Once again I am going to begin with a Stephen Covey quotation. "Seek first to understand.” Why? Because as president I get a number of lake related questions and comments from both members and nonmembers - something I appreciate and encourage. Communication is key to what we do as an association, and your LHA board of directors is committed to continuous improvement of communications with members and other Savannah River Basin stakeholders.
LHA committee chairs and volunteers are constantly monitoring their areas of interest to ensure we are up-to-date on anything that may effect Hartwell Lake. This includes Corps of Engineers planning, projections, maintenance and construction activities, changes in rules and regulations, etc. It also involves local, state and federal legislative activities in South Carolina and Georgia, advocating "for the sake of the lake.” Results of their efforts are then communicated by way of our membership meetings and email list, the LHA website and quarterly newsletters. Recognizing that not all of our members are engineers or scientists, we try to avoid long and potentially boring articles of technical detail. Anyone wanting more detail should not hesitate to call or email the association and request more detail from the author.
Your LHA board of directors "seeks first to understand" by checking and double checking all information before it is distributed. This not only ensures technical accuracy but allows us to evaluate its potential impact on the lake.... good or bad. Also, we are often alerted to issues that are valid but are unlikely to have any impact on the lake. These are always welcomed but are often directed elsewhere because we must prioritize our limited resources working first on those issues that we know will have impact on the lake.
This brings me to several issues that I get many comments on. These issues are certainly not unique to Hartwell Lake but are ones we can all influence. One is the discourteous and insensitive actions of those who litter the shoreline, and lake itself. My wife and I frequent a lovely island and sandy beach on the Seneca channel. Each time we go, we find ourselves picking up litter. On Father's Day we picked up two large trash bags of campers’ trash including soiled diapers, sanitary napkins and two broken folding chairs. Large trash bags and disposable gloves have now become standard onboard gear. A week before we had extinguished a campfire from which a gusting wind was spreading hot embers into the wooded area. If you feel the same way perhaps you will join the annual cleanup campaign addressed later in this newsletter. Others who don't seem to care are boaters who create large, dangerous and potentially damaging wakes in narrow coves and near shorelines where homeowners are trying to enjoy their docks and protect their equipment. Then there are those who bypass or "cutout” exhaust muffling systems when operating power boats and personal water craft in narrow channels and near populated areas.
There are state regulations and local ordinances that address litter, noise and wakes. Most of these apply on the lake. The problem is enforcement. There are simply not enough rangers, officers and patrols to cover our lake...a problem not likely to change anytime soon. I know I am "preaching to the choir" because LHA members, who care enough to join and pay dues, share my concerns and are not likely to be litterbugs or to engage in inconsiderate or destructive behaviour on the lake. I am suggesting, however, that LHA members can make a positive difference by always setting good examples and by speaking up and educating others every chance we get. Stay tuned....more to come.