Comments from June 8 -- August 30, 2002
Comments area for Yadkin River / High Rock Lake Area
These comments were made during the height of the drought
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| Name: | Tillery is #1 |
| Locale you are from ?: | Lake Tillery |
| E-mail address: | fullpond@laketillery.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Just wanted to drop a line to the "Dry Rockers". Come on down to the beautiful 102% full LAKE TILLERY (yes it is 2% above full pond) and enjoy this holiday weekend! I have been taking a look at these message board for the last few months......I have a proposal: Everyone meets at a common location and dukes it out to figure out who should get their way. I think the next thing you people are going to be talking about is other people’s mamas! On a serious note, my sympathy is with everyone who owns property on your lake. A combination of servile factors has caused sad thing to happen up there. The Catawba lake chain is beginning to experience the same thing the Yadkin lakes has suffered from for the last 6 months. We will all make it through this and lets take it easy on this message board. And remember come down and enjoy LAKE TILLERY! |
Thursday, August 29th 2002 - 06:34:44 PM
| Name: | Kathryn |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL |
| E-mail address: | .............. |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Mr. Bullgang, I agree that friction is not what we need here. We've all suffered in one way or another this summer. I don't, personally, believe we've 'cried' about the lake situation. But for many of us, this site was the only place where we could vent our frustration over a situation that has been beyond our control. And don't get me wrong, I like the High Rock Lake area with or without the lake but I like it even better WITH the lake. I'm wishing you happiness and success in your new job. |
Wednesday, August 28th 2002 - 12:08:28 PM
| Name: | Concerned Taxpaying Environmentalist |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbotts Creek |
| E-mail address: | ajack1953@yahoo.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | If you do not have the time to read this entire document, please go to the end and note the profits that ALCOA has made from The Yadkin River since "POWER BROKING" became profitable during the time that California was being held hostage by these same "energy pals of George Bush". Issues/Problems Specific to "Operating Guides for Operation ofBadinWorks" as referenced in Article 33 a/project 2197's operating license • Current Operating Guide and Draw down schedule are antiquated and inconsistent with the Electric Consumers Protection Act (ECPA) of 1986 • • The current operating guidelines for project 2197 were originally formed in 1928 and minimally modified only once in 1968. They are based almost entirely in the interest of power generation. On October 16,1986, Congress passed the Electric Consumers Protection Act (ECPA), which amended the Federal Power Act. One of the major changes to the Commission's hydroelectric power program included requiring the Commission to give the same level of consideration to the environment, recreation, fish and wildlife, and other nonpower values that it gives to power and development objectives in making a licensing decisions. • Current Operating Guide is not REALLY based on historical data as claimed ' « The current Operating Guide is claimed to be based on 72 years of historical river flow data. In reality the schedule was a "best guess" estimate in 1923 and was modified only slightly in 1968 in an attempt to appease the thousands that had complained far many years concerning the constant low water conditions. The Operating Guide does NOT take current or even recent river flow conditions into consideration. No resource can be effectively managed based strictly on guesses or even actual historical supply figures. The averages can be used to establish a baseline that is appropriate during average supply conditions but overall the management guidelines MUST be based on current/recent supply conditions. f '- ' • Current Draw down schedule for High Rock Lake and Badin Lake is inappropriate in ' addressing the consideration requirements spelled out in the Electric Consumers Protection Act of 1986 .The current draw down schedule for project 2197 was based purely on power generation. In 1928 High Rock Lake was considerably deeper overall and actually held more water. Over the last 74 years, tons of sediment have washed down the Yadkin River and settled to the lake bottom. This has had the effect of making the lake much shallower with miniscule areas actually being anywhere close to the maximum 30 foot draw down depth. When the lake was created there were few residents around the project lakes and no consideration was given to adjacent property owners, wildlife habitat, environmental or recreational interests. The Electric Consumers Protection Act of 1986 clearly states that each of these interests must be weighed equally, not just if it*s convenient or beneficial to the licensee. The results of strictly following the present draw down schedule would 'be catastrophic to the environment, fish and wildlife, recreation and the local economies of Davidscn and Rowan counties. The draw down schedule needs to be amended to take the total acre/foot capacity and overall average depth of each lake into consideration for the 25% consideration belonging to hydro generation and the 75% consideration belonging to the other interests with more realistic draw down Stages for each lake instead of simply draining the first lake in the chain and then beginning to drain the next. The practice of associating "headwater benefit" payments with guaranteed discharge levels. The areas downstream from any project enjoy no entitlement to more water than' is coming into the project. While stabilization of downstream flow can be accomplished and is a reasonable benefit to downstream users, the concept of guaranteeing a minimum flow that is greater than inflow is impractical over an extended period of time and is a recipe for disaster for the entire drainage area. The practice of associating a headwater benefit payment with a guaranteed discharge rate from the project amounts to giving APGI the illegal right to sell something they don't own. Payment for the benefits derived from downstream flow stabilization can be a realistic and measurable concept but using that payment as a guarantee for some arbitrary amount of water to be released should be illegal. APGI does NOT own the water and therefore has no right to sell it in the name of a "headwater benefit payment". Instead of encouraging prudent consumption of water resources throughout the river basin during drought conditions it encourages everyone to consume as if nothing is wrong and then the entire river basin suddenly becomes a complete disaster area for the environment, fish and wildlife, recreation and drinking water resources. Only power generation benefits from this practice and all other interests suffer. Issues/Problems Specific to APGI’s management of FERCproject 2197 Operation of High Rock Lake as a "Flood Control” reservoir even though it is not licensed as one. This practice has been used for years and has no apparent purpose in fulfilling APGIs requirements of their FERC license. This appears to be totally contradictory to the purpose of the shoreline management program that APGI implemented in the late 1990’s as required by FERC as part of their relicensing process. The historical pattern has been to draw High Rock down approximately 8 to 12 feet, operate all winter using essentially no more that inflowing water and then allowing it to slowly refill in the spring appears to offer no advantage in power generating efficiency or benefit to wildlife or recreation as compared to operating all winter on the same amount of inflowing water while maintaining the lake at a more reasonable -1 to -5 foot level that would be beneficial to wildlife habitat as well as recreational use of the lake. Decades of drawing the lake down in the fall and allowing it to slowly refill in the spring have accomplished nothing more than to totally kill all aquatic and shoreline vegetation. High Rock Lake is the only lake in project 2197 that is nearly totally void of shoreline weed beds, which are defined as '"premier habitat for fish and other organisms.” in APGI’s Shoreline Stewardship Policy. This practice appears to actually put them somewhat in violation of their own policy. This also causes excessive water level fluctuations during the spawning season of many of the lakes fish population and eventually leaves thousands of fish eggs stranded out of the water to dry up. This effectively kills millions of each year's new hatch. . i This practice has had the effect of depressing the property values of all adjoining properties as compared to similar properties surrounding the other project lakes. The only one to benefit from depressed property values would be APGI themselves since they are the largest property owners in Davidson County. This also effectively shortens the recreational season on High Rock lake to the period of May 15th to September 15th while all of the other lakes in project 2197 enjoy year round recreation capabilities; High Rock Lake was identified in APGI’s 1997 “Form 80 Recreation Data Report" to FERC as having almost twice as much recreational use as all of the other lakes in project 2197 combined. • Inadequate warnings of expected drawdowns of High Rock Lake. • . ' APGI has a long history of beginning large draw downs of High Rock Lake with . little warning to adjoining property. Every year hundreds of adjoining property owners find that within one week the water has been drawn down so far that their watercrafts are sitting in the mud on the bottom. Since APGI plans their power generating schedules on Thursday of each week and they know how much this will affect the lake level it would be very easy for them to issue a warning on their WEB site whenever they will be drawing the lake down more than one foot in a given week. Indifference to current water supply conditions. Since APGI’s fuel for their generators (water) is essentially free to them there is no incentive for them to be concerned with conservation of water when the available supply begins to drop. The drought of 1999 through the present did not sneak up on anyone. APGI chose to essentially ignore the fact that the entire Yadkin River Basin was critically close to drying up until thousands of citizens began to complain about their intentions to let all of the lakes in project 2197 be completely drained,- This would essentially destroy the habitat for many fish and animals around the project including the Bald Eagle nesting ground on High Rock Mountain. Good stewardship would have dictated that they begin asking FERC for variances to the "Operating Guides for Operation of Badin Works" as referenced in Article 33 of their operating license much sooner than July 2002. Based on the reported sales of "excess" power generated by APGI during the drought period it is obvious that conservation would not have been beneficial to them even though the eventual effects of their indifference would have disastrous effects on thousands of people and businesses throughout the Yadkin River Basin. • • • Yadkin Inc wholesale Sales 1999 1st quarter-$O • 2nd quarter- $4,389 3rd quarter - $79,569 4th quarter - $36,869 • * « APGI wholesale power Sales 2000 1st quarter- $65,887 - $135,537 purchased 2nd quarter-$51,876 3rd quarter-$212,520 4th quarter - $334,576 • . • APGI wholesale power sales 2001 • 1st quarter-$337,885 2nd quarter- $303,994 3rd quarter-$173.721 ' ' • Up until 1998 Yadkin Inc. (now APGI) reported that the only purchaser of the power they generated was Alcoa Aluminum Co. These figures would seem to indicate that either the power requirements of the Badin Works plant have decreased significantly or that they are able to generate considerably more power than needed using the present guidelines. Project 2197 was and is licensed to supply the power needs of the Badin Works plant, not a a profit center for Alcoa Aluminum. |
