April's Lake Hartwell Blog

Lake Hartwell water levels showing signs of Life

April Martin (Hartwell Lake Properties) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 10:49:38 -0500

As spring approaches lake Hartwell's water levels are looking more and more promising thanks to some much needed rain and snow this winter. Now the lake is only about 8ft down which is a major improvement from seven months ago.

Why is there more water in the lake now you ask? We can thank lake Thurmond for the increase in water at Hartwell. You ask "how can that be Thurmond is below Hartwell?" The water from Lake Thurmond was not being released because it had reached it's maximum campacity for water release. The the snow and sping rains came and lake Thurmond had entirely to much water. So at this time most of the water being released downstream is from Thurmond which is allowing Hartwell to rise.

Also members of the 660 group have enlisted the help of Georgia congressmen Paul Broun from Athens GA to assist with helping to keep lake Hartwell full. Congressmen Broun met with Major General Temple of the Army Corps of Engineers Regarding Savannah River Basin Issues.

Broun said "I talked with both of them about management of the entire Savannah River basin," Mr. Broun said, adding he hopes a better plan can be devised that gives more consideration to human needs, rather than the needs of fish." from more information on the meeting click here.

Hopefully progress is being made so that the visitors, and residence of lake Hartwell will not live in fear of loosing lake levels again. subscribe to my blog.

Lake Hartwell Water, Out Flow Reduction

April Martin (Hartwell Lake Properties) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 08:44:48 -0500

Report for the reduction of water from the Corp of Engineers for Lake Hartwell.

http://www.sas.usace.army.mil/Sav%20River%20Drought%20EA%20and%20Appendices

The Draft Report is out and it is good news - flow reduction has been
recommended by the states. Public comment period (with the Corps) has
started. Please call Mr. William Bailey, US Army Corps of Engineers,
Mobile/Savannah Planning Center, at (912)652-5781 to support the proposed
temporary reduction in flow to 3100 to help stabilize the reservoirs in the
upper basin. Your voice counts! Please pass along to anyone who is
concerned about Lake Hartwell's future. We need to make sure this reduction
is implemented Nov. 1.

Please forward this to anyone you believe has an interest in seeing Lake
Hartwell recover from this drought.

golakehartwell.com

Lake Hartwell Real Estate Stats

April Martin (Hartwell Lake Properties) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:22:08 -0500

Lake Hartwell Real Estate Market

Many seller and buyers are wondering how Lake Hartwell property values are weathering the storm of the U.S. financial crisis and extreme drought conditions. This is a first for many veteran of the lake Hartwell real estate market.

Typically this market prides itself on being "recession proof" from normal economic downturns. However, this is the first time this market has truly seen a slowdown because of the economy. We also are dealing with a sever drought that is threaten our lake levels.

Home owners are maintaining their property values by not reducing the price. There are a few home owners that absolutely have to sell property which have reduced prices. As far as foreclosures, there are few to none on the lake Hartwell market. Most of those are new speculation homes, which is great for the lake property values.

Third quarter Lake Hartwell market report.

These numbers are for GA Lake home sales From July, Aug, and September, 8 lake homes sold at an average of $371,375. The price ranges were from $299,000-$625,000

The median sales price for the Georgia side of the lake declined from the first, two quarters.

No Lake lots were sold in Georgia.

South Carolina stats are 14 lake homes sold with 7 still under contract from the month of September. The average price is $464,190 these prices range from 319,900 to 859,000.

The media sales price for the South Carolina side increased from the second quarter.

Lake lots sold were 4 average price is $266,500.

As with any market it is nearly impossible to predict an exact bottom. We will not actually know we have reached the bottom until prices increase or bounce then will be on the incline with prices rising.

Lake Hartwell Lake Levels

April Martin (Hartwell Lake Properties) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:37:40 -0500

A line of concerned home owners and business owners stretched out the door of Cateechee golf course on Friday at noon. All waiting to get into the ballroom to hear the U.S. Corp of Engineers speak about the water levels on Lake Hartwell.

Sandy Campbell head ranger had the daunting task of speaking to the public about the lake levels. A full house and 160 people turned away because the building had reached maximum capacity.

The presentation started off with several slides of the lake's origination, and reasons for the lake. 1. Hydropower 2. Flood control 3. Navigation. Additions are recreation, fish & wildlife, water supply and quality. Then Mrs. Campbell got to the point of why the lake levels were dropping. The main reason is the dough. The area is not getting any rain to replace the water that is let out each day to generate power and for water supply and quality down stream.

During a drought they don't follow the rules of why the lake was build, immediately flood, and water supply & quality downstream takes presidence, over power. Hydropower is a bi product of the corp having to release the water down stream. Basically they have to release it so why not generate power while releasing the water 3,800 CFS per day.

Why does the corp release so much water each day? The permits they have issued to factories and places downstream are based on the releasing 3,600CFS of water per day. Additional permits are the City of Augusta for drinking water. According to the corp they release this to push down stream the pollution from these factories that they have issued these permits to. This was the information given in the presentation.

