Lake Hartwell Winter, 2009 Volume XXI, Number 1 Association, Inc Letter from the President Inside this issue Submitted by Joe Brenner LHA’s Annual Fall Meeting 2 Lake Hartwell reached a record low level in October, and there’s no relief Drew Much Attention in sight. If the current drought continues, the entire conservation pool (625 LHA Represented at Historical 3 MSL) will be consumed by the end of 2009. The effects of climate change Water Conference are upon us. Though no one is sure how overall average rainfall will be affected in the southeastern U.S., all the climatologists I’ve heard from Hartwell Lake Level Projec- 4 tions (or, When will the lake have projected greater weather extremes, i.e. longer and more severe fill up again?) droughts. Ask the Corps 6 The existing Corps Drought Contingency Plan clearly cannot handle the 2008 Hartwell Lake Clean Up 7 weather patterns that we are experiencing. It is based on historical events Campaign a Success and decades old operational approaches. There must be a greater under- standing by all stakeholders within the Savannah River Basin that the reserves in the lakes must be Let’s Get Ready for Boating 8 Next Year maintained in order to protect the entire basin through severe drought situations. It must also be recognized that an appropriate drought plan will promote a “share the pain” approach throughout Proposed Nuclear Power 9 the basin. It is absurd to be holding boat races on the river in Augusta while our businesses suffer, Plant Expansion On The Savannah River our boat ramps are closed, the lake is not navigable and our docks sit on dirt. Scouts Involved in Shoreline 9 LHA lobbied for a reduced winter flow rate in late 2007. Such a plan was developed by Georgia Management EPD and proposed in July 2008 for implementation October 1. Due to late development of the LHA Supports Boat Ramp 10 plan, and slow buy-in by the stakeholders, flow reduction has been delayed by almost two months. Extension There is talk of re-establishing flows after January 2009 rather than February as originally pro- South Carolina Water Plan- 10 posed. This is clearly a “too little, too late” scenario. The water belongs to the states (people) of ning Legislation Update Georgia and South Carolina, and the states should be taking aggressive action to protect our lakes. LHA Website 10 Thus far, they have not. Georgia provided an extensive study when it proposed the winter flow reduction. It basically Thank You LHA Community 11 concluded that reducing flow from October 1 through February 28 would save the lake from & Business Members! consuming the entire conservation pool until LHA Membership: 11 LHA Mission Statement 2011. In fact if rates were left at 3100 cfs, the Welcome Aboard & Thank lake level would actually recover during the will develop and establish the drought. The plan also included extensive monitoring to ensure no negative im- We Lake Hartwell Association as an pacts downstream. Now, instead, the reduced flow plan has been cut from 5 to 2 organization that promotes and encourages months! cooperation, assistance and information ex- change among those concerned with Hart- LHA believes that we should continue the lower 3100 cfs flow rate indefinitely. well Lake and the Savannah River Basin. The monitoring plan is in place to protect the lower basin, and it makes no sense to simply raise flows on some predetermined date regardless of the basin condi- will provide a forum to collec- tion. The lake stakeholders have already shouldered the brunt of the drought We tively represent our membership impacts and should not be expected to suffer further hardships due to ineffective on issues that pertain to the development, preservation and comprehensive manage- and poorly executed drought mitigation attempts. We will be contacting LHA ment of Hartwell Lake. members for their help in getting our elected officials to step up and support our water resources. will collect and distribute infor- We mation on matters affecting Hart- This will be my last cover letter as LHA president though I will certainly con- well Lake. tinue to do whatever I can on behalf of our members. The last three years have been challenging, and I’ve certainly appreciated your enthusiasm and support. I will maintain liaisons and com- now leave the task in the capable hands of Herb Burnham. Please give him and We munications between the Lake LHA your strong support and commitment as we can fully expect future chal- Hartwell Association and educational, gov- lenges to be ever greater. ernmental, scientific and other communities. Volume XIX, Number 4 Page 2 LHA’s Annual Fall Meeting Drew minimum needs of all basin users. Lake Hartwell Association, Inc. Much Attention Both Georgia and South Carolina have requested that Submitted by Ruth Anne Maciag the Corps reduce outflow from the Thurmond Dam P. O. Box 312 from 3600 cfs to 3100 cfs per day Fair Play, SC Close