Tuesday, August 27th 2002 - 05:36:21 PM
| Name: | Kathryn |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL |
| E-mail address: | ........... |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Looks to me as though the comment, "You're pathetic" was directed to Yadkin, Inc. At least, that's how I read the message. To the gentleman who loves Tillery: Hope you are having fun out there on the water. Guess you are planning to milk the system instead of looking for a job. I sure hope you get yourself some education, because eventually that unemployment will run out. Unless you plan to become a fishing instructor, you'd be better off brushing up on your spelling and grammar skills. By the way, before we built on High Rock we did look at property on Tillery. Didn't care for the area. Even without the lake, we like the High Rock area better. No complaints...even without much water. |
Monday, August 26th 2002 - 04:09:34 PM
| Name: | Mark Blalock |
| Locale you are from ?: | Badin |
| E-mail address: | Sale to CP&L please! |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | To Yadkin Inc.That whole organization is pathetic.We can sit here all day writing these comments and it's just a joke to them.Hell, I can't even get them to return a phone call.Okay , okay everyone knows ther's a drought.Everyone knows you have a large hand in this mess too.But to say you care about the shores beauty and wildlife you're not fooling anyone.Why don't you get an e-mail adress if your not going to return calls or answer the phones.Like I said everyone's sick about's what's going on.Yadin may not be the only reason for this.But all in all "YOU'RE PATHETIC"! |
Saturday, August 24th 2002 - 08:54:03 AM
| Name: | Concerned Taxpaying Environmentalist |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbotts Creek |
| E-mail address: | ajack1953@yahoo.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | This has been a summer of anger and disappointment for those who love High Rock Lake, all due to a drought that did not happen overnight, the poor management of water resources along the Yadkin PeeDee River and the lack of concern displayed by our county commissioners and other local government officials until very recently. We have seen the environmental and economical devistation caused by ALCOA's (APGI) continued selfish misuse of a resource that they did not own yet had control over through the operations at their power generating dams. Please note that Duke Power realized that North Carolina was in a drought long before spring 2002 and practiced conservation of their water resources in the Catawba River Basin as early as last fall. Lake Norman is currently below full pond but has plenty of water to meet their power needs as well as the local water demands thanks to their prudent planning. The city of Winston Salem should also be held accountable for their contribution to the abuse of the Yadkin Peedee River System due to their water selling practices to the City of Greensboro. Our county commissioners in Davidson County have missed the mark by not seizing the possible gold mine at High Rock Lake in the form of tourism dollars and increased tax revenues. A sewer line could have been sent down Highway 8 to Southmont to generate nice lakeside restaurants and other lake related investments during the 1990's. Instead the agenda of our county commissioners was more focussed on sending sewer and gas to the northern part of the county so that other out of county cities could annex these areas for their future tax revenues. I would also like to mention that several of our county commissioners in Davidson County have private investments together related to the mobile home industry. Drive around the county or pick up a real estate book and look at all of the mobile home developments that have been built since the last two elections. While affordable housing is important the increased number of these developments are not a wise tax base for our county. Another point that the county commissioners could have looked in to was reducing the tax appraisals for lake front property owners or increasing the tax appraisal for ALCOA the largest property owner in Davidson County. ALCOA has enjoyed extremely low tax rates that are based on their property being under water even though the last three years much of their property has not been submerged. The point of this letter is to remind all of you to exercise your democratic right to vote. Voting is now very convenient. If you cannot make it to the polls on the date of the primary, you may take advantage of one stop voting. In Davidson County you can vote between the hours of 8:00am to 5:00pm at the Board of Elections office on Greensboro Street beside the governmental center building. This One Stop voting comes to an end on 9-7-2002. And remember to learn all that you can about the candidates. We can only hope to get someone in to office from the southern part of this county who has a vested interest in High Rock lake. |
Saturday, August 24th 2002 - 06:54:44 AM
| Name: | lake dweller |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL |
| E-mail address: | .................. |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Mr. Bullgang, We are aware that there is a drought. The lake probably would have gone down some anyway, HOWEVER, it was taken down farther than necessary and taken down suddenly. That's why folks here are upset with Alcoa. There are boats stuck in dried up mud because Alcoa did not have the decency to warn people that they were going to take the lake way down, and take it down really fast. They knew what they were going to do and didn't feel they needed to tell anyone. That is just not right. We've watched fish die, and wildlife disappear. Many of us are now looking out on mosquito breeding grounds. We do not believe it was necessary to take as much water out of High Rock as was taken. My husband and I have driven all around the Triad and Charlotte and do not see any lake that has been taken down as far as High Rock. Believe me, no one feels good about people losing jobs...not at the Badin plant or at any of the lake businesses. Don't forget, you are not the only person who lost a job this summer. Make good use of that retraining that you talked about in your post. Learn a skill that will not depend on some big company to keep you afloat (no pun intended) like becoming an electrician or plumber or locksmith. There is no loyalty to employees from big corporations these days. I know because my husband has been downsized twice after many years in responsible positions with big corporations. |
Friday, August 23rd 2002 - 03:37:49 PM
| Name: | Renfield |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL |
| E-mail address: | renfield97@yahoo.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Does anyone know of someone who would come out to the lake and shrink-wrap boats that are sitting on the bottom for the winter? I imagine that a lot of people who normally have their boats towed in and shrink-wrapped would like to have this done instead of leaving their boats exposed to the elements all winter as they sit on the bottom. I would appreciate any information that could be provided. |
Friday, August 23rd 2002 - 01:04:22 PM
| Name: | Fran Tallent |
| Locale you are from ?: | Concord, NC |
| E-mail address: | frantal@vnet.net |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Thanks for the incredible photos documenting the drought! I have been taking pictures, too, but none as spectacular as yours. One from the 85 bridge near Salisbury will appear in the September issue of The Golden Nugget, the journal of Cabarrus Genealogy Society of which I am Editor. From that bridge, the place where the old Indian trading post and ford were can be easily seen. Thanks again! |
Thursday, August 22nd 2002 - 08:48:27 PM
| Name: | Land Locked |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL |
| E-mail address: | like the pic |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | About the picture of the sad face taken from the air(in the low lake pics)Do I detect a tear falling down the cheek? Maybe that is a tear for all the damage Alcoa has done to their own property!! I don't think that sad face will cause wildlife to die, fish to die in the mud or ruin everyones summer, or even get anyone laid off...... for the sake of greed! As soon as it rains, the sad face will be gone...will take alot longer for the ducks, geese and fish to come back!........and p.s. (for goofy and bullgang)It is apparant that Alcoa has not futhered your "edumacation" ..so I do have a six year old that would love to help you get started with your grammer lessons while you are sitting back drawing waiting on the "TRA" Seems she has plenty of time since she has not been able to swim, ski, kneeboard or enjoy the lake this summer. I'm sorry......we're not supposed to point fingers at others.....so just consider this a shaking fist, and have a goooooood day! |
Thursday, August 22nd 2002 - 01:43:39 PM
| Name: | lake dweller |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL |
| E-mail address: | .................. |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Mr. Bullgang and friends, Quit blaming everyone but Alcoa for your lay-off. Have you read anything about the closing of your plant? This shut-down was planned long before they even started taking down the water. I can't believe you are actually buying into the plant closing being due to trouble from the lake dwellers! Get real and think a little bit. Alcoa had the deal with Iceland planned a long time ago. Your plant would have closed even if the lake dwellers hadn't said one word about the sorry condition of the lake. The plant was not making enough profit for Alcoa and that is the real reason you are losing your job. I don't mind paying for your re-education. Use it wisely. Our lake will come back sooner or later but I strongly doubt Alcoa will ever reopen your plant. |
Thursday, August 22nd 2002 - 04:25:54 AM
