Water Quality Is Our Main Priority!
By Don Fink, Resident Moneta, 24121

         This month’s column will be devoted to the Smith Mountain Lake Association’s water quality efforts.  The Association’s Lake Committee, under the direction of Stan Smith, has maintained the monitoring of the water quality first and foremost on its list of priorities and will continue to watch for any sign that adverse trends are beginning.
          They wrapped up a very productive summer season with the completion of this year’s water quality monitoring program in cooperation with Ferrum College.The partial analyses that have been conducted as the samples were gathered indicates that the collation of all data will result in another encouraging yearend report.  Long-term trend lines measuring such critical elements as phosphorus, nitrate and chlorophyll A continue to be favorable.
          The program again included expanded sampling for fecal coliform, and the preliminary results indicate no major problems areas were encountered. These results could have been skewed by the fact that there was no significant rain event, which would have increased the inflow of runoff bacteria, during the testing period.
           While this is good news, it appears that Smith Mountain Lake is entering a period of maturing that could involve changes in the lake shoreline as wellas the water itself.  There is a rise indicated in phosphorous and chlorophyll A levels, which must be watched closely as it could lead to an increase in algae in the lake.
          In a proactive initiative, the Lake Committee is working with local area Master Gardeners on a buffer zone project to design native plant buffers residents can install along their waterfronts.  These would use native plants, shrubs and other vegetation that will both stabilize the lakefront and filter undesirable elements from lawn and garden runoffs.  Details on this effort will be announced as the project takes form.
          Still on the topic of water, attention also will be focused on how to combat the introduction of exotic species into the lake.  These can range from shellfish or parasites brought into the lake on the boats of visitors to non-native water plants inadvertently introduced into the lake.  These can thrive and choke small inlets.  In summary, the quality of the lake’s water remains stable at a relatively high level, but a combined effort is needed to ensure this level is maintained.
          The Association’s other effort to maintain water quality, the Royal Flush pump out boat, was successful despite mechanical problems that took the boat out of action for over a month.  When it was in operation on its regular Friday, Saturday and Sunday schedule,  it was called upon for numerous pumpout operations. The boat is crewed by Ferrum students as part of the
cooperative water monitoring program, and the plan is to keep it operating on Sundays through Thanksgiving.
          Maintaining the water level in the lake has been a major challenge this summer due to the lack of rainfall.  Inflow rates to the lake fell below 300 cubic feet per second (CFS) at the depth of the drought.  The American Electric operators of the SML power generation system requested and received a variance to drop the outflow levels to 500-550 CFS from the normal 650 CFS.  Even with the nightly pump backs through the dam, this has not been sufficient to maintain the lake at what most residents consider an acceptable level.  Absent a significant period of rainfall, this condition will continue on into the autumn.
          In a final water-related note, the Franklin County Board of Supervisors is studying a plan to draw up to 2.5 million gallons of water a day from Smith Mountain Lake.  This would be pumped to Rocky Mount primarily for industrial uses.  Franklin County officials also are continuing their discussions with Bedford County Supervisors on a plan to extend a proposed waterline from the Bedford side of the Halesford Bridge to the Bridgewater complex on the Franklin County side.  This line would draw from the Bedford Public Service Authority’s High Point water filtration system which draws water from Smith Mountain Lake.  It has not been resolved whether this line could be extended south along Highway 122 to Westlake Corner.