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Name:	farmerdave -	Reply
Subject:	Rising Water Level
Date:	3/9/2011 8:25:30 PM

Just noticed on the Alabama Power site the forcasted crest is 519 ft which as most know is 9 feet above the summer pool level. Earlier today it was forecasted at 518 ft. My guess it will go higher than 519 ft. This could cause damage to some boat docks/houses on the lake. In the past when the water level rose above 515 ft Alabama Power would run one or both turbines to pull the water back down to a reasonable level. Why are they not doing this now?

Name:	Mo -	Reply
Subject:	Rising Water Level
Date:	3/10/2011 10:00:34 AM

They can't release any water now because of the downstream flooding. Areas are already flooded and you can imagine what would happen if they started releasing a lot of water at this time. Smith Lake is doing its job now, flood control. People have got used to it being a recreational lake and that was not its design and purpose.

Name:	farmerdave -	Reply
Subject:	Rising Water Level
Date:	3/10/2011 6:00:09 PM

Here is the reply I got back today from Alabama Power for my question to them about the forecast of 519 ft:

We have revised the forecast peak elevation to 516 to occur around 3/12/11. The projection may also be revised further as hydrologic conditions change. You can get up to date information at https://lakes.alabamapower.com .

The reason we are not making significant releases today from Smith is because we operate for flood control under the authority of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. According to those procedures, we release a specific volume of water based not only on the Smith lake elevation but also on the elevation of the river at downstream Cordova. The necessity for flood control operations is normally determined by stages at the Cordova gage, located at the Saint Louis and San Francisco Railroad bridge on Mulberry Fork at the town of Cordova, 27 miles downstream from Smith Dam. The gage is owned by the Corps.

Once the elevation at the Cordova gage recedes to specified levels, we will continue to implement our flood control procedures and make more substantial releases from Smith according to those procedures to empty the flood pool.

Name:	Dixie Drifter -	Reply
Subject:	Rising Water Level
Date:	3/12/2011 10:46:07 AM

FarmerDave,

I've got news for you, there is significant boat dock damage on Smith Lake. Those who chose not to monitor their walkway/shoreline cable tension may have experienced major damage as equalizers, winches, walkways and vertical roof posts have been bent, broken off, or become inoperable. Not much can be done other than tie off docks which have broke free until the water level recedes. What may look like a minor repair job can end up costing thousands of dollars. Better to subscribe to a "dock watch" program than "wing it".

Name:	searayselect -	Reply
Subject:	Rising Water Level
Date:	3/12/2011 9:59:21 PM

Yeah, I have never really understood the logic behind some of the boat house installs. I have to say, FSI understands how to properly secure a boat house. I see docks all the time where the two cables are secured 5-10 feet below where the ramp anchors. Water rises and the cables become taut and snap. If the cables are exactly even with the anchoring of the ramp then the ramp and the cables move together.

Name:	Handy Man -	Reply
Subject:	Rising Water Level
Date:	3/13/2011 3:40:29 AM

I spent several days this week down on Warrior River. If you had seen what I saw down there you'd know why Smith Lake is backed up. The water on the big river was moving as fast as I've ever seen it move and was very muddy and heavily littered with logs and debris. If Smith had released much water it could have been devastating downstream. Gotta think about a lot more people than just those property owners on this lake. This has nothing to do with cooling towers or electricity generation.

Name:	Bill -	Reply
Subject:	Rising Water Level
Date:	3/21/2011 2:30:47 PM

Randy is wise.

Name:	Ivan -	Reply
Subject:	Rising Water Level
Date:	8/31/2011 3:12:40 PM

I wonder why Locowater and waterph, or whatever their names are, never complained about the water levels when they were this high? Of course, they're doing their yearly wailing right now!

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