| Name: | Concerned Taxpaying Environmentalist |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbots Creek |
| E-mail address: | ajack1953@yahoo.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | This week WFAE 90.7 had a wonderful series all week long on "The Drought" during The Morning Addition segment of ALl Things Considered. For Those of you interested go to: http://www.wfae.org/wfae/index.cfm Part four was about our own Yadkin River and High Rock Lake. Check it out soon before it is archived. Stories From The Drought, Part Four (08-15-02) Water is a shared resource. Towns and cities, companies and individuals all need it. And they often get it from the same places. That's not a problem when there's enough to go around, but when the water recedes, sometimes, so does the good will. WFAE's Scott Jagow reports. Read Listen |
Friday, August 16th 2002 - 07:15:46 PM
| Name: | EJA |
| Locale you are from ?: | Duck Cove |
| E-mail address: | minijon@lexcominc.net |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I live on Duck Cove. When are they going to mow the grass in the lakebed back here? It is getting pretty tall. |
Tuesday, August 13th 2002 - 11:28:14 AM
| Name: | GOAT MAN |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | ATT: ALOCA WORKERS GO TO ICELAND FOR YOUR NEW JOBS |
Friday, August 9th 2002 - 01:26:44 PM
| Name: | GOOD BYE! |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL |
| E-mail address: | land of the lost |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | According to the article below, looks like Alcoa is off to do it again,
to someone else. Alcoa, Government of Iceland and Landsvirkjun, Iceland's National Power Company, Sign Memorandum of Understanding on New Smelter in Eastern Iceland PITTSBURGH--July 19, 2002--Alcoa Inc. announced today that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Iceland and Landsvirkjun, Iceland's national power company, formalizing their cooperation on a 295,000-metric-ton-per-year, low-emission aluminum smelter to be built in eastern Iceland. The MOU was signed this morning in Reykjavik, Iceland. The parties began working on this project under a Joint Action Plan, which began on April 19, 2002, and was extended through this week. Under the new MOU, Landsvirkjun will begin development of a 500-megawatt hydropower facility in eastern Iceland, and Alcoa will complete environmental and engineering studies of the smelter near Reydarfjordur in eastern Iceland. The MOU also encompasses a harbor facility at Mjoeyri as well as related infrastructure improvements in eastern Iceland. Upon completion, the project would represent one of the largest private-sector investments in Iceland's history and one of the cleanest aluminum production facilities in the world. This sustainable development project is designed to create hundreds of new, permanent jobs in eastern Iceland helping to put the economy there on a more solid foundation. A stronger economy in the region will allow for improvements in transportation, education, healthcare and culture. As the process continues, Alcoa will work to meet the company's high standards for sustainable development. Alcoa is the world's leading producer of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina, and is active in all major aspects of the industry. Alcoa serves the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation and industrial markets, bringing design, engineering, production and other capabilities of Alcoa's businesses as a single solution to customers. In addition to aluminum products and components, Alcoa also markets consumer brands including Reynolds Wrap(R) aluminum foil, Alcoa(R) wheels, and Baco(R) household wraps. Among its other businesses are vinyl siding, closures, precision castings, and electrical distribution systems for cars and trucks. The company has 129,000 employees in 38 countries. Alcoa (NYSE:AA) Forward Looking Statement Certain statements in this release relate to future events and expectations and as such constitute forward-looking statements involving known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or achievements related to this memorandum of understanding to be different from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include Alcoa's inability to achieve the returns necessary to implement the project, economic or competitive factors in Iceland and other risk factors summarized in Alcoa's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001. |
Friday, August 9th 2002 - 12:41:03 PM
| Name: | Dan Patterson |
| Locale you are from ?: | Spencer, NC |
| E-mail address: | dantana@carolina.rr.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | There have been several messages left on our board that was signed "high-rock.com .. This was done not by us but by some jerk trying to be funny. I hope no one was offended by what was said. We promise each of you that if we "high-rock.com" have anything to say we will sign our name to it. |
Thursday, August 8th 2002 - 08:06:50 PM
| Name: | Jeff |
| Locale you are from ?: | Lexington |
| E-mail address: | jj2@northstate.net |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | There will be a meeting of the Concerned Property Owners of Highrock lake Thurs. night 7/8 at Southmont Fire Dept. It will be a candidates forum for all candidates running for County Commissioner in Davidson County. All who are concerned about what can be done to secure the future of the lake should attend. The meeting will start at 7:00 P.M. |
Thursday, August 8th 2002 - 04:34:29 AM
| Name: | GOAT MAN |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL. |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Aloca the only place that has a DROUGHT is from ILODS DAM to HIGHROCK DAM the other lakes are about bank full all butt BADIN it is down 8.6 the 8/8/2002 |
Thursday, August 8th 2002 - 03:37:35 AM
| Name: | another one for Alcoa |
| Locale you are from ?: | surrounding area |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | It's kinda funny that all the people on HRL are quick to assume that everything is Alcoa's fault. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF A DROUGHT? Our state is experiencing the worst drought in history, so don't you think that may have something to do with the lack of water in YOUR LAKE (as you call it). Just remember, it is technically Alcoa's lake and they are just letting you enjoy it! |
Wednesday, August 7th 2002 - 08:17:16 PM
| Name: | BULLGANG |
| Locale you are from ?: | STANLEY |
| E-mail address: | ALCOA |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | IS YOUR POND GETTING ANY MORE WATER IN IT? |
Wednesday, August 7th 2002 - 03:08:44 PM
| Name: | bullgang |
| Locale you are from ?: | ALCOA |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | WE WILL BE BACK AND SO WILL YOUR WATER!!!!!!!! |
Wednesday, August 7th 2002 - 03:06:23 PM
| Name: | GOAT MAN |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL. |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | stanly co. orwhoever you or you needto see your boss at ALCOAthey know what they did to the people of HIGH-ROCK LAKE and the people of HIGH-ROCK LAKE DID NOT MAKE LOSE YOUR JOB ALCOA DID |
Wednesday, August 7th 2002 - 11:10:57 AM
| Name: | To: Stanly county, high rock.com or whoever you are |
| Locale you are from ?: | Davidson County |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | You're signing the WRONG board, sir. No personal attacks and it doesn't take a "cheap" person to regret what has happened to the lake. |
Tuesday, August 6th 2002 - 05:42:17 PM
| Name: | high-rock.com |
| Locale you are from ?: | stanly co. |
| E-mail address: | lizmil@vnet.net |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | To the many people angry with alcoa, it is not their job to make rian!
Many of us {alcoa employees }will soon be out of a job,and many of you are
happy with this,but that is your choice.There is only one person you will
stand before for that wish. If you built a $500,000 house on a mud hole that
is your choice not alcoa's. Highrock lake was built to make power for
alcoa,that is a fact.If you were not so cheap you would have went to a real
lake like Tillery but you were cheap,so you have no one to blame but
yourself for your low property value. Signed not mad just unemployed |
Tuesday, August 6th 2002 - 03:28:10 PM
| Name: | wondering |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Did anybody consider that Alcoa possibly kept Badin full of water over
the summer while their executives sold their homes before closing the plant?
Had they lowered Badin earlier, they might not have gotten good prices for
their properties. Now that the plant is closed...the water is going DOWN.
They might have also wanted to keep their workers happy before giving them
the bad news. The plant closing and Badin falling all happened around the
same time. I wouldn't put it past Alcoa....actually, I wouldn't put anything past Alcoa. |
Tuesday, August 6th 2002 - 04:46:18 AM
| Name: | Deez Nizzuts |
| Locale you are from ?: | Badin |
| E-mail address: | swtthang69@yahoo.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | nobody really cares that high(dry) rock lake is a farm field. Ya'll need to quit whinning and just move on with life. |
Monday, August 5th 2002 - 06:43:26 PM
| Name: | Doug Delaney |
| Locale you are from ?: | Cary, NC |
| E-mail address: | dbdmmd@bellsouth.net |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Anybody want 2.5 acres of beautiful wooded property in the Summit,
overlooking High Rock ditch? Bought the property a year ago, everything was so beautiful. Nobody told me that Alcoa had me by the ____s |
Monday, August 5th 2002 - 12:34:52 PM
| Name: | Stuck on Abbots Creek |
| Locale you are from ?: | Southmont |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Good idea to mow th grass. But, check your Shoreline Management Plan and
you will find it is not legal, according to ALCOA, "NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES
ALLOWED" on the lake bottom, period. "NO CLEAN UP ALLOWED EITHER," without paying for a permit and approval from Alcoa. Now how ridiculious is all of this........ THINK ABOUT IT............ |
Sunday, August 4th 2002 - 01:09:32 PM
| Name: | Barry Hollingsworth |
| Locale you are from ?: | Linwood/southmont |
| E-mail address: | bhol579@lexcominc.net |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I think we should all pitch in and at least mow the grass where the lake suppose to be.... |
Sunday, August 4th 2002 - 10:45:09 AM
| Name: | Terry L. Thomas & Teresa Macon |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbotts Creek, HRL |
| E-mail address: | maconthomas13@hotmail.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | OK! it happened. We are at 17.2 down at HRL. Go ahead Yadkin and drop it
a little lower like last week so Abbotts Creek can exspose all the dead fish
and ducks again. It appears that right at 17.5 exposes all the trash: ie:
beer cans, tires, bottles, car parts, and most importantly dangerous stumps.
Hey, I know this trash is a potential habitat for fish! WHAT fish are left?
