Newsletter July 2023

From the President – 

The key functions of the Leesville Lake Association are to focus on Safety, Water Quality and Debris Management. For this article I’d like to focus on the latter …

The following time-lapse pictures taken by Cynthia B. Coleman on June 3, 2023, document the typical movement of debris on the lake. 

Since 2018, the Leesville Lake Association (LLA) has been actively advocating on behalf of all the lake’s stakeholders for APCo to provide specific solutions to the ongoing lake debris issue. Three of the specific 2018 recommendations include:

1- Additional Equipment and Staffing to serve the Lake: Currently APCo provides a full-time crew to work the barge and a part-time contractor for assistance. We are pleased and appreciative to hear that APCo has ordered a new skimmer to provide additional equipment in 2024. We have always requested that they provide an additional full-time crew such that this new equipment can be used simultaneously with the barge. (See the following website for a generic description of a skimmer and its operation: https://aquarius-systems.com/equipment/aquatic-trash-skimmer/ )

2- Myer’s Creek Debris Offload Site: This site has been in development since 2020 and will make offloading of debris available close to the source without having to spend hours transporting debris to the Leesville Dam to offload. We look forward to its completion. 

3- Pigg River Collection/Diversion Device:  Both APCo and LLA agree that the Pigg River is the primary source of debris in the lake. The debris issue from the Pigg increased with the removal of an old power dam in 2016. Whenever the Pigg reaches high level and flow, the lake gets inundated with debris. APCo’s FERC Operating License defines that studies are to be performed for additional control equipment and processes based on changing conditions. In 2020 APCo initiated a study regarding the potential for a collection/diversion device at the confluence of the Pigg River. We look forward to a status update from the study.

Senior APCo representative(s) will be the guest speaker again this year at our Annual Meeting. The meeting is scheduled for July 15 at the Leesville Lake Marina. Members are encouraged to attend. Please look at details and sign up for the event on our website: https://leesvillelake.org/annual-meeting-and-picnic/

Dave Rives

Treasurer’s Report

Bill Beckett

The warmer weather has finally arrived. Beautification Day was a huge success with the help of our numerous sponsors. Thanks to everyone who helped and thanks to our sponsors for their continued support. Our finances continue to reflect the goals of the organization, with water monitoring being the largest financial component of our organization. The annual drive for membership has begun and we hope to see everyone at the annual meeting. 

Membership Report

Cynthia Coleman

As of June 2023, the LLA total membership stands at 226 membership households, a gain

of five since March 2023.

While we have many people who help with special projects, such as Beautification

Day, we need volunteers to help with the board’s committees:

* Communications, which covers LLA’s website, newsletter & email,

calendar, and Facebook

*Debris * Finance *Membership *Navigation * Nominating *Property * Water Quality

*Water Safety and Education

As the new chair of the Membership Committee (I started January this year), I

can tell you that the other members of the board are very helpful in getting started and

continue to answer any and all questions that I may have.

We also need a Secretary, whose job it is to:

1-Keep and distribute meeting minutes

2-Keep the records of the corporation, except for the Treasurer’s financial records

3-Distribute approved copies of the Articles of Incorporation and a copy of the

current bylaws to each new candidate for office.

4-Secure the locations of each meeting place

Attending the monthly board meetings isn’t as important as helping the committee

chairs in any extra tasks they need done.

We are making strides in the work of keeping this lake beautiful and clean and a joy to

live on and play in. However, we not only need more members but volunteers. The

greater number we have leads to a stronger membership, which is a good thing to show

and prove to the powers that be over the cleanliness of our lake, which only enriches our

life here on the lake. Thank you. Contact me with any questions:

membership@leesvillelake.org

New! Leesville Lake Apparel!

Regarding the Membership Survey’s top two merchandise requests for LLA apparel, we

have found a site where lake merchandise can be purchased and Leesville Lake, Virginia

is included. Just take note here: there is also a Leesville Lake in Ohio. Our Leesville Lake

is lake code 2477

Below are the items available from this site. I will say that the T-shirts are of good quality. The site shows other lakes as the example, but I’ve included an image of my own T-shirt that I purchased.

Here is the manner in which to purchase Leesville Lake items that doesn’t require any steps other than SIZE and LAKE NUMBER.

Again, Leesville Lake, Virginia is Lake ID 2477. 

To purchase the particular item you wish that requires size, other than the ballcap and coasters, do the following steps at this site:

https://www.signals.com/find?q=personalized+lake

1. Choose size

2. Choose quantity

3. Click Add To Cart

4. A box will appear to personalize Item, which is choose your lake

5. Click on the L and scroll halfway down

   a. There are 2 Leesville Lakes

   b. Choose the second one, which is in Virginia or BEDF/CAMP/PITTS – VA

   c. The Lake ID is 2477

6. Click on the Blue number 2477, which will complete the personalization process

7. You will be taken to your Cart, where you can either Continue Shopping or Check Out.

8. Enjoy!

I look forward to meeting more members at our Annual Picnic. I’ll wear my LVL gear

and hope to see others with some. Please email me at membership@leesvillelake.org if

you have any questions on the process.

