October 2024 Newsletter

From the President – 

Summer is winding down and fall is here. I know, for many, once we pass Labor Day, summer is past and now the focus is on fall and all that it brings. I hope you all had a great summer on Leesville Lake. It has been a great summer with lots of positive things happening around the lake. Our Beautification Day appreciation lunch went very well. Chip and his team did a great job of providing our location at Leesville Lake Marina. For those that did not make it, this year we reserved the pool area, added fans, and used an upgraded speaker system. Our meeting included updates on the proposed Pigg River Diversion Device. Although we don’t expect to have the device in place for some time, we are excited about the positive impact it will have.

Another positive thing around the lake is the new skimmer, which arrived in August. APCo’s barge team has been training on it and many of our members have spotted the new blue skimmer moving about on the lake. These additions are a result of your board members’ efforts to keep improving our lake. They certainly deserve our thanks for their efforts. Speaking of which, we had Dave Rives and Bill Beckett resign as board members in August and we are in need of volunteers to keep your association going. Please contact Teri Thomas to see about joining our board.

As a reminder, our next general membership meeting will be at 10:30, October 12. We are back at the Altavista Train Station and intend to continue conducting our general membership meetings there. I look forward to seeing you then.    

Roy Kelley

President LLA

October 12^th Leesville Lake Association General Membership Meeting, 10:30 AM at the Altavista Train Station.

Please join us for the fall Leesville Lake Association’s General Membership Meeting, on Saturday, October 12th at 10:30. We will be meeting at the Altavista Train Station and light breakfast food will be available. Our guest speaker will be from the Wake Education Task Force.

The Wake Education Task Force is a cross-section of citizens from Smith Mountain and Leesville Lakes, appointed by the TLAC Board of Directors, to research and develop an educational program to inform boaters of the importance of proper and safe boating behaviors and etiquette associated with wakes to minimize unintended hazardous consequences.

Nominating Committee

Happy Fall to all our LLA members! The Nominating Committee is in search of members who may be interested in volunteering on our board. We have open director positions and a need for those who would be interested in serving on a committee. The board meets monthly in Altavista, where we discuss our lake and what can be done to make it even better. If interested or for more information, please contact Teri Thomas at 703-895-0256.

Calendar Subcommittee

The 2025 LLA Calendar is at the printers and is expected to be available no later than October 12th. Many thanks to all who submitted their photos this year; we strive to include as many of your pictures as possible.

Remember you can upload photos throughout the year so don’t miss sending in those beautiful fall and winter pics for the 2026 calendar! Photo size should be at least 1Mb and can be uploaded at Picture Upload – Leesville Lake Association.

Teri Thomas-Chair

Treasurer’s Report

As we closed out the last fiscal year at the end of August, the Association continues in great health financially. To keep us on track with another great year, we will be presenting our proposed budget for FY 2024-25 at the October general member meeting for your review and approval. As I mentioned in

the July newsletter, this past year we saw several increases in costs for goods and services, so our budget is going to have to increase for this upcoming fiscal year to reflect these new rates. The good news is that our donations from members and sponsors have also increased. Leanne and I look forward

to seeing you on 12 October at the meeting and around the lake this fall. Hopefully we will have plenty of color to admire over the coming months.



Edwin Hanson

Beautification Day

Thanks again to all that helped or contributed to our 2024 Leesville Lake Beautification Day. It was a great success and we need you again on June 14th, 2025 as we continue to keep our lake beautiful.  

We are looking for a new Chairperson to head up the Beautification Day efforts. If you are interested please contact Roy Kelley at President@leesvillelake.org.

Roy Kelley & Dannie Smith Co-Chairs

DEBRIS COMMITTEE

Hello LLA Members!

As of the date of this article submission (9/15/24), Leesville Lake is in reasonably good shape. There was a high flow event on August 9, 2024, when the Pigg River briefly exceeded a high flow trigger of near 7 feet from the aftermath of Hurricane Debby. It did bring in added tons of debris from the Pigg River but it could have been worse as prior predictions were expecting extreme flood stage.

Currently, the upper half of the lake has obvious large and other various size logs and branches yet to be collected. Since that storm, our region has been short on rainfall and AEP has been keeping the lake level lower than usual when not generating power. This is to help support levels in Smith Mountain Lake, pump back storage capacity, as well as water flow requirements downstream of Leesville Lake. Under these conditions, most of the debris rests on shorelines and the main channel is greatly improved for watercraft. However, we should be aware that afternoon releases will quickly lift up

debris back into the main channel and navigation becomes extremely dangerous, particularly above mile marker 9.  

As of August 31, AEP reported a total of 2,345 tons of debris removed from Leesville Lake since January.  It should be noted that our association appreciates and is grateful for the challenging work the AEP crew has carried out thus far. The daily hot temperatures were relentless this summer and regardless of working on the water, working in heavy full gear including

boots and helmets must be physically demanding. Thank you from us all -Chief Mark McGlothlin- and your crew!