So, SOLUTION!! HR Lake Assoc. & Alcoa/Yadkin & Conerned citizens come together and devise a coordinated plan to utilize the Corp. of Army Engineers to clean up the shoreline of dead debri. This might include shaving down those stumps that appear like stalagtites. Maybe widen the original river run. Wildlife could establish upgraded buoys.Some rumers involve dregging!and extending launch ramps to accomodate lake access as we look forward to years of low water levels. We understand the cause and effect of the drought, but with post 911 energy and enthusiasm, we can take on this project that would make Clean Sweep a mear bandaid. It's time to be proactive and collaborative for the future generations. Think about it......... Terry |
Sunday, August 4th 2002 - 08:52:54 AM
| Name: | high rock willie |
| Locale you are from ?: | abbotts creek |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | so, alcoa shuts down the badin operation. all of a sudden the water
level is coming up and we aint had nary drop of rain. i wants to aks you dis,......
yo,what up widd dat?????? yall think about it. yours truely, h.r. willie |
Sunday, August 4th 2002 - 07:56:33 AM
| Name: | PAUL |
| Locale you are from ?: | DENTON |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Idol s Dam is next that where Winston Salem gets their water and the water they sell to Greensboro then it is KERR Scott Dam and WINSTON Salem owns part of it |
Sunday, August 4th 2002 - 06:52:53 AM
| Name: | Stuck on Abbots Creek |
| Locale you are from ?: | Southmont |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | While your facts are true in your comments, let's add a few more. I am not trying to be nit-picking, but I feel ALCOA has waited too many years to try and correct many problems with High Rock Lake. They have known about it for years and have not taken any steps to try and correct it. High Rock Lake is filling up at a tremendous rate. Primiliary due to continued growth upstream. However, noone has taken any steps to try and stop it, until ALCOA adopted their Shoreline Management Plan, which was required by FERC a couple years ago. Seems to me they waited way too long to try and correct years of neglect, and are now trying to wiggle out of the problem. The closing of the Badin Plant is just one step that will lead to many more before all is said and done. The fact that the 2 million gallons of water a day that Winston Salem is selling to Greensboro, winds up in the Cape Fear River Basin, Not back in the the Yadkin. Fact, ALCOA has publicly announced that they were going to dredge High Rock Lake. They even conned money from our Counties to help pay for a study, which still has not been released to the public. Why then would this study and those dredging plans be hushed up so fast. High Rock Lake is not the most upper lake on the Yadkin Chain, check your maps. Kerr Scott is further up stream, remember. Also, there has been other fish kills on High Rock that have not been publicized. The reason, they were smaller in numbers. There were as many as 300 killed in Abbotts Creek a week ago, due to trapping in shallow water. Yes this was reported to the Wildlife Department. |
Sunday, August 4th 2002 - 05:56:36 AM
| Name: | PAUL |
| Locale you are from ?: | DENTON |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | WHAT GOD GIVES US ON HIGH-ROCK ALCOA TAKES IT AWAY |
Sunday, August 4th 2002 - 05:03:09 AM
| Name: | Whining, rich gal |
| Locale you are from ?: | on the lake |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I WISH I was rich, and my husband wishes I'd quit whining. LOL Anyway, just wanted to add that I think the homeowners on the lake, the businesses that have had a nightmare of a summer, the fish and wildlife that have died, and the people who lost their jobs are all victims of a huge, greedy, and uncaring corporation that mismanaged both company and natural resourses. Now they are moving on leaving people unemployed and a lake that is a major disaster. That newspaper article said they 'may' come back but I wouldn't put any bets on it. We should not be at war with each other. We're all grieving our losses, and all wondering how to put things back together again. PEACE. |
Saturday, August 3rd 2002 - 10:59:38 AM
| Name: | Whiner |
| Locale you are from ?: | on the lake |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | For those who have not read the High Point Enterprise newpaper article,
here is an excerpt concerning both the Badin plant and the power generating
facility: "Alcoa officials say they will also close plants in Texas and Oregon, although they say they plan to open a new facility in Iceland. Alcoa has 201 plants in the United States and employs more than 129,000 people in 38 countries. The three American plants scheduled for closing lost money for too long, Al Renken, president of Alcoa Prime Metals, said Wednesday in a statement. "As we explore markets around the world, we must take a hard look at our assets in the United States," Renken said. "We regret the impact these actions will have, and we will work to make the transition as smooth as possible." Alcoa Power Generating, Inc., will still sell power from the four hydroelectric dams on High Rock, Tuckertown, Badin and Falls lakes. If business and water levels pick up, Alcoa could reopen the Badin plant, but that could be years away, Renken said." |
Saturday, August 3rd 2002 - 10:37:37 AM
| Name: | Landlocked |
| Locale you are from ?: | Lexington |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Look out Badin.........looks like it is your turn, the water is going.....going.....gone! |
Saturday, August 3rd 2002 - 08:44:48 AM
| Name: | Lake Lover! |
| Locale you are from ?: | Badin |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Everyone knows good and well Alcoa knew this shut-down was coming .Why then I ask did they have to do so much damage to the beautiful lakes we once had.Not to mention the effect they've had on the eco-system.I guess that's their way of paying lake home owners back for our discontintment with them.You know drain everything we can and get out!Well just everyone hope and pray for rain.Maybe then the good lord will help us clean up their mess.For the employees who worked so hard for Alcoa I really do feel for you.Although I didn't work for Alcoa (and wouldn't have)I'm having it pretty rough myself these days.I probroly feel more for you than your company did.They gave you about as much notice as they did the homeowners who live on High Rock and Badin lakes.What was their slogan?ALCOA can't wait.Well I can't wait.I can't wait till their gone! |
Friday, August 2nd 2002 - 10:18:46 PM
| Name: | Frustrated |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbotts Creek |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | First off, I feel sorry the working people at the Badin plant that is
shuuting down. Now, did the lawsuits cause this? The answer is probaly not. Alcoa like other huge companies have lawyers on the payroll because they expect lawsuits to filed against them. They more than likely shut down not from making enough profit to suit their shareholders. This is just my opinion I do not have data to back this up. This closing does come aat an oppurtune time to shift blame off Alcoa and cast it elsewhere which, also in my opinion, is what companies of this magnitude is famous for. I do not live on the lake. I did ennjoy using HRL for recreation. I do not understand how 1 of 4 needed to suffer drastically before the others started to get pinched. I firmly believe that if there was no fish kills and other environmental disasters that HRL would continued to be drained. Yes I know there is a drought, but this situation could have been avoided. HRL is low because there was money to be made. What can be done to help improve the conditions? Perhaps there can be pressure applied to keep the dam from allowing water out. What does it take to apply pressure? Lawsuits are the only way to get corporations to listen. They might not do anything, but you can their attention. Maybe their should be a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of all citizens of Davidson and Rowan counties because of not only environmental but also financial strains of everbody affected? Pressure should also be applied to upstream users to cut-back usage and selling water to other communities. |
Friday, August 2nd 2002 - 09:45:10 PM
| Name: | Tom |
| Locale you are from ?: | Raleigh |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I don't understand if this is good or bad for High Rock Lake? Will the water rise if Alcoa is not generating electricity? What will Alcoa do with the lake long term if the Badin plant does not reopen? It does not really seem like they would continue to operate the dams if they don't need the electricity. |
Friday, August 2nd 2002 - 08:44:26 PM
| Name: | Longtime Highrocker |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbotts Creek |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I sincerely hope the lady who wrote in about her husband losing his job continues to read this board. I want her to know firsthand that she is "up a creek without a paddle" (or water for that matter) in blaming High Rock Homeowners for her troubles. Alcoa doesn't own as much as she thinks and certainly doesn't have the right to destroy that which they do own. The truth is times are hard right now. Alcoa isn't making it better on you or us. I think that makes us on the same side of this matter! |
Friday, August 2nd 2002 - 07:55:08 PM
| Name: | Good Bye Alcoa |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Read todays (8-2-02) page 3B High Point Enterprise and see what a shoddy
company Alcoa really is...also copy and paste the links below. Poor
management put them under, not the residents of High Rock. They received
special tax breaks for 15 years to the tune of 730,000.00 per year and where
is all of this money? They spent all of it filing lawsuits against the state
to get even more money! Now they closed the plant, and now the public accesses to All of High Rock, and now the ramps and swimming areas at Badin. They show High Rock rising and steady, but there is less water when it showed 22 feet down???? Also the lady complaining about her husband losing his job... Did not see any comment or sympanthy from you when all the folks around High Rock Lake had to lay off their employees and close their business because ALCOA used all the water to make Power knowing the plant would close 3 years ago if it did not make more profit.....so kiss my *ss, I don't feel sorry for you...see how it feels! http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=4930982&BRD=1332&PAG=461&dept_id=414366&rfi=8 www.neighborsforneighbors.com. http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=4930986&BRD=1332&PAG=461&dept_id=414366&rfi=6 |
