Message from the President

Submitted by Joe Brenner
Summer 2008

Welcome to another summer season on our beautiful lake. We are now in our third year of the current drought. The bad news is that we can expect lake levels to continue to drop this summer. The good news is that historical droughts have ended after three years and an active tropical storm season is forecasted this year.

We continue our discussions with the Corps and state officials to more adaptively manage river flows during drought conditions. Technical folks from the various agencies have been meeting to identify critical flow needs downstream and develop options to
reduce flows while managing risks. We had a very productive meeting with Colonel Shepard, the Deputy Commander for the Savannah District the day of the LHA spring picnic.

I’d like to thank the LHA Board and the Programs Committee for their contributions to a very nice and informative spring picnic. Unfortunately our member turnout for this event has been less than we’d like, particularly relative to the large turnout we typically get for the fall member meeting. We need to identify ways to make this event more valuable for our members or we will have to consider dropping it, as the current attendance does not justify the work it takes to put it on. Please send us your thoughts.

Butch McKie has resigned from the LHA treasurer position. I’m happy to report that the Board elected Jim Bushey, Director At-Large, to be our new treasurer. We are also nominating Ruth Anne Marciag as a new director and chair of the Programs Committee. Ruth Anne has been doing a great job as a member of that committee and recently as acting chair. Please vote in favor of Ruth Anne’s election to the Board.

Please read the announcement for the Lake Clean Up Campaign and Picnic. As in the past, LHA will co-sponsor the clean up with the Corps and handle the recognition picnic for the volunteers. This is your chance to contribute some sweat equity for the sake of the lake. Also, please mark your calendars for the LHA fall meeting on October 23. We have a great program planned with General Joe Schroedel, Commander-South Atlantic Div. of the Corps and Jeff Larson, Savannah River Watershed Manager for Georgia EPD as speakers.

As always, send your questions and comments to mail@lakehartwellassociation.org or
call 1-864-LAKE (5253).