Up till now, this tonnage amount has exceeded last year’s collected total and may increase with continued efforts and potential tropical storms. We regularly encourage AEP project managers to authorize more crew/contractor hours on lake collecting throughout the rest of this recreational season and beyond.

The new skimmer was delivered over the summer (thank you again David Agee, AEP Sr. Support Specialist!). Unfortunately, it was seen only occasionally during an initial test trial. We suspect conditions (water levels/debris concentrations), may need to line up for effective operation. Consistent low water levels during crew working hours does not

provide enough material to retrieve, especially when most of the debris is on the shoreline and unreachable for the skimmer. Perhaps crew are trying to address the larger material first. Either way, our committee’s request is waiting on updated details from AEP about their future intentions using this equipment.

The Log Boom Project is still in phase 2-the permitting application process involving three government agencies. Although the wheels of these procedures are notoriously slow, we are hopeful that the engineered plans submitted in June by Appalachian are not only remarkable but justified in the eyes of those who will make these decisions.

Thanks to everyone who sent in debris reports. Please keep them up! Our committee could use some help with survey rotation, so please contact me or one of our members if you are interested in joining.

Have a beautiful fall everyone!

Your Committee Members, 

Lyle and April Firnhaber, Roy Kelley, Gary McMillan, Dave Rives and Rob Johnson.

Pam McMillan-Chair

debris@leesvillelake.org

434-770-1819

Water Safety

2024 Vessel Safety Checks

The Vessel Safety Check 2024 season is winding down as Safety Check Stickers are for calendar year 2024. The 2025 Safety Check season will start up in April after the Safety Examiners complete training on rules changes for 2025. I will continue to be available to perform vessel safety checks by request at least into December and looking to have more opportunity to perform checks on Leesville Lake in the 2025 season.

2024 Boater Safety Classes – The Boater Safety in person class season is ending soon,

however there are still online classes that will be available throughout the off season. The

LVL Association continues to leverage training provided from VA Dept of Wildlife Resources, US Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Local US Power Squadron (now known as America’s Boating Club). I encourage all LVL members to take advantage of these courses, some of which are free of charge.

A. Continue to refer to VA DWR

i. Upcoming Classes (from DWR website, link is on LLA Website on Water

Safety Committee, and under resources, Boating Safety)

1. Tue. Sept. 24 and Oct. 1, Thurs. Sept. 26 and Oct. 3 6:00-8:00 PM Virtual

Class-must have own device/computer, free course, Trevor Ruble contact trevor.ruble@dwr.virginia.gov

2. Online Courses

a. Virginia Boating Safety http://www.boat-ed.com/virginia/

b. America’s Boating Course http://www.americasboatingcourse.com/

Dock Electrical Safety – Franklin, Bedford and Pittsylvania are currently working in a collaboration with private sector electrical contractors to provide uniformity with inspections for residential docks, with a goal to ensure safe, code compliant installations. I will continue to monitor these efforts, and I am working to line up a speaker to discuss the results of these efforts at the January General Membership meeting.

Jeff Markiewicz-Chair

Water Quality Report

In addition to University of Lynchburg and LLA WQ samplings, water quality monitoring data was collected at Smith Mountain dam from July 1 to July 31, 2024. Results show data from Instantaneous DO values ranged from 4.2 mg/L to 7.5 mg/L, with an average of 5.6 mg/L. Daily average DO values ranged from 4.8 mg/L to 6.4 mg/L, with a median of 5.7 mg/L. Recorded instantaneous DO concentrations met the Virginia water quality instantaneous standard of 4.0 mg/L for the entire month and met the daily average standard of 5.0 mg/L 28 days in July. Bottom line:  Leesville Lake water quality is good.

In August, we had a reported case of Swimmer’s Itch from a Runaway Bay Rd resident.  While unpleasant, it is not contagious. Here are CDC and other recommendations on Swimmer’s Itch:

Swimmers Itch (also known as Cercarial dermatitis, Lake Itch and Duck Itch) is an itchy rash that is caused by a certain type of parasite (shistosomes) that live in freshwater snails and waterfowl that gather among lake weeds. As part of their life-cycle, these parasites are released on warm sunny days and migrate through the water. They then reattach to swimmers by burrowing into the skin. Humans are not good hosts so the parasites soon die while still under the skin, which may cause an allergic reaction.

Who gets Swimmers Itch?

All age groups and both sexes can get swimmers itch. Children are most often infected due to their habit of swimming or wading in shallow water and playing on the beach, allowing lake water to evaporate. 

How does Swimmers Itch spread?

An individual may get the infection by swimming or wading in infested water and then allowing water to evaporate off the skin rather than drying skin with a towel. Person-to-person spread does not occur.

What are the symptoms of Swimmers Itch?