Friday, August 2nd 2002 - 01:47:08 PM
| Name: | Stuck on Abbots Creek |
| Locale you are from ?: | Southmont |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | To the lady who says her husband lost his job. I am really sorry this
has happened. But please remember that those who lost their jobs, or at
least many of them will draw unemployment for months and in some cases maybe
years. Many of us are still out there working, trying to pay taxes and other
expenses on what we get paid. I, like others worked very hard for many long years (31 to be exact) just to be able to buy land and build my house. Believe me you don't get rich working as a firefighter most of your life. I, like others set my goals and worked to achieve them. So don't go around whinning about the ones of us who bought and built our retirement homes here on High Rock. I am very proud of it, wish you were. As far as the drought and ALCOA closing the Badin Plant. Had they not managed the lake in such a poor way, just maybe your husband would still be employed. Afterall, the property owners have been trying to get them to manage the water in the lake for well over 4 years now. NO, they waited until the Yadkin River was in trouble, before even requesting a variance from the FERC to reduce the flows. They also, increased the generating flows at the High Rock Dam within the past two years. That flow required an additional 200cfs of water. Think about it for a minute, they only requested a reduction in the flow of the water by 200cfs. Now you do your own math. Seems to me we are at the same place we were two years ago, and we were in a drought then as well. They waited until a number of drownings at Pebble Beach, before taking any action for the possible prevention of this. Now who is to blame. ALCOA likes to boast about their environment improvements, their safety record and how much they are concerned about health, safety and being a good neighbor. I for one don't feel that a GOOD NEIGHBOR, will fight you tooth and nail, just to make a PROFIT. In my opinion the reason they stopped flowing water within the past couple weeks, was due to the fact that they JUST MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE DRAINING OF HIGH ROCK LAKE. So I for one feel the law suits are well justified. Afterall, they may own the land beneath the lake, but they do not own one drop of the water, that is public property. On top of that they jeopardized businesses and property owners downstream of High Rock, especially in South Carolina, to health, and enviromental damages, as well as economics. Plants and small businesses are on the verge of closing there also, all due to POOR PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT on ALCOA's part. The Buck Station at Spencer, has been shut down or reduced to a mere output, WHY, NO WATER.. Davidson County lost over 900 jobs from the tourist industry in the year 2001, how many will be lost this year? That is anyone's guess. They also lost over 1.8 million dollars due to not being able to have bass tournments and other lake activities that bring in dollars. Yet ALCOA's position , is that the lake really does not have such a big impact on the overall economy. I beg to differ. Think for a minute just how many businesses are involved. It isn't just the marinas, it is motels, restruants, gas stations, boat dealers, banks, as well as those businesses that are on the lake, the list goes on and on. It is a lock of business that brings millions of dollars in sales taxes to each County's coffers. That helps keep property taxes down. Again, I feel for you and your husband. But put yourself in the same boat that a lot of other people are in as well. So PLEASE don't ask me to feel sorry for ALCOA. Like someone else said, they are a Super Large World Wide Company and they have never once taken any steps torward working with the people living and working on the lake. Instead they have done everything possible to fight against them. Now they want to raise our pier permit fees, WHY? we are paying them for something that we cannot use in the first place, again NO WATER. Is this NEW, NO, we have suffered with this for years and again ALCOA has not taken steps to try and eliminate the problems. You mentioned the lake was dirty. Well who is to blame for that? I personally think the general boating public has a lot to do with it. But think for a minute about all the growth around the lake and upstream in the past 40 years. Also think about the demands that growth has put on the Yadkin River. Yes, I will agree it is more dirty than I would like to see it. We have all kinds of polution in the lake, why hasn't ALCOA taken steps to either stop it or clean it up years ago? Does the filling of the lake not affect their overall bottom line, I surely think so. Poor management over the years has finally caught up with them. However, on the otherhand, what they did was wait until things started getting a little tough on them, then they slapped us with NEW RULES AND REGULATIONS. In other words, they slamed the door on the horse, and that horse (namely the lake) was so far from the barn it was ridiculious. In fact the horse was completely out of site. Would they listen to reason 3 or 4 years ago. Had you attended the meetings I think you would have learned that ALCOA could care less about the people or the economy of Davidson or Rowan County, in fact any County. It has always been about MONEY and PROFITS. No doubt you have read about the lake filling up with silt. What happened to the tax money raised, at ALCOA's request, for a dredging study? Secondly, what happened to ALCOA's idea of dredging in the first place. Afterall, they announced within the past three years that this dredging was going to be done. Bottom line, deeper lakes hold deeper water, and that water last a lot longer time, when properly managed. The dredging issue was hushed up in a hurry, now wasn't it???? |
Thursday, August 1st 2002 - 04:35:08 PM
| Name: | JOHN |
| Locale you are from ?: | dry rock lake |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | guess alcoa wanted to sell the water for an extra few bucks-then shut the plant down-WAY TO GO ALCOA-YOU R VERY SMART PEOPLE. |
Thursday, August 1st 2002 - 12:26:38 PM
| Name: | PAUL |
| Locale you are from ?: | DENTON |
| E-mail address: | L WILSON 10 @TRAID. RR. COM |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | ALOCA PULL HIGH ROCK LAKE DOWN TO MAKE FOLKS MAD THAT LIVE THERE THEY KNOWN THAT THEY WERE GOING CLOSE THE BADIN PLANT THEN THE FOLKS ON HIGH ROCK LAKE WOULD GET BLAME FOR IT ALOCA DON T CARE ABOUT FOLKS BUT THEY DO CARE ABOUT MONEY |
Thursday, August 1st 2002 - 11:57:30 AM
| Name: | give me a break |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | To those people who are fed up with reading the 'whining' about conditions on the lake..............well, conditions on the lake is what this site is all about!!!!! If you don't want to hear the 'whining', why are you bothering to read this site at all? We are saddened about the death of fish and wildlife on this lake as well as the loss of business and recreation for those who live and work here. I, personally, put the harm to the environment well above my loss of recreation this summer....and I think many other people do as well. People here would not be 'whining' if they believed our lake is in this sad state due to just drought conditions. We know that the sale of hydroelectric power during these difficult conditions is what caused our lake to be in the condition it is in today. We have looked at other lake systems, in the same lake conditions, and ours was the only one to be drained. Most of us have worked many years to be able to live on this lake. For most of us, 'luck' had nothing to do with our ability to have homes here. It was years of hard work that allow us to live here. Yes, we are 'happy' to be able to live on this lake and we all know it...but 'luck' had nothing to do with it! |
Thursday, August 1st 2002 - 08:37:13 AM
| Name: | right on!!! |
| Locale you are from ?: | salisbury |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | just wanted to tell the lady whose husband is losing his job how sorry i am. i totally agree with everything that she said! the people on high rock lake should be count their blessings and realize that they are not the only ones suffering because of the drought and the economy. i only wish that those people would stop whining and realize how good they have it, especially compared to others! it's a shame that alcoa employees and their families are the ones that are suffering and the only thing people want to complain about is that they are paying for lake front property and not receiving it!! |
Thursday, August 1st 2002 - 05:48:31 AM
| Name: | lake dweller |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | To the woman who wrote in about other people suffering in Salisbury: I feel badly about your husband losing his job at Alcoa. I am also sympathetic to all the other folks who have lost their jobs as well. However, believe me, the people who live and own businesses on High Rock Lake did not cause this to happen. Alcoa said it was shutting down the plant because it was not making money for them. That's the reason your husband is now unemployed. It had nothing at all to do with any lawsuits over the lake levels. Alcoa, as with other multi-million dollar companies, has their own lawyers on staff to handle the many lawsuits that are filed against them every year. And hundreds of thousands of dollars means nothing to them. The are a very rich and powerful company. Any lawsuits that have been filed against them this summer over the lake problems are just a drop in the bucket compared to the number of other lawsuits they are battling. Don't blame us. |
Thursday, August 1st 2002 - 05:07:35 AM
| Name: | hank |
| Locale you are from ?: | DRY ROCK |
| E-mail address: | HANKT@HERZOGVENEERS.COM |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I'M VERY SORRY THAT ANY ONE THAT WORKS FOR ALCOA HAS TO LOSE THEIR JOBS,
BUT YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST AND YOU WILL NOT BE THE LAST. AND NO THE DROUGHT
IS NOT TO BLAME FOR THAT EITHER. MOST PEOPLE LOSE JOBS DUE TO THE BAD
BUSINESS DESICIONS THAT THE COMPAINES THEY WORK FOR HAVE MADE. ALSO TO THE
LIFE STYLE THAT WE ALL HAVE. OTHER COUNTRIES ARE WILLING TO HAVE A LESSER
LIFE STYLE, THEREFORE GOODS CAN BE PRODUCED CHEAPER DUE TO THE LOWER WAGES.