What does this mean for dwindling Lake Hartwell and the people here upstream? On Hartwell we are at a trigger level 3, 645 and 14ft down. Hartwell feeds Russell, Russell feeds Thurmond and out to the ocean. Russell can only go down 5ft and still operate. Lake Thurmond can go down 15 ft and still operate. Lake Hartwell can go down 35ft and still operate. If the area doesn't get any rain in two weeks Lake Thurmond will reach it max capacity of 15ft below and at that point the cop can not release any more water from Thurmond.

At this point everyone in the room knew what was about to be said. So the corp. has to take most of the water that is let down stream from Lake Hartwell. According to the corp. starting at the first of September Lake Hartwell will drop one foot a week, and the projection is that if it doesn't rain it could be down 23.5 ft down by October 25^th. This will shatter the record low of 17.6ft down Dec 24^th 1981. At this point everyone in the room was shaking their head in disgust.

Like the real estate market there must be a bottom to the amount of water that can come out of Hartwell and that number is 625 which is a trigger Level 4 at his point no more water is let out of Lake Hartwell and the people down stream are simply out of luck. Maybe at this point we can truly see if there is a need for so much water to be let out of Hartwell Lake.

A great question was ask by a member of the audience "Who are They" Mrs. Cambell kept referring to, they are telling us to keep letting out the same amount of water each day. Which brings up a good point could the amount of water that THEY keep telling the CORP to release be reduced because we are in a drought. The people downstream are not in a drought they are getting rain. The cornel of the corp. is aware of the concerns of water levels on Lake Hartwell. The problem is deciding who can change the rules of letting out the water. Is it the states or the federal level that controls this decision?

We need to contact our congress men and women to get them proactive in reducing the amount of water that is let out of Hartwell Dam each day. Please be kind ask our representatives to please help us preserve our lake levels.

If you are in Georgia

Saxby Chambliss Contact

at the Capitol... Allen Powell powell@hartcom.net

•· Suite 507 Coverdell Legislative Office Building Atlanta, GA 30334

• 404.656.0202

• in the District... PO Box 248 Hartwell, GA 30643 706.376.4422 - Office

at the Capitol... Jeanette Jamieson Suite 507 Coverdell Legislative Office Building Atlanta, GA 30334 404.656.0202

•· in the District... PO Box 852 Toccoa, GA 30577

• 706.886.6889 - Office 706.886.1168 - Home 706.886.9390 - Fax

South Carolina

Gresham Barrett Contact

I would like to end on a good note. The corp. did say that in previous drought conditions it only took lake Hartwell about 6 months to recharge or regain water levels. Sandy referred to a day in September 2003 when the lake came up 5ft in two days.

The corp. is a division on the U.S. Army and they take orders and do what they are told. Visit my site for more information. Golakehartwell.com

Where is all the water going in Lake Hartwell?

April Martin (Hartwell Lake Properties) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:30:20 -0500

I drove into the city of Hartwell the other day and looked out over the Trussle Bridge and noticed how low the water levels are. Lake Hartwell is approximately 13-14ft down. I stayed in town a few hours as I drove out of town back over the Bridge I noticed the water level had dropped even more.

Rumor has it that by the 1^st of October the lake will be 20+ft below full pool. I have checked the charts on the crops website and it does look like levels will continue to drop. My site has a link to the corps page. Lake level projection page. If you notice back in January and February we were about 12-13ft down. This will give you an indication of how low the lake will fall. Lake Russell below Hartwell, only fluctuates about 4-5ft and it is a core lake as well.

Don't give up hope Hartwell lake Properties and their owners are in the beginning stages of starting a grass roots effort to help maintain our lake levels. Keep reading the future bloggs for more information on this.

The corp. of engineers is have a lunch at Cateechee Golf Club open to the public to discuss what's going on with the water levels. This is an important meeting open to the public.

Call Catechee at 706-856-3327 to RSVP by today. Meeting is Friday the 22nd at 12:00

Lake Hartwell Real Estate Market Watch

April Martin (Hartwell Lake Properties) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:27:17 -0500

Lake Hartwell Real Estate Market Watch

As we end the second quarter, lake property sales on Lake Hartwell.

We are seeing about the same activity as the first quarter.The Georgia side of the lake approximately five lake homes sold in the second quarter the average was $525,720.The average price actually rose from the first quarter of $504,200.

All information and data was collected from the Georgia MLS service.

As for the South Carolina side of the lake more lake homes sold but at a lower sales price. In the second quarter 32 lake homes sold at an average sales price 0f $429,099. The average number of day on the market was 127 days. These properties sold at approximately 6-7% below asking price.

The average sales price went up from the first quarter of $375,792 The number of homes sold went down from 39 in the 1^St Quarter to 32 in the second.All information and data collected is from the Western Upstate MLS service. This study actually gives us solid evidence to answer a question that I get most often from buyers. Are prices in GA and SC different?

