Lake Martin Voice Realty
Alabama Power Requests Higher Winter Level For Lake Martin
On November 4, 2011, Alabama Power requested to keep the water level three feet higher than normal this winter.
This is old news to locals, of course, but I realized I had not posted anything about it on my blog. Sorry about that.
This has been an unusually busy fall for Lake Martin Voice Realty. Both John Christenberry and I have been blessed to have a few deals in the works and lots of people here looking for a waterfront home or lot on Lake Martin.
Alabama Power made this request to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC is also the acronym that will decide to approve or reject Alabama Power’s application for a new rule curve for the next 30 years.
For all of the official information from Alabama Power as it relates to Lake Martin’s water level, go to this page on their website, then select “Tallapoosa River” and then “Lake Martin” in the appropriate drop down boxes. The normal winter water level for Lake Martin under the current rule curve or license is 480 feet, Martin Datum. Alabama Power has requested to keep it at 483 this year because of, in their words, “to address forecast LaNina impacts during the upcoming winter and spring months. Once approved, the lake should remain up to 3 feet higher than normal winter pool. Lake elevations are always subject to change, depending on conditions.”
If you would like to monitor the water level on Lake Martin, I think the best spot on the web is Bruce Pate’s Lake Martin.com. From here you can see the current level, and also a cool chart that allows you to compare to prior years, and to the current rule curve. Bruce also allows you to create a water level alert, customized to your needs. For instance, you might know that when the lake gets below 484 you can work on your dock or install a water pump for your landscaping. Go to Lake Martin.com and create an alert that will email you when it gets close to that amount. Neat idea!
Other Great Resources About Lake Martin’s Water Source
Lake Martin is fed by the mighty Tallapoosa River, which, I would argue (in extreme bias) is the most historically significant river that is east of the Mississippi and south of Clingman’s Dome. Here are some links to see Tallapoosa River flow numbers:
Tallapoosa River near New Site / Horseshoe Bend
The Tallapoosa is part of the Alabama / Coosa / Tallapoosa River Basin, aka the ACT Basin. If you would like to watch water level readings for the ACT Basin, see:
ACT Basin by Army Corps of Engineers
Alabama Dept of Environmental Management
Tallapoosa River Basin State of the Watershed Conference June 22, 2011
I think that anyone who loves Lake Martin, for long enough, will begin to have concerns about where its water comes from and the quality thereof. Lake Martin is fed by the Tallapoosa River. I only recently learned this: a river’s watershed is the area of land where every single trickle, creek and stream flows into that river. So you can imagine that the Tallpoosa River watershed is a huge area of land that covers much of east-central Alabama and then goes into Georgia.
If you would like to learn more about the Tallapoosa River Watershed, I think the best way to do so is to attend the Tallapoosa River Basin State of the Watershed Conference . It’s being held on June 22nd at Central Alabama Community College in Alexander City from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
This is a collection of scientists – many of whom come from Auburn – that includes biologists from the State of Alabama as well as ones from private industry. They do a lot better job of describing the event, so I will post their website and comments below. But, let me say that before attending this conference, even though I have grown up on Lake Martin, I had never heard of the Tallapoosa Darter. That’s just one nugget of information you may learn.
Here’s a quote from Mona Scruggs, Conference Coordinator:
“We want to make sure that folks in the Tallapoosa Basin don’t miss this opportunity to learn about recent accomplishments and opportunities in their area. It may be of particular interest to your readers that there will be a special panel discussion about the recent designation of Outstanding Alabama Water for the section of the Tallapoosa River and the Treasured Alabama Lake classification for Lake Martin which will include input from local Economic Development and Real Estate experts.”
So, to learn more, check out the links below:
Tallapoosa River Basin State of the Watershed Conference Website
Tallapoosa River Basin State of the Watershed Conference Registration
You Don’t See Boats Like This Anymore on Lake Martin
I don’t see many house boats like this on Lake Martin anymore.