I'M SURE ALCOA HAS DONE THEIR BEST TO MAKE ALL THE RIGHT DECISIONS......OUR LAKE LEVELS ARE PROOF OF THAT. AGAIN JUST LOOK AT THEIR TRACK RECORDS..THEY SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES! AND YES I KNEW THE LAKE LEVELS BE FORE I BOUGHT PROPERTY ON HIGH ROCK...BUT MAYBE THE LADY WHERE HER HUSBAN IS LOSING HIS JOG SHOULD WALK THE LAKE BED AND SEE ALL THE DEAD FISH, DEAD DUCKS, AND DEAD FRESH WATER CLAMS.....THEY DID NOT HAVE A CHOICE OF WHERE THEY COULD LIVE. SORRY LADY, BUT NOW YOU KNOW THE FEELING OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PUT THEIR LIFE SAVINGS INTO HOMES OR A BUSINESS AND NOW THEIR LOSING EVERYTHING. SOMETIMES LIFE IS TUFF ON US ALL! |
Thursday, August 1st 2002 - 05:03:32 AM
| Name: | others are suffering too!!! |
| Locale you are from ?: | Salisbury |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I have heard and read almost all that I care to know about how the
citizens of Rowan County feel about Alcoa and their part in the "Dry" Rock
Lake situation. Yes, I do feel sorry for the homeowners on High Rock Lake;
however, most people do research before buying property and if these home
owners would have done that...they would have found out that High Rock Lake
is not the lake to build a $500,000 + home on. It has always been known as a
dirty lake that is always below "normal" level. Anyone who has even spent
one summer in Rowan County can tell you of the dry coves, etc. that have
been happening for YEARS!! Yes, I know that Alcoa has pulled the water out of High Rock Lake to benefit themselves, but IT IS THEIR PROPERTY so isn't it their right to do as they wish?!?!? As someone else stated in their comment...we all should be glad that Alcoa has allowed all of Rowan County to enjoy the lake instead of keeping it all to themselves!!! Now on to the others who are suffering.....MY FAMILY!!! My husband is (or should I now say WAS) employed by Alcoa. However, today, we were told that in 2 weeks, my husband will no longer have a job. Is the drought to blame or is it the low price of alumium today?!? NO TO BOTH...I WOULD SAY THAT IT HAS MORE TO DO WITH THE SELFISH HOME OWNERS OF HIGH ROCK LAKE!!!! Because of you and your nonsense lawsuits against Alcoa, my family will suffer!!! It has come to our attention that just in the last month, Alcoa has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on attorney fees to defend themselves for using something the is actually theirs to begin with (HIGH ROCK LAKE)!!!! So, think about us (the others who are suffering) next time you decide that having lake front property is more important than a man trying to earn a honest living to support is family!!!! |
Wednesday, July 31st 2002 - 07:54:07 PM
| Name: | KEN |
| Locale you are from ?: | FISHERMANS COVE |
| E-mail address: | kenvette2001@yahoo.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | you know, its kinda ironic that from highrock up river the situation is dry (yadkin inc.) and from bluet falls (cp&l)down river to myrtle beach, the situation is dry. it does not take a brain surgeon to figure this out. all the water is holed up in the middle. smells fishy to me! |
Sunday, July 28th 2002 - 10:59:29 AM
| Name: | alex powell |
| Locale you are from ?: | high rock |
| E-mail address: | boogtp@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | surely the epa can bust alcoa's bubble. fish kills, bald eagles in
danger of poisioning, not to mention future devastation to the fish chain at
high rock.... alcoa claims the drought emptied high rock. if so, why hasn't the drought emptied 1 single other lake in the entire southeastern united states... george w bush was in high point yesterday...i just wished he could have stayed over for some bass fishing at high rock....w likes his bass fishing.....and you know what they say--don't mess with texas---up here it's don't mess with alcoa---maybe it's time to do just that--i'm gonna call w tonite and see if he can come back for a tour......one more disaster area...too bad politics has to get involved to cure our problems....but if so--so be it |
Friday, July 26th 2002 - 10:58:02 AM
Comments from June 8 -- July 24, 2002
| Name: | Stuck on Abbots Creek |
| Locale you are from ?: | Southmont |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | HI Folks: You want to read something to really get yo steamed??? Why couldn't this have been done 6-10 weeks ago?? Goes to prove ALCOA, can control their operations when they want too. Or they are scared they will have to pay for all the dead fish and other wildlife, which they should be required to do. When enough people complain to the Federal, State and Local Officials long enough and hard enough, ALCOA would surely take notice. We should demand they pay for all damages caused by the draining of "DRY ROCK" (HIGH ROCK) LAKE. Home -> News -> Content Wednesday 24 July, 2002 HIGH POINT ENTERPRISE Top Stories Alcoa cuts flow out of High Rock Lake By: Ronda Cranford, Staff writer July 24, 2002 The dams at High Rock Lake stopped releasing water downstream last Friday, and no more water will be let go until at least Thursday. A fish kill on a 3-acre area of the lake in Rowan County last week prompted Alcoa, the company which controls High Rock, to stop releasing water from the lake, according to company spokesman Michael Andrews. The lake has been shrinking all summer, and last week between 1,000 and 2,000 fish died after being trapped in a shallow pond created by receding water levels. Federal regulations require an average of 1,200 cubic feet of water per second be released from the chain of lakes managed by Alcoa. As a result, more water has been leaving the lake system than has been coming in. Michael Andrews said Tuesday that the company will use the smaller Narrows Lake to meet those release requirements. Operating guidelines allow the company to lower Narrows' levels six or seven feet, Andrews said. Alcoa was granted permission to reduce the amount it releases downstream from 1,400 to 1,200 feet per second in June. On Thursday, North and South Carolina officials will meet to discuss the possibility of reducing the release amounts even more. Industries downstream in South Carolina rely on river flow for their operations. Municipal water supplies, including the city of Myrtle Beach, also depend on it. But squeezing downstream users now could benefit them in the long run, a spokesperson for the N.C. Division of Water Resources said last week. There's a lot of dry season left, and the preserving lake levels now means the water supply will last longer, the spokesperson said. Ronda Cranford can be contacted at 888-3533 or rcranford@hpe.com ©High Point Enterprise 2002 Back to top Copyright © 1995 - 2002 PowerOne Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
Wednesday, July 24th 2002 - 02:46:12 PM
| Name: | Tresea |
| Locale you are from ?: | Rockwell |
| E-mail address: | tcook@tcnind.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Complaints are continually being published regarding trespassing on High Roch (Dry Rock)with picking up arrowheads, fishing lures, fishing rods, etc. What I don't understand is the double standard from Alcoa. Every year there is a "Big Sweep" to clean up the riverbanks. This is where they ask for volunteers to help clean Alcoa property for one day. So what's the difference now? It is being done consistently with more participation and a larger area getting cleaned. |
Wednesday, July 24th 2002 - 12:34:24 PM
| Name: | Norm Arrington |
| Locale you are from ?: | Winston-Salem |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | More facts: http://www.ncwater.org/Water_Supply_Planning/Drought_Monitoring_Council/Yadkin-PeeDee/ |
Wednesday, July 24th 2002 - 10:26:04 AM
| Name: | Norm Arrington |
| Locale you are from ?: | Winston-Salem |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Thought I would pass on the following website for those interested in
understanding the primary purpose of High Rock Reservoir and those who want
to understand the guidelines set forth for ALCOA in the 27-page 1958
licensing agreement between Alcoa and the Federal Power Commission (you will
need Adobe Reader ((free download)) to read the document): http://www.ncwater.org/Water_Supply_Planning/Drought_Monitoring_Council/Yadkin-PeeDee/FERC1958.pdf I pulled the following passages verbatim as I found them enlightening: "Requests have been made informally (by letter or telegram) to the Commission by various individuals, companies and agencies that the water in the High Rock Reservoir of Aluminum be maintained at high levels at all times for recreational purposes. [*39] Such a limitation would largely defeat the purpose of Aluminum in constructing the reservoir and would greatly reduce the benefits to downstream plants resulting from the operation as it has been conducted in the past. A study by the witness Price, a Commission employee and presented by the Staff, shows that if the drawdown at High Rock were limited to a maximum of ten feet instead of the existing thirty-foot drawdown, the estimated power loss would be approximately $150,000 per year. No evidence was presented by the proponents of the limitation as to its feasibility or as to the recreational benefits which might be obtained thereby. The proposal is therefore rejected. A provision is inserted which requires the maintenance of the highest level at High Rock from June 1 to September 1 of each year which is practicable and consistent with the reservoir's primary purpose of providing firm energy for the smelting operations at Badin." "(10) The High Rock reservoir of the Applicant is operated primarily for the purpose of providing a large reservoir which may be drawn down as necessary to maintain continuity of operation of the Badin smelter works of the Applicant at the highest possible minimum level." "28. The Licensee shall, in order to secure maximum recreational benefits, make every reasonable effort to maintain the water surface of High Rock Reservoir at the highest level practicable from June 1 to September 1 of each year, as is consistent with the primary purpose of the reservoir to provide a large reservoir which may be drawn down as necessary to maintain continuity of operation of the Badin smelting works at the highest [*72] possible minimum level." You might be interested to know that the license appears to expire in 2008. From what I could tell, the approval of this license was predicated in large part on the fact that, in 1958, the power generation at High Rock was the most economical way to provide power to the smeltering plant at Badin and as many as 900 individuals and the economics of the entire region depended on the Badin plant. (Also, I found it discouraging that the Federal Government entered into this agreement in 1958, only five years after the 1953 drought, the only other time when the Lake was pulled down close to its current level.) The document provides lots of other interesting facts and history regarding the management of Badin, Tuckertown, and High Rock reservoirs. It filled in a lot of blanks for me in terms of understanding why ALCOA operates the way that it does. It appears to me that your argument is not so much with ALCOA as it is with the successor to the Federal Power Commission. I would suggest that folks push the emotion aside and fill up on the facts and organize for the 2008 licensing hearings - IT IS YOUR ONLY HOPE OF CHANGING ANYTHING. |
