White Paper Explores Low Water at Smith Mountain Lake

SML lakefront property owner and Smith Mountain Lake Association (SMLA) volunteer Tim Barr has authored a White Paper, “Anatomy of the 2026 Drawdown.” It is an analysis of how the current drought in Virginia created low lake levels at SML. It also offers specific actions which can be taken now to avoid and eliminate such an outcome in the future.

Tim is a top-tier data scientist, with senior-level professional experience at General Dynamics, Cray Research, and Booz Allen Hamilton. He independently produced this document solely for the purpose of using his expertise to help everyone to understand the situation and to examine changes within our control that will better mitigate the impacts of environmental drought events in the future.

SMLA is grateful for his work and the opportunity to share it.