Debris Committee

Pam McMillan

Happy summer everyone!

As of this article submission (6/15/23), the Pigg River had crested three times since January (Feb 28, Apr 28, May 29). This brought in many hundred tons of additional debris. Under these current conditions and as long as we do not have another HF incident, it will take a month or more to remove this amount. Appalachian is aware of these hazards yet their monthly proposals for Crew work and equipment support falls short to address this quantity of debris. Our Committee consistently urged Appalachian to increase more time on the lake collecting these hazards. You can help by reporting debris when you see

it (instructions for using the link below).

Appalachian announced the procurement of a new skimmer, and projects it will be in operation by next year. This is a long awaited request on the part of our Association.

Appalachian’s Project Manager, David Agee, was instrumental in its custom design and his support for our countless requests for a skimmer. Even though the skimmer will be shared between two lakes we hope to have it here more often. Our lake has a much higher density per square mile when compared to SML.

LLADC would like to thank APCo Chief of Crew, Mark Mcglothlin for his dedicated service. Anyone who’s observed Mark and his Crew out on the lake would agree it can be a difficult and dangerous job. We acknowledge this, and hope you will give a friendly wave of appreciation when you see them. A representative from Appalachian will be attending our an annual meetings on July 15 th . This will be a perfect opportunity for you to get your concerns and questions answered.

If you’re interested in becoming a debris committee member, one of us will be happy to fill you in. A few hours once a month and committee motivation is what is needed to keep our goal of a safer and cleaner lake. If not, please help us by doing your part in
reporting any debris floating or stationary on the shorelines.

Safe Boating!

Pam McMillan- Chair

debris@leesvillelake.org

Please use the “Quick Link” on LLA’s website, fill out the convenient form, and it will automatically send your report to TLAC who in turn will submit your report and monitor Appalachian’s response.
Although not necessary but often helpful, one can attach a still photograph (no videos please), of debris; however some photo files may be too large to support. To bypass this problem one can instead click on the “Email Debris Template” in red at the very bottom of the debris form and it will automatically pull up an email you can attach your photos to.

Water Quality Report

Charlie Hamilton

Happy Summer 2023!

All Leesville Lake Water monitoring efforts for 2023 have commenced, in accordance with our 2023 MOA. The LLA WQ Sampling team did the June sampling Monday June 6th , and the next is scheduled on July 7th . Lynchburg College WQ team has done their May and June samplings, with next scheduled mid month July. The current Water Quality health of LVL is good – no overall health concerns for recreational use. 

We continue to monitor two threats:

1) Low dissolved oxygen in the tailwaters from Smith Mountain Lake Dam, which typically is below Permit levels mid July to mid October. Of note, Appalachian’s VDEQ Virginia Water Protection Individual Permit No 08-0572 (Permit) expires on March 31, 2025. LLA has communicated to APCo, VDEQ and FERC that APCo’s resolution of the DO challenge should be central to whether Permit 08-0572 is renewed, or not.

2) Poor water quality of the Pigg River (subject to continued 2023 studies)

Of note, Smith Mountain Lake is now experiencing a Harmful Algal bloom, as reported by

Virginia Department of Health on 6 June 2023. While this does not appear to threaten Leesville Lake, we are tracking both Smith Mountain Lake (SML) reporting , Virginia Department of Health and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality reports, and assessing Leesville Lake as we sample monthly. A website which has provided useful information is www.smlassociation.org/hab. This website describes locations, swimming advisories, and mitigation strategies. An excerpt from this website provides these insights

1) Remediation The HAB must die off and therefore, we are relying on Mother Nature and time to rid the lake of it. This can take days to weeks, and possibly months. It is impossible to predict when this might occur. The duration of a bloom depends on physical and biological conditions that influence its growth and persistence, including sunlight, water temperature, nutrients, and speed and direction of wind. While there are chemicals that can be infused into the lake to help reduce the HAB, the sheer size of SML, the unintended impact to the aquatic ecosystem and the cost associated with this approach make it prohibitive to pursue.

2) Monitoring VDH and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) are the

experts responsible for monitoring and testing the Blackwater arm of SML, as well as any

other areas that are reported to VDH by the public.

LLA WQ Committee looks forward to the summer season, and keeping Leesville Lake safe for all of us.