Wednesday, July 24th 2002 - 08:07:32 AM
| Name: | High Rock Honey |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbott's Creek beside the Hwy. 8 bridge |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Salisbury is not the only town without water restrictions. Winston Salem has no water restrictions. Winston Salem is taking water from the Yadkin River and selling it to Greensboro. A power plant is going to open in the old Stroh Brewery in Winston Salem (this is a done deal). Winston Salem is going to sell them water which they will take from the Yadkin River. There apparently is no control over water use in NC by anyone when Winston Salem can draw all the water they want from the Yadkin and use it as a money maker when the people on High Rock Lake have no water and the towns downstream on the Yadkin/PeeDee River in SC are running out of water. |
Wednesday, July 24th 2002 - 05:08:32 AM
| Name: | Jody |
| Locale you are from ?: | goodman lake |
| E-mail address: | the4allens@netzero.net |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | With all that is going on with the drought conditions WHY has Salisbury and or Rowan County even asked for Voluntary water restrictions or better yet mandatory. Every city around us is on some type of restrictions but yet Salisbury says there is no need yet well if not now WHEN?????? I urge all to call the city water department and complain.Every Day I ride by and see the country club houses watering in the morning and evening ! Whats wrong with this picture? |
Tuesday, July 23rd 2002 - 05:53:04 PM
| Name: | MELISSA |
| Locale you are from ?: | DRY ROCK RIVER |
| E-mail address: | MBARRINGER@MCKENZIESP.COM |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | IT IS PRETTY SAD THAT WE HAVE NO WATER. PEOPLE AT ALCOA DONT CARE WHAT GOES ON DOWN HERE AS LONG AS THEIR LAKE IS FULL AND THEY ARE MAKING MONEY. THINK OF ALL THE WILDLIFE THAT IS DYING. THE SMELL THAT IS COMING FROM THE DEAD ANIMALS. BEFORE LONG WE WILL NOT HAVE ANY ANIMALS AROUND HERE BECAUSE THERE IS NO WATER FOR THEM. OUR WELLS ARE GOING DRY AND PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO GET WATER FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE WATER DOWN SO THIS MUCH SINCE I HAVE BEEN LIVING. I GUESS THAT WE WONT BE HAVING ANY MORE FISHING TOURNMENTS OR BASSMASTERS CLASSIC ON DRY ROCK ANY MORE. I THINK IT IS STUPID THAT WE CAN NOT WALK ON THE SHORES AND IF WE ARE COUGHT WE ARRESTED. I THINK THAT IF WE CANT USE WATERCRAFTS IN THE STREAM THEN WE SHOULD AT LEAST BE ABLE TO RIDE FOUR WHEELERS WITH OUT GETTING IN TROUBLE. I THINK THAT WHAT SHERRY SAID WE NEED TO LOAD UP THE DEAD ANIMALS FROM THE RIVER AND TAKE THEM TO ALCOA AND LET THEM KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO SMELL THAT SHIT. IT IS REAL FUN. I WAS DOWN SUNDAY AND THE LITTLE PONDS DOWN THERE ARE GREEN AND HAVE DEAD FISH FLOATING IN THEM. MY AUNT HAS A PROJECT TO DO AT SCHOOL AND HER PROJECT IS ON DRY ROCK POND. I GUESS WE WILL ALL HAVE TO PACK UP AND GO TO ANOTHER RIVER THAT HAS SOME WATER AT LEAST. IT WOULD NOT BE SO BAD IF THE OTHER 3 LAKES WERE AS LOW AS HIGH ROCK. I HOPE WE GET SOME WATER SOME TIME THIS YEAR. (2002) |
Tuesday, July 23rd 2002 - 10:55:26 AM
| Name: | Teri |
| Locale you are from ?: | Rockwell |
| E-mail address: | TeriHorseCrazy@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | After just looking at the picture of all the grass growing at the Boat & Ski Club, my husband commented that it would be great if the grass could be allowed to grow and then cut and baled for hay. There's a severe hay shortage in the area, and livestock owners could be benefited! |
Tuesday, July 23rd 2002 - 08:10:56 AM
| Name: | Totally bummed at High Rock |
| Locale you are from ?: | Shore Line Drive |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I really don't think I can get much madder at how badly High Rock residents are getting screwed by Alcoa. Is it not BLATANTLY obvious to everyone that Alcoa requested the outflow variance just in time so that they wouldn't have deal with upset Badin Lake residents who obviously have ALOT more clout than us dry-docked High Rock folk? Why didn't they request the variance earlier so that at least part of the lake could be saved? Why don't they have an explanation for why every other lake around is near full pond? Why the hell doesn't Alcoa post an email address on their website so we can tell them how we feel? Frankly I am tired of calling and hearing how sorry they are and how they pray for rain every day. Yeah...right! Is there not an attorney out there who would be willing to represent the High Rock residents? I bet we could raise some serious money to pay that legal fee at this point in time. |
Monday, July 22nd 2002 - 09:09:54 PM
| Name: | Mr. & Ms Truluck |
| Locale you are from ?: | Tarawood on High Rock |
| E-mail address: | lakecats@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Today is July 22,2002 We feel that all property owners on High Rock should march down to the tax office to protest & find out how to go about having our personal property taxes RE-ASSEDED due to the water levels!!! WE URGE ALL OF YOU TO DUE THE SAME!! We put our boat in on Badin yesterday, even though the water level is 5 ft. down we could not notice the difference. We crossed Tuckertown & it appeared full. Today, a friend reported that the resorviour above us in Wilksboro is full & that the Yadkin up there is also full. Also, I personally saw Tillery last week & it is full. What the hell is going on!!!!! Let's do something here!!!!! Lakecats@aol.com |
Monday, July 22nd 2002 - 04:02:29 PM
| Name: | jeff wallace |
| Locale you are from ?: | abbotts creek |
| E-mail address: | jfwj@lexcominc.net |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | link to www.hrla.org if you would.... thanks!! |
Monday, July 22nd 2002 - 03:49:06 PM
| Name: | Wayne |
| Locale you are from ?: | Rockwell |
| E-mail address: | forktree@yahoo.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Where are the animal rights people. If this was a bird they would be all over it. If they can stop trees from being cut on HUNDREDS of acres of land to protect 1 bird why can't they hit ALCOA? Or at least have the fish that are traped be transported to deeper water. |
Monday, July 22nd 2002 - 02:54:59 PM
| Name: | Sherry |
| Locale you are from ?: | Rowan County |
| E-mail address: | stucker@mckenziesp.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I have lived on High Rock Lake most of my life and I have never seen anything like this. It has been clear long before now that ALCOA does not care about anything but their bank account. All of my life I have walked the river banks of High Rock Lake and searched for arrowheads...someone please tell me why all of a sudden it is against the law to do so. I know why...ALCOA has realized that they have something valuable on the river banks and wants to keep it all to themselves. Thats fine, they can have it....if they can live with what they have done to our environment in Davidson & Rowan Counties and if they can live with how hated they are by the public then I can live without a few arrowheads. If they are so adament about everything on that river bed being "their" property, then why doesnt someone take a dump truck load of dead fish, turtles, clams and ect to their offices and dump it out. Let them live with the smell for a while and see how they like it. I realize that we are in a serious drought situation and I pray that we get some rain soon but why cant we all work together...why does ALCOA have to be so greedy and make us all so mad...if they at least acted like they were concerned about the environment it would make such a difference. If only our river had the proper management that it needs to insure the quality of the environment...it will take years and years for High Rock Lake to re-cover from this. |
Monday, July 22nd 2002 - 10:35:40 AM
| Name: | Kenny |
| Locale you are from ?: | Rowan Side |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I was out catching some nice sized bass yesterday along the banks of High Rock. I was throwing a Buzzbait across the shallow waters. The bass are desperately hungry and are feeding good right now. I would recommend picking a bank where you can't be seen from the Wildlife Officers, so you can enjoy catching the large bass that are feeding. I caught 4 bass that weighed in at 21 lbs. total. I kept all of them and put them in my farm pond. I would rather see these fish live in a smaller pond than die of starvation. I am planning on going back this week and catching some more. They are trapped in little ponds of water, so they are hungry and are feeding really good. |
Monday, July 22nd 2002 - 08:08:50 AM
| Name: | Concerned Taxpaying Environmentalist |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbotts Creek |
| E-mail address: | ajack1953@yahoo.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | i Just got back from a trip to Badin Lake. We were there Saturday
7-20-2002 and Sunday 7-21-2002. The first thing I need to say is that Badin
Lake is a very beautiful lake. Deep channels of water are surrounded by some
of the same lush Uwharrie Mountains that surround High Rock Lake. You can
speed under a railroad trestle without having to slow down because the water
is so vast. According to "The Dispatch" on 7-21-2002 High Rock is down over 22 feet and Badin is down 4.25 feet. As I checked the depth finder on our boat it was not under 48 feet in most of the main channels. At the dam it was as deep at 150 feet! Most homes at Badin Lake do not have floating docks like the ones needed at High Rock. As a matter of fact, the docks or piers at Badin appear to have a two story non floating arrangement. I spoke with several lake dwelling residents who stated that they were concerned about rumors that the lake would be down by as much as 30 feet during September. As hard as I tried to describe the situation that exists at High Rock, residents there could not comprehend our extreme non water situation until I displayed videos of our lake. My point is this. If you can send photos of our lake to FERC or the media when writing letters, it leaves a more lasting impression. Be sure to capture the dying fish or other devestated wildlife and treated sewage that is being let out in to Abbott's Creek. In addition, since we cannot change the current situation on our lake, write letters encouraging - demanding that ALCOA dredge our lake and extend its life. According to regulations, The US Corp of Engineers will pay up to 50% of the cost of dredging projects. It is in ALCOA's best interest to deepen their lake so they have more to pull from during drought times. Please note an article in "The Charlotte Observer" from 7-22-2002 about "Duke Power". One of the quotes from this source is that "The Yadkin-PeeDee River System" is one of the most poorley managed rivers in the southeast. Only one of Duke Power's steam plants is currently operating less than full capacity and it is The Buck Steam Plant in Spencer NC that has water intake from The Yadkin River. Please remember that your vote in any election is your voice. Get to know the candidates and exercise your democratic right by voting this fall for any person running for office who has ignored your concerns about our lake and the envrionmental ramifications. SPEAK YOUR MIND AT THE BALLOT! |
