Alabama Power has launched a new version of its Shorelines app called Smart Lakes, which offers new advanced interactive features designed to enhance the lake experience.
In addition to lake-specific information on water levels and generation schedules, the new Smart Lakes app offers users a one-stop source for all relevant lake data. The app features:
- An easier way to find the best fishing spots, restaurants and marinas via an enhanced map.
- Weather forecasts localized to the lake, including the highs and lows of the day.
- The ability to report invasive plants while on the water and around your home.
- The ability to request a lake shore permit.
- Control of your lake home’s smart thermostat from your fingertips. Set it to your comfort level before you arrive and save energy while you’re away.
- The latest news of what’s happening on Alabama Power’s lakes and rivers.
- An even more immersive view of the lake using augmented reality on newer smart phones.
The app also serves as a continuation of the company’s dedication to protecting natural resources while meeting the needs of lake goers and property owners.
“It’s so exciting to see how the Smart Lakes app has evolved into something even more useful to those enjoying our lakes,” said Herbie Johnson, Hydro general manager. “I work with many peer utilities and this is the first such comprehensive and interactive app I’ve seen. I know it will serve as a benchmark in the industry, and it is one that I’m proud to say Alabama Power offers.”
When the original app launched in 2014 along with a new website, its sole purpose was to provide customers who love Alabama Power lakes with needed information.
“This next evolution of the Shorelines app is more than a new name or look. Just as homes are becoming smarter, so are the recreational activities we enjoy. By offering more innovative features and tools, our customers can connect to the lake and their lake home – if they have one – in a way they haven’t been able to do before,” said Libby Romano, Alabama Power Digital Strategy and Engagement manager.
In addition to the Smart Lakes app, the multichannel Shorelines platform includes a quarterly magazine; a website (apcshorelines.com), which is also mobile friendly; personalized email communication; social media; and a blog.
For years, the lakes information pages on the Alabama Power website have been among the company’s most visited, as people who live, work and play near the lakes have a vested interest in what is happening on their local lake. This demand for information led to the creation of the Shorelines platform.
“These are valuable tools for the people who live on or visit our lakes,” said Thomas St. John with Alabama Power Shoreline Management. “The first Shorelines app was a big leap forward in providing information people want in today’s on-the-go world. The updated Smart Lakes app goes even further and was designed to be a personal lake guide. It offers cutting-edge, interactive features to help you make the most of your time on the water.”
Since beginning work on Lay Dam in 1912, Alabama Power has played an important role in water management across the state. Today, the company manages 11 reservoirs, 14 hydroelectric dams, 3,500 miles of shoreline and nearly 120,000 acres of land on the Coosa, Tallapoosa and Black Warrior rivers.
The Smart Lakes app is a partnership between Alabama Power’s Hydro Operations, Corporate Real Estate, Environmental Affairs, Digital Strategy and Engagement and Public Relations departments.
The free app can be downloaded in Apple and Android stores, and current users are encouraged to update their version to unlock the new features.