to five hundred during the winter months. The 29643 people were in atten- Corps agrees with this request and dance at the Lake has begun the Environmental As- (864) 224224----LAKELAKE Hartwell Association sessment to accomplish that reduc- Annual Meeting on tion. Law requires that the Corps October 23, 2008. provide a 30-day comment period Everyone wanted to before changing the flow. Hope- OFFICERS & hear from Col. Kertis fully this change can be imple- DIRECTORS about Lake Hartwell mented in November. water level, water Officers release and future Mr. Mike Massey, LHA past Joe Brenner, plans for lake water. president, reported on his efforts, President Col. Edward J. Kertis, along with Representative Don Jr. is District Com- Bowen and Senator Kevin Bryant, vacant, mander, U.S. Army to introduce a water bill in the Vice President Corps of Engineers, South Carolina Legislature which Herb Burnham, Savannah District. would create a water council com- Col. Edward J. Kertis, uneaten dinner in hand, 2nd V P, posed of representatives from Joe Brenner, president listens as LHA President Joe Brenner discusses SCDHEC, SCDNR and other Mike Massey, of LHA, opened the plans for LHA’s annual informational meeting. agencies. The bill would provide Past-President meeting with introduc- the new water council with the tions including State Representative Don Bowen and Jim Bushey, authority to develop a comprehensive water manage- representatives from the offices of State Senator Treasurer ment plan. Mike reported that a water study was Kevin Bryant and U.S. Senator Jim DeMint. completed in 2004 by DNR, which identified many Pam Thacker, significant recommendations. Unfortunately, most of Secretary Mr. Brenner then gave a summary of LHA’s drought these recommendations have not been implemented perspectives. Climatologists forecast future droughts since there is no clear planning process to do that in to become progressively more severe. It is evident in the state. Approval of the water bill would provide Directors & the current drought that the management plan, last that process through the development of the compre- Committee updated in 2006, does not meet the needs of all Sa- hensive water plan. The bill was stalled in the legis- Chairs vannah Basin users. Flows must be reduced immedi- lature in 2008 due to prior water legislation that was ately to preserve basin water as long as possible. being negotiated. Mike said the bill is being revised Pat Goran, Adaptive management practices must be adopted in and will be re-introduced for the 2009 legislative ses- Legislative order to provide optimum flows and to meet the sion. Dr. Larry Dyck, Technical Jim Gardner, Publications Ruth Anne Maciag, Program/ Publicity Dan Ray, Safety Vern Sauer, Webmaster Mike Massey, Membership Hartwell Project Manager, Virgil Hobbs, answers questions from the audience. Col. Kertis, Jeff Larson, SR Wa- tershed Manager for GA EPD & Joe Brenner take turns answering members’ concerns in their respective areas. Volume XXI, Number 1 Page 3 Mr. Jeff Lar- LHA Represented at Historical Water son, Savan- nah River Conference Watershed Submitted by Mike Massey Manager for the Georgia Clemson University sponsored the first South Carolina EPD, also Water Resources Conference on October 14-15, 2008 in spoke at the Charleston. The purpose of this significant, initial state meeting. He water conference was to provide an open forum to dis- related that cuss current water policies, research projects and water Georgia de- management in the state. About 500 people involved with veloped the framework all aspects of water in South Carolina were in attendance. and passed legislation Joe Brenner and Mike Massey found a “receptive for a Com- ear” in Jeff Larson (center) after his presentation. prehensive Statewide Water Plan. The state is beginning the process of establish- ing regional planning committees. There will be Conference attendees shown above had an opportunity to a committee discuss state water issues during a break in the proceed- for the upper ings: Dr. Gene Eidson, Director - Clemson University, Savannah Center for Watershed Excellence; Mike McShane, Chair- Basin, and man - South Carolina Natural Resources Board; Mike When the floor was opened for questions LHA LHA has Massey, Chairman - LHA Legislative Committee for South members and guests asked some tough questions. nominated Carolina; Dr. Carol Couch, Director - Georgia Environ- Concerns expressed included the low water level, representa- mental Protection Division ; Herb Burnham, LHA Presi- using desalinization and nuclear power plants. tives. dent-Elect; Joe Brenner, LHA President. Col. Kertis was the final speaker. He agreed that In order to maintain a current understanding of water is- the outflow from Thur- sues, as well as the latest water technology and planning mond Dam should be advancements, several LHA members were in atten- reduced.