Safety Committee

(previously published, but always topical)

Fire extinguishers are an often neglected item on our seasonal check list. Here are some tips of what to look at:​ 

*check extinguisher gauges monthly

*make sure they’re at full pressure; gauges can sometimes be unreliable

• recharge size I and II rechargeable extinguishers at a qualified service center. Rechargeable extinguishers have metal, not plastic, heads. Get them inspected annually.
• check for corrosion or mechanical damage to the extinguisher case
• check and clean the discharge nozzle. Insects love to build nests inside.
• slowly rock dry chemical extinguishers from an upright to an upside down position several times. If you feel a thud, chemical has stuck together. This means the extinguisher won’t function properly.
• never test a marine extinguisher by partially discharging it. It could leak and become unusable. Always make sure to recharge or replace partially discharged extinguishers.
• purchase only Coast Guard approved extinguishers designed for marine use.

For more information about marine extinguishers, download a BOATERS’ GUIDE TO THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.

And while checking your Fire Extinguishers, put an eye on your Life Vests. Are they in GOOD condition? Remember, if there is a fire and you need to abandon ship, grab a Life Vest. They float when you don’t.

Recently, groups of young people have been spotted in the lake, on tubes, without PFDs. Please remind your guests that wearing flotation devices while tubing is required, and just makes good sense!

Native Plants of Leesville Lake

This quarterly column will be about native plants that live at or below the 613 foot contour level of Leesville Lake, which fluctuates between 600 and 613 feet. Each issue will feature a different species.

Commelina Virginica

Virginia dayflower

Virginia dayflower grows in shallow standing water or where frequent inundation occurs such as along swamps, rivers, streams and ditches in the shade or full sun. The plants need a soil depth of at least 10 inches for good growth making the gental mud slopes of Leesville Lake perfict for them. Fibrous roots grow from nodes of the white rhizomes and the stems may reach 3 feet tall.

From June to August, Virginia dayflower has 1 inch wide light blue flowers with yellow stamens emerging from spathes that are clustered at the top of stems. One flower per spath per day opens at day beak beginning to wilt around mid-day. There are three petals and the bottom petal is smaller than the top two. The genus name Commelina honors two Dutch brothers who made significant contributions to botany, represented by the top two flowers. A third brother, also a botanist, was far less notable and is represented by the small bottom flower and is white in another variety of Commelina.

Each fertilized flower forms a capsule inside the spathe it shares with several siblings that bloom in turn. The capsules have three seeds in each that ripen from August to October. Spathes become brown and persist on a green stalk into the fall. Dayflowers die back in winter only to reemerge in spring from the rhizomes and roots that help to hold the soil from erosion.

Richard Beaton

mid-July bloom

May 1st bloom

FISHING REPORT

Don’t have a HOT “fishing spot “?  No problem!  Make your own “STRUCTURE “ to attract fish.

First thing you need is a “PERMIT “ from AEP (Appalachian Power). That’s the easy part….

Go to  https://www.smithmtn.com/shoreline/apply-to-install-fish-habitat/ , fill out the form. Submit. Expect the permit in under two weeks. ( I got mine in about 5 days. Also, AEP was very responsive to my questions.) (LEESVILLE lake is part of the SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE PROJECT at AEP.)

The site also has general “how to” information links. The form is directed towards people who have a dock. You do not need to have a dock. (We have no dock.) Instead of a dock location, a simple map marked with the new “fish structure” location is acceptable. 

It’s SIMPLE!!!   1) Cut a small trash tree or shrub about 4 to 6 feet size. For example, Eastern Red Cedar or autumn olive work good….and they are a nuisance around here.

2) Get a “sinker” or small weight for the tree/shrub. A 5 gallon bucket or something similar, or small cement block, or a brick, or even a rock works good…..tie it to the base of the tree as a way to keep the structure on the bottom. When using a 5 gallon bucket, add about 1/4 to 1/3 of dry concrete mix, insert tree and add about a quart of water. (No premixing needed. Let it sit overnight and it’s done.) (If you want to reuse the 5 gal bucket again, just apply a LIBERAL coat of grease to the bottom half of the bucket, and that will keep the concrete from sticking to the bucket.)

3) Now just DROP your structure in the spot on your permit. 2 to 4 trees in a spot make the best structures, but one “tree” will attract fish. The depth of the water should be at least 10 to 15 feet at the 603‘ lake level.

DONE……..You got your OWN HOT SPOT!   …… Just give it a little time for the fish to settle in. The “HOT SPOT” will vary over the calendar year, as fish have seasonal patterns. Crappie, white perch, bluegills love brush piles, and they also attract fish like bass and catfish who hang around to eat them.

GOOD FISHING..

John Kese 434 942-1553

Tree affixed in bucket with concrete.

Drop the structure per your permit.

This is what the structure looks like on a GARMIN LIVESCOPE and regular SONAR. You can also see the “waypoint “ marked on the map. So very easy to find it!