alabama power: All Real Estate Is Local (This Means You, Lake Martin)
- 12/07/07 02:17 PM
Life as a Lake Martin area realtor means I hear (and try to answer) lots of questions. One I get regularly is: "I saw on CNN where home prices in (fill in here with name of huge city 3,000 miles away) are down 75%. All the sellers are being foreclosed on their sub prime mortgages. It's spreading across the nation like locusts. When will Lake Martin be on sale like that?" My answer - probably never. It's because All Real Estate Is Local. Including (and especially) Lake Martin. Click here to read why........ … (0 comments)
alabama power: Higher Winter Water Level Approved For Lake Martin
- 11/20/07 08:16 AM
Lake Martin scored a major victory when FERC approved Alabama Power's plan to raise the winter water level to 483, effective this year. Alabama Power has also requested to move up the date to fill the Lake Martin to summer level up to January 15, 2008. THIS IS ALL GOOD NEWS. Lake Martin's winter water level is usually 480 msl. It's lower than that this year, as Alabama has suffered through the worst drought recorded in 80 years. Pretty much the rest of the southeast has suffered, too, but Alabama and Georgia have been hit the hardest. Click here for more...... … (1 comments)
alabama power: Alabama Power Wants Higher Winter Level On Lake Martin
- 10/25/07 04:25 AM
Lake Martin HOBOs President Jesse Cunningham announces that Alabama Power is taking a major step by requesting to hold more water in the lake during the next few winters. Cunningham reports in an email, "I received word on Friday from Charles Stover with Alabama Power that they have just filed a request with FERC" to increase the winter water level to 483 from 480. Three extra feet spread over 44,000 acres means that we would need a heck of a lot less rain to get to full pool of 490. This will please Lake Martin property owners that might have access to the lake at 483, but not … (0 comments)
alabama power: Alabama Power Seeks Input To Relicense Martin Dam
- 09/27/07 07:51 AM
Alabama Power owns and operates the hydroelectric Martin Dam, which impounds the Tallapoosa River to create Lake Martin. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) - regulates Alabama Power's operation of Martin Dam, and its effect on the water flow downstream on the Tallapoosa River, as well as any economic, environmental, and other impacts in the Tallapoosa River Basin. Every 25 years Alabama Power must apply to FERC to renew its license to operate the dam. As you can imagine, it is a really big deal, and a lengthy, red tape filled process. They are required by FERC to perform all kinds of studies - … (0 comments)
Lake Martin has been a victim of the 2007 drought that has affected Alabama and much of the southeast. The lake level is down to 480 already, which is the normal winter level. Apparently in 1941 it was worse. 50 feet down is about as bad as it gets. I think back then they used to bring the level down in the winter by 30 feet anyway, so maybe the 1941 drought's true effect was 20 or so feet. Since this picture was taken in November, I am sure there is some effect of the winter level. Still, 50 feet down is pretty bad. … (0 comments)
alabama power: Gov Riley Declares War On Lake Martin Water Level
- 07/20/07 09:02 AM
Governor Bob Riley has declared war with the Army Corps of Engineers over the Lake Martin Water level. Apparently he is sick of seeing this drought affect Lake Martin's water level drastically, while reservoirs that are upstream (read: in Georgia) haven't felt the hurt like we have. The Army Corps of Engineers regulate the flow on most if not all of these dams. Riley contends that they need to release more water in Georgia to help Alabama. Click here for the rest...... … (0 comments)
alabama power: Help Keep Lake Martin Water Level Up
- 05/31/07 11:42 AM
Help! Alabama Power has requested to lower the required stream flow coming from Martin Dam, in an effort to keep the water level on Lake Martin from plummeting even more. Click here for the public notice from the Corps of Engineers. Willard Bowers, Vice President of Environmental Affairs at Alabama Power, made a request on May 15 to Colonel Peter F. Taylor, Commander, Mobile District, US Army Corps of Engineers, to "implement a reduction .. of flow of 10%" on Martin Dam. He said that if they continue at the current flow, Lake Martin will be at its drought contingency level by July … (0 comments)
alabama power: Drought & Alabama Power Lower Lake Martin Level
- 05/26/07 04:29 AM
Lake Martin's water level is low this year, and it could get even lower.Alabama Power says that Lake Martin's water level started dropping on May 18 and "could be much lower on July 4." It is no news flash that Alabama and much of the southeast has suffered a severe drought so far in 2007. This follows on the heels of a dry 2006. Since part of Lake Martin's existence depends on it maintaining a certain level downstream, it has been affected.
The folks at Alabama Power are not optimistic: "most streams that feed our lakes are at the lowest levels ever recorded."
Life as a Lake Martin area realtor means I hear (and try to answer) lots of questions. One I get regularly is:
;)
;)