And from the data if looks as if they are about the same. The average sale price in GA looks to be slightly higher only because of two larger sales one each quarter. The sales prices were over $900,000. This is the reason for the higher average in Georgia. If we take those two homes out of the equation then we are about average with the South Carolina's Lake Home average.

Visit my web site for more information on Lake Hartwell.

Water Levels Lake Hartwell Real Estate

April Martin (Hartwell Lake Properties) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:22:45 -0500

What is happening to the water level in Lake Hartwell?

That is a great question that I get from almost every buyer, seller, and looker. The answer is simple it all depends on how much rain we get this spring and summer. If the rain stops the water levels drop because the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers will continue to let out the same amount of water each day approximately 3,600 cubic ft per second, that's about 2.3 billion gallons of water a day. We need the rain to replace what goes out, or down stream. Hartwell Lake is down about 8ft now.

Buyers ask if this will affect property values. Of course it does, when looking to purchase a lake front property buyers want to see water at the end of the dock, not dirt or grass growing. From what I have seen most buyers will not even consider a property that does not have water now. This will make some sellers very upset that their once waterfront property is now dry.

However; the Corp of Engineers, Anderson County Chamber of Commerce Mike Gray, along with several other counties that touch the lake have agreed to pay for an economic impact study. The study will be conducted by Clemson's Strom Thurmond Research center's Dr. Michael Mc Coda. The study, Phase one will take into account the tax dollar amount business and communities loose during a drought because of low lake levels. This makes since with low lake levels people aren't going to want to boat, play, or buy lake property on a lake with the water low. If they aren't visiting the lake they are not spending money at local restaurants, stores, or buying lake home toys or building improvements. The study should be complete in one year.

One reason the corp does release water is so that SEPA south east power association can use the water to produce power to sell. SEPA and the Corp would agree that less water released during a drought season will still yield the same dollar amount when power is produced and sold.

It will be interesting to see in the next following years if the water levels on Lake Hartwell remain unchanged. Information provided by U.S. Corp of Engineers website, and Mike Gray Anderson County Chamber of Commerce.

America Fears of Recession Led by Media Hype

April Martin (Hartwell Lake Properties) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:18:43 -0500

America Fears of Recession Led by Media Hype

As I turn on the television, check my email, or listen to the radio all I hear are the echo's of the media warning the end is near, "We're headed for a recession". Yes the housing market is in a bit of a pickle and the market is flooded with inventory, and foreclosures are on the rise. The message has been broadcast loud and clear. We get the picture the media does not have to continue to report day after day and hour by hour on the same story. This notion has been branded into the minds of the consumer.

Therefore, leading Americans to the mind set that the economy is in a recession. The laws of attraction have prevailed you attract what you believe.

The media should try reporting on the people who are capable of owning a home now and have an improved credit score allowing favorable financing that they would not have been capable of obtaining otherwise. The housing market slump would be over a lot sooner if consumers were not reminded of it everyday. Yes, we will have more foreclosures that simply allows someone else a better buying opportunity at a discounted price. Ben Bernanke "warns that there will be more foreclosures and rate cuts to follow." After The Mortgage Bankers Association came out with new house number of .83 percent increase of mortgages that fell October-December, according to the Associated Press. Every week or every other week it seems new numbers and new fears, leave Americans wondering when will we hit the bottom?

Once we do hit the bottom and prices are rebounding and buyers are stepping in, Real Estate will boom. It will be too late to buy at the low prices of slump because sellers are watching the news as well and they will demand more for their property. Also each market is different large cities will have more foreclosures and other cities are in a small housing market correction. Check with you local real estate agent and get a local expert opinion. In my area lake Hartwell, we are getting more buyer calls from smart buyers wanting to scoop up some great deals on lake property before the market bounce. That's the next story of the media the Real Estate Bounce.

Take advice from the experts Donald Trump© or Warren Buffet© billionaire investors buy low and sell high. From more information visit my website http://golakehartwell.com/ and http://hartwelllakeforsale.com/ for Lake Hartwell real estate property market up dates and watches.

Lake Hartwell Real Estate Watch

April Martin (Hartwell Lake Properties) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:14:22 -0500

Lake property report. According to the Western Upstate MLS service the number of lake homes on the market in South Carolina is 157 this is between the price ranges of 250,000-950,000. The number of lake lots is 69.

Other interesting facts GAMLS reports that the number of lake homes on the market for Hart County is 65 between the price range of 250,000 to 950,000. Lake lots are 57.

In Franklin County there are 29 lake homes on the market between the ranges of 250,000-950,000. Lake lots are 6.

Stephens County reports 51 lake homes on the market and 7 lake homes.

There is a lot of competition on Lake Hartwell so sellers should be aware of what is on the market and price their property correctly in accordance to what the market is doing to ensure a sell in a timely manor.