07 Sep SMLA Annual Meeting
SMLA Annual Meeting on September 27 will feature speakers, awards and exhibits
Smith Mountain Lake Association (SMLA) will hold its Annual Meeting on Friday, September 27 at Trinity Ecumenical Parish, 40 Lakemount Dr., Moneta, VA 24121. Everyone with an interest in Smith Mountain Lake is encouraged to attend.
The featured presentation will focus on steps SMLA has taken to investigate causes and conditions that lead to the 2023 harmful algal blooms (HABs) at the lake. The HAB in the Blackwater River subwatershed raised concerns for the future of SML, so SMLA engaged the experts at Princeton Hydro to help understand the dynamics of the river watershed and potential mitigation efforts to combat future HABs.
Princeton Hydro specializes in water resources engineering, including the design of innovative stormwater management systems, wetland and stream restorations, dam removals, sediment dredging, coastal protection structures, and floodplain reconnections.
Chris Mikolajczyk, Certified Lake Manager and senior aquatics manager at Princeton Hydro and Keri Green, Lake Quality Council chair at SMLA will cover the findings of the Blackwater watershed assessment work at SML in a presentation, “Conditions, Causes and Solutions – How SMLA is investigating and preparing for future HABs at the lake.” The presentation will be followed by a question and answer period.
The annual meeting will be held from 5:30 – 7:45 PM. Doors will open at 5:30 PM with exhibits highlighting SMLA programs and partner organizations. Light refreshments will be provided during the exhibits.
Presentations begin at 6:15. Bill Butterfield, President SMLA, will provide an update of SMLA’s efforts over the past year to protect the water of SML and promote safe and responsible recreation. The winners of four annual SMLA awards will be recognized:
- Melvin S. Johnston Citizen Volunteer Award
- Spirit of the Lake Award
- Clean Stream Award
- Karl Martin Water Safety Award
Annual meeting exhibits will include:
- Water Quality Monitoring
- Water Safety Council
- Invasive Species
- Fish Habitat
- Buffer Landscaping
- Septic Systems
- Sub-Surface Aquatic Vegetation
- SMLA Membership
- AEP and AEP Shoreline
- Bedford Regional Water Authority
- Western Virginia Regional Water Authority
- Tri-County Lakes Administrative Commission (TLAC)