When I was growing up, there were always a bunch of house boats that were moored at docks by the River Bridge. They were on the east side of the river, across from the old Lake Hill Restaurant, on the north side of the Tallapoosa River. I guess this was the late 1970s, early 1980s.
We would be driving eastward on highway 280, and as we’d cross the bridge, we could see them all parked over on a dock system. I never went down there, and don’t know their owners.
When I saw this one parked across the street from my office, it made me think about how long it’s been since I have seen a boat like this on Lake Martin.
I originally posted this on my media blog, at Posterous.
How To Cheat Summer
This year I had 2 “goals” to achieve at Lake Martin, recreation wise.
1. Take my boys fishing 10 times.
2. Take a long boat ride – Kowaliga Bridge to the River Bridge.
Results:
1. Horrible. We fished maybe 5 times at the lake, and that was off of the dock, at night, for carp, with all of the rest of the family. Hardly the Mayberry-esque jaunts in the boat, where I would impress them with my fishing prowess versus the noble bass and scrappy bream, and somehow tie in a lesson about life. Don’t get me wrong, we like fishing off of the dock, though.
2. Labor Day came and went at Lake Martin, and I considered myself defeated on this one, too. What a crappy dad.
Then I started thinking, why admit defeat?
Why should I let summer skunk me?
Why not take my own advice and come to the lake to relax after Labor Day? Why not double down and do it during the week?
Besides, isn’t one of the perks of real estate supposed to be “being your own boss?” So yesterday I mustered the wife, our youngest child, and the poodle. We decided, weather and calendar be darned, we are going for a boat ride.
Kowaliga Bridge to the River Bridge or Bust!
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I know that lots of Lake Martin boaters make this trip at least once a weekend, but for us this is a big trek. It means launching the “speed boat” – our term for the ski boat that can go faster than pontoon’s 10 mph. It also means risking a slow leak in the motor’s foot and a dicey idle speed throttle control. No complaints, though. Mooching is better than buying your own, most of the time.
When I called my dad to get final instructions, Summer 2009 tried a couple of final tactics to defeat us. First it sent rain. And more rain. But we didn’t blink. Secondly, I found out that the boat had been winterized already, so I would have to de-winterize it and re-winterize it in the same day. Sounds daunting.
Nice try, summer 09. We did it. We launched the boat at Kowaliga Bridge, cruised the main drag all the way to the River Bridge in the Alex City limits (aka the highway 280 bridge). We went past it, tied up to the railroad trestle just north of it, and ate our picnic lunch. Kicked our feet up. Returned calls on my cell phone. Glorious.
We saw 1 other boat at launch, 2 or 3 going north, 2 at the railroad trestle, and 2 coming back. That’s it for boat traffic on a September Thursday after Labor Day.
We were back home by 3 PM and at a soccer game by 5.
In yer face, summer.
Am I nuts? Does anyone else out there think a trip to Lake Martin between Labor Day and Memorial Day make you feel like you are getting away with something?
Like you’re cheating summer?
If the word gets out how easy it is…
Keep Lake Martin Green At the Tallapoosa River Basin Watershed Conference
The 5th Annual State of Our Watershed Conference, The Tallapoosa River Basin –Moving Toward More Effective Water Policy will be at the Betty Carol Graham Technology Center at the Central Alabama Community College in Alexander City on Wednesday-Thursday, May 13th-14th, 2009. This year’s conference will focus on moving toward sustainable water management policy for the Tallapoosa River Basin.
This year’s organizers and sponsors include the Auburn University Water Resources Center, Alabama Water Watch, the Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership, Lake Watch of Lake Martin, the Montgomery Water Works and Sanitary Sewer Board, and Central Alabama Community College
Go to www.twp.auburn.edu and, under TWP Highlights click the 5th Annual State of Our Watershed Conference link to go to information on the conference, including the Tallapoosa River Basin Management Plan (8.2 megabite pdf file), conference announcement, and conference registration (required for lunch headcount), and additional information.
