Lower levels on Alabama Power lakes make it right time to build
Fall is the perfect time for homeowners to perform work on their property at Alabama Power lakes, including maintenance and construction of docks, boat houses and other structures. (Alabama Power)
There’s nothing better than being out on an Alabama Power lake in the fall, as leaves turn to gold and the sky is a lovely robin’s-egg blue.
Lake property owners with building plans should contact the company via the website for a Lakeshore Use Permit. (Alabama Power)
While boaters and paddlers enjoy the surroundings, Alabama Power Hydro is hard at work to ensure company lakes are at safe levels. The company has begun lowering water levels to prepare for winter rains. For instance, residents at Harris Lake, a storage reservoir, saw levels begin to drop on Oct. 1. By Dec. 1, the level will be at 785 feet.
At Lake Martin, the water level is being gradually lowered until it reaches about 481 feet by Dec. 31. Martin will remain at that level through Feb. 17, 2022, when it is scheduled to begin slowly rising again toward its 491-foot summer operating level.
Lisa Martindale, Reservoir Management manager at Alabama Power, said, “Our lakes are being prepped for winter weather and the additional rains that come with the season. As always, we want to remind residents to be aware about changing conditions on the lakes during storms and extreme weather.”
Martindale noted that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a Record of Decision for Alabama Power’s request to permanently increase the winter pool levels at Weiss and Logan Martin lakes. That means that residents who spend time on those lakes will enjoy higher water levels beginning in winter 2022-2023.
At Weiss Lake, the winter pool level will increase 3 feet, to 561 feet. Beginning in 2022, the lake drawdown will begin Sept. 30, almost a month later than in the past.
As for Logan Martin Lake, during the winter drawdown of 2022, lake residents will notice a water level about 2 feet higher, at 462 feet.
Plenty of water for Alabama Hydro to manage
October is traditionally the driest month of the year in Alabama, but that’s not the case this year. When Mother Nature dumped nearly torrential rains throughout the state in early October, Alabama Hydro helped manage the surge.
Several Alabama metropolitan areas have seen higher than usual rainfall this year. As of Oct. 21, Tuscaloosa had received 61.27 inches, about 19 inches above normal; Birmingham had received 63.12 inches, about 17 inches above normal; and Montgomery is about 7 inches above normal.
“All of our observing sites are above normal for rainfall this year,” said Jason Holmes, meteorologist at the Calera Office of the National Weather Service. “We have enjoyed some drier conditions over the past week or so, but we are approaching our secondary severe weather season from the end of October through December. The result will be more opportunities for rainfall as we finish out 2021.”
Contact the company when planning to build
Lake homeowners who want to make plans for building floating piers, docks or boathouses, or for construction or repairs along the shoreline for stabilization or erosion control, should contact Alabama Power online or call a local shoreline office, said Billy Edge, land manager – Land Development and Shorelines Operations.
“Because we’re very busy in the fall and winter, it’s best to plan ahead,” Edge said. “Contacting us on the front end can alleviate potential issues on the back end.”
Fall, winter and early spring are the group’s busiest time for permitting. About 2,000 new and revised permits are typically issued annually on the company’s 12 reservoirs.
Lake homeowners interested in building should contact Alabama Power for a Lakeshore Use Permit. Building must be done in accordance with Alabama Power’s General Guidelines for Residential Shoreline Permitting. To speed the process, it’s helpful for property owners to provide an online permit application, a sketch of the proposed structures and a copy of their deed.
For more information, click here.
