boaters on the lake; I will help anyone in distress; and want to live and enjoy this beautiful body of water with my children and grandchildren. I do think that there is a mid point that we all can agree to concerning minimum water levels. To me, a level of 500 feet by Al Power is reasonable and achievable.
Quoting Jared Key in one of his letters to this forum "The other fact is that between 1962-1972 that Smith Lake level in mid september was near the 502' msl and between 1973-2006 the level mid September is near the 497' msl. That 5' difference is contributed to cooling water supplied to the addition of unit #10 at the Gorgas Steam Plant."
Based on this observation, Alabama Power can totally drain the lake if they continue adding capacity at Gorgas. Capacity increases without any capital expenditures at Gorgas is not reasonable in today's world. I can see the possiblility of AL Power moving in the future to 488 feet which I understand is the absolute minimum level for the lake. What will we say then?
So, this gets back to the question that everyone is debating on this forum. Do property owners have any rights concerning Smith Lake minimum water levels and if not, must they sit back and enjoy whatever policies Al Power decides on? Or, with some give and take by everyone, can there be a win-win situation.
I prefer a win-win for both Al Power and property owners. One thing is for sure - families in this area will continue topurchase property and construct houses, purchase boats and jets skis. Recreation is important to these families. I cannot not visualize any type of directive from Al Power that would attempt to terminate recreational freedoms. Smith Lake will never again be like it was in 1960.
A note to those that continue to post statements that infer that Al Power is infallable. Al Power is not "Mother Teressa" in lake management practices. As any major American corporation, Al Power will only arbitrate when public opinion demands. Al Power did develop this lake as a private corporation but they still are accountable to federal agencies such as FERC.
Thereforre, property owners do not need to continuously hear that their lake privileges can be terminated by Al Power at a minutes notice. As I said earlier, there are not enough Federal Judges in the local federal courts that could hear the lawsuits that would result.
So, let's all tone down our comments (myself included) and when we post on this forum, leave out personal attacks on individuals. It is irresponsible to call forum contributors pot heads, crooks, greedy developers, etc. If these comments continue, then postings on this forum will not improv e in quality.
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