17 Nov 2024 Annual Meeting
Smith Mountain Lake Association (SMLA) held its Annual Meeting on Tuesday, November 12 at Trinity Ecumenical Parish. Despite an hour-long backup on Route 122, the meeting was well attended by members and the community.
The featured presentation focused on steps SMLA has taken to investigate causes and conditions that led 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, LLC to help understand the dynamics of the Blackwater watershed and proposed techniques to combat future HABs.
Keri Green, Lake Quality Council chair at SMLA led the featured presentation, which covered the findings of the Blackwater watershed assessment work at SML. Chris Mikolajczyk, Certified Lake Manager and senior aquatics manager, and Dr. Fred Lubnow, senior technical director- ecological services, both at Princeton Hydro, were guest presenters via Zoom.
Bill Butterfield, SMLA president, provided an update of SMLA’s efforts over the past year to protect the water of SML and promote safe and responsible recreation. In 2024 SML had one of the best water quality years in its history!
Bill shared details of some of the 2024 achievements of the organizations:
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- Increase membership to grow resources for efforts to keep SML clean and safe
- Support the SML Water Quality Alliance efforts to share information about HABs
- Increase water quality monitoring capabilities
- Increase government affairs activity
- Expand the A Day at the Lake event
The winners of four annual SMLA awards were announced:
- Melvin S. Johnston Citizen Volunteer Award: Tom Hardy
- Spirit of the Lake Award: Geoff Orth and Scot Mills
- Clean Stream Award: Byron Brooks
- Karl Martin Water Safety Award: SML Sail & Power Squadron
Outgoing board members Joanne Houpt, Gale Easter and John Rupnik were honored for their dedicated service to SMLA.
>>See the Annual Meeting Presentation Slides
The event also featured exhibits highlighting SMLA programs and partner organizations. Snacks were provided by SMLA. Door prizes from Barkley’s Pet Market, Jo & Co Jewelers, Lakescapes Nursery, Moneta Farm and Home Center, and VitaZen were awarded.