Repeated exposure increases a person’s allergic sensitivity to the parasite and increases the likelihood of rash development. Symptoms may appear within 1-2 hours of exposure. An initial tingling sensation may be felt associated with penetration of the parasite into the skin. The irritated raised papule, which reaches its maximum size after about 24 hours, may continue itching for several days. Symptoms should disappear within a week.

What is the treatment of Swimmers Itch?

There is no necessary treatment. Swimmers Itch is uncomfortable but usually short-lived and will clear within a few days. Over-the-counter medication will normally help control itching.

When can you get Swimmers Itch?

First outbreaks usually occur in late May or early June and last up to one month.

What can be done to reduce the chances of getting Swimmers Itch?

• Towel off immediately after swimming or wading in infested water.
• Swim in water away from the shore.
• Avoid swimming in areas where the snails have accumulated.
• Don’t encourage birds to stay near swimming areas by feeding them.

 How can I prevent or control Swimmers Itch?

• Copper Sulfate is toxic to snail hosts. Call Aquacide Company for assistance 800-328-9350.
• Physically remove lake weeds & muck where snails gather.
• Administer praziquantel to hatchling waterfowl.
• Topical application of a water-resistant insect repellent with DEET.
• Water resistant sun cream with .1-1% niclosamide has been shown to be a highly reliable protectant

Many thanks to Debbie Oliver, Kathleen Giangi, Leanne Hanson, Dave Waterman, Tony Capuco, and Tom Shahady for their tireless efforts to keep Leesville Lake water quality safe!

Charlie Hamilton-Chair

Gardening in the Winter

PREPARING YOUR HOUSE PLANTS TO REJOIN YOU INDOORS FOR THE WINTER:

We are in growing/hardiness zone 7b. In 7b our average first fall frost date falls 10/25 – 11/05.Keep these dates in mind as you survey your plants and decide what chores need to be done. Below is a list of things to consider. Probably none of the things on the list needs to be done every year and the length of time it will take you will vary. Lots of folks use 55F as the drop dead temperature for bringing plants in. If your plants are fully exposed outside, frost is a bigger concern than the exact temperature. If you’re lucky enough to have a covered porch or patio, your plants will likely be safe down to 45F and safe from effects of frost.

Cleaning:

The main consideration is insects. Inspect the tops and bottoms of each leaf. You may find

aphids, spider mites, moths, eggs, etc. I think the easiest way to do this is with a bucket of

warm, soapy water—wipe and dry each leaf. You can stop there or spray the leaves with

insecticidal soap, Neem oil or any spray product with pyrethrum. If you’re worried about

insects in the soil you can mix 1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide with 3 parts water and thoroughly water the plant. After any of these procedures dry you can trim any dead leaves or browning leaf tips. You can also make any decisions about whether the plant needs to be repotted. If you think it does, usually it’s best to only go up one size pot (say 8” to 10”)

Once all cleanup is done, leave the plants outside a couple days to give the procedures time to work. If it’s so cold you’re afraid to leave the plants outside any longer, take them in and quarantine (at least 6’) them from any plants already in the house for a few days just to make sure there’s no spread of insects.

In the House:

Keep the plants out of drafts and direct heat. Temperature should be above 55F. Plants are happiest with about 60% humidity—but with heat running that’s very difficult to maintain. In lieu of actual humidity you can regularly mist the leaves with water, or you can leave a pot of water among the plants or near a heating source to manufacture some humidity. A southwest facing window is a perfect lighting source if available—bright light but no direct sun. With no good source of light it might be time to consider a grow light. Your plants will be dealing with much less heat than they did outside—so will need watering much less often.

Winter is a good time to practice benign neglect—stroke your plants, talk to them, curse them, pet them—just don’t overwater them. Stick your finger in the dirt about an inch and if you feel any moisture, they don’t need water yet.

A final issue is feeding your plants. This issue has lots of different answers. The most common answer is NO fertilizer to fertilize maybe once in mid-winter. The

plants are essentially dormant in the winter and they need the rest. Let them recuperate.

Julia Moore

Membership Committee

Leesville Lake Association currently has 210 member households, but that is not a set

number. Some members have moved away and dropped their membership. That is about 18 memberships less than the number of October 2023.

LLA also has 44 members who have not yet paid their dues for 2024. Those members will receive an email reminder from me before the end of September.



The final count of membership households will tally when members have paid their dues, or it is discovered that those who haven’t paid have moved away.

Our next General Meeting is October 12, 10:30 a.m. at the Altavista Train Station and I will have available the new handouts that were given out at the picnic in July. They are floating boat fobs and around-the neck phone cases. –

Cynthia Coleman-Chair

(Fisherman are well known for exaggerating the size of a fish and the number they catch….. present company excluded?)

A good day of white perch fishing at LEESVILLE LAKE…. Fresh fish dinner for 6 families.

GOOD FISHING!   

JOHN KESE 434 942-1553