Sunday, July 21st 2002 - 05:59:50 PM
| Name: | Mark T. Blalock |
| Locale you are from ?: | Badin,N.C. |
| E-mail address: | WetWarlock@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I would just like to say I feel for the homeowners on High Rock Lake.I live on Badin Lake and it is now a little over 4ft. down.Just that little of a drop makes it miserable here.I hate to think of it being down the 23ft. High Rock is down.But it's coming.I've lived here for 9yrs.now.Alcoa always has and probroly always will do what they want on these lakes.No matter what it does to the eco-system or to the people who lives on these lakes.I have tried to get them to clean up a mess I have on a lot adjoining my property.It was a camp ground and boat launch area.It looks like Gypsyville now.I've talked to them about it and they said it was not a recreational area.But they sure did put the signs up of "No Swimming" and "Boat Launch Area" there.Not to mention putting in steel and cement post to keep people from driving on the beach area.They tell me it's the property owners job to do this.Hey "ALCOA" you own that property.Or is it, you own that property until something needs to be done there?Maybe it's because it's not in view of the plant.You keep it nice and manicured there don't you?The only thing I've ever gotten out of you people is a letter saying my permit license was due.Oh yeah,I forgot about the little reminders that I have the wrong color reflectors on my pier.I thought one of the ststements in your mission statment was to keep the shores beautiful.Come on Alcoa you don't even keep the eco-system in mind.You need to get your priorities straight.I hope that one day we the people can stick it to you!Oh and by the way people who thinks we have all the water here at Badin.You should go a little further down the line and check out "Tillery"! |
Sunday, July 21st 2002 - 09:30:54 AM
| Name: | Wade Burleson |
| Locale you are from ?: | Lexington |
| E-mail address: | wadelex@hotmail.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | As my fiance' and I were walking the lakebed yesterday we noticed the
incredible amount of litter along the banks and in the lakebed itself. Does
anyone know if the "Clean-sweep" organization will be sponsoring an effort
to clean the lake bed before the grass covers the tires, batteries, cans and
thousands of broken bottles? How may one volunteer? Although the lake will obviously be out of service for recreational purposes for a long while, it would be great time to do some tidying up as now tractors and trucks to haul trash can access coves that are hard to reach by land at full pond. Thank you, Wade |
Sunday, July 21st 2002 - 07:32:22 AM
| Name: | DUPONT |
| Locale you are from ?: | IN GRASS LAND COVE |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Why don't alcoa pull their fingers out of their butts and do something about the water levels. I wish I had the money to buy the lake it would aways be full, we people who lives on the so called rver!!! need to make alcoa suffer to. FUC* all of those REDNECKS who are with alcoa, WE NEED TO GO ON A STRIKE ARE SOMETHING TO AT LEAST GET SOME WATER IN THE LAKE, I AM AS MAD AS HELL!!!!!! So I ask u the people of alcoa how do u feel now? |
Saturday, July 20th 2002 - 11:38:46 PM
| Name: | Stuck on Abbots Creek |
| Locale you are from ?: | Southmont |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | THE HIGH POINT ENTERPRISE Drought causes fish kill By Sean Olson, STAFF WRITER July 20, 2002 A fish kill turned into a grotesque buffet at High Rock Lake Friday. Ducks paddled in stagnant water munching on rotting carp. Swallows flitted about, chirping for scraps. Even the buzzards came, dragging dead catfish from the water for a postmortem meal. The dining was compliments of the drought and the falling lake levels at High Rock Lake, which killed more than 1,000 fish on the lake's Second Creek area. Shrinking lake-water levels trapped fish in a shallow, pond-like area just under the Bringle Ferry Bridge and adjacent to Tamarac Marina in Rowan County on Wednesday. Sgt. Anthony Sharum with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission was the first official to investigate the scene Thursday. "A large portion of Second Creek is dry," Sharum said. "Apparently one of the areas was cut off from the other areas of the creek. These fish were trapped. Once the temperature rose to 97 or 98 degrees, the oxygen level in the water dropped, and started killing fish." By Friday, North Carolina wildlife officials estimated 1,000 to 2,000 fish were killed. Carroll Tysinger, owner and operator of Tamarac Marina, watched the situation unfold. "The first time we noticed it was Wednesday," Tysinger said. "By (Thursday) it really got bad. Now there are great big fish out there swimming with their backs up out of the water." For the moment, there is little wildlife officials can do for the fish. "We're just documenting the kill, the number of fish and the types of fish for future management activities," said Lawrence Dorsey, District Six fisheries biologist for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The dying fish are mostly shad, carp, brim and catfish, Sharum said. As grizzly as the scene may be and as stinky as it might become in the coming days, the fish kill will have little sustained impact on the area. Because the deaths are due to "natural causes," it will have no effect on drinking water, according to the Division of Water Quality. In fact, on the Rowan County side of the lake there are no drinking water intakes in the area near the dead fish. According to North Carolina wildlife officials, the fish kill will have little impact on the overall animal population of the lake. "In some measure, the effect on the overall population of the lake will be minimal," Sharum said, adding that 1,000 or even 2,000 fish are a relatively small number in comparison to the lake's total fish population. Moreover, the dead fish will not harm wildfowl in the area, Sharum said. "Generally, it's sort of like a buffet for them," Sharum laughed. "It's certainly not going to hurt them to eat dead fish." If lake levels continue to drop, there could be more fish kills, Sharum warned. Water levels at High Rock Lake are down 24 feet, and precipitation in the area is down 6 inches from January, according to the National Weather Service. Tim Lewis, who has fished High Rock Lake for 16 years, said he has never seen the lake so low. Several weeks ago, Lewis was pulling out a 38-pound flat-head catfish out of the water. Now he can't even get his boat onto the lake. "My boat is stuck out on a dry mud bank," Lewis said. Sharum said fishermen aren't the only group impacted by the drop in lake levels. "It certainly has an effect on business owners, recreation owners and homeowners," Sharum said. "There isn't just one group of people who are affected by this." Tysinger, who owns the Tamarac Marina, already is feeling the economic fallout. "I've never seen it down like this before," Tysinger said. "My business is down 90 percent, and this is a seasonal business." Sean Olson can be contacted at 888-3627 or solson@hpe.com ©High Point Enterprise 2002 Back to top Copyright © 1995 - 2002 PowerOne Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
Saturday, July 20th 2002 - 04:37:56 AM
| Name: | mad at ???? |
| Locale you are from ?: | abbotts creek |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I don't think anyone is arguing Alcoa had the license permit to drain
the lake. We are all trying like HE11 to take that right from them, I agree
with Beech Retreat They own the land, but they don't own the water |
Friday, July 19th 2002 - 09:10:57 PM
| Name: | Dave |
| Locale you are from ?: | Beech Retreat |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | To the idiot from wiston.....yeah everything you say sounds good.....
except for few points Alcoa owns the lands underneath the water (which is a Natural Resouce) the do not own a single ounce of water. Ask the folks SCDENR in the PeeDee Basin is SC. They are recommending and have been for a long time that this was a very poorly managed system, and their biggest fears are being realized. As of today FERC, NC DENR, SC DENR, DUKE POWER, ALL WATER SYSTEMS, BUSINESSES, along the YADKIN PEEDEE really every one but ALCOA and CP&L(who are full or near full production levels) strongly agree that High Rock MUST BE the resevoir that remains fullest to regulate streamflow down the entire basin Basically in a severe drought Alcoas mismanagement of our resevoir system is now being seen. Any Plan looks good when conditions are ideal...This was guaranteed to create disaster when the plan was approved and Alcoa and CP&L were given too much leeway to control a public interest(water) I am sure Hank it must be hard for you to understand how Alcoa releasing High Rocks Waters at High Levels is bad for the downstream users.....just ask your self this...when Alcoa is operating at maximum effecincies, and releasing more than the downstream requirements, WERE IS THAT WATER NOW? OUT IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. I am sure that with your hometown Winston selling millions of gallons to gboro you will be demanding them stop that. Since according to you ALCOA HAS RIGHTS TO THE WATER? |
Friday, July 19th 2002 - 09:00:49 PM
| Name: | Ann & Buddy Poplin |
| Locale you are from ?: | Anchor Downs |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I have lived in Rowan County for 60 years. I have seen droughts and abundance of rain....but I have never seen the Lake this low....Someone is really pulling our leg. Guess who. |
Friday, July 19th 2002 - 07:05:02 AM
| Name: | Brenda Hallenbeck |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbotts Creek |
| E-mail address: | hallenbeckgogirl@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Here is a letter I sent to John Morris today It would be good for everyone to write him at the email address shown in my letter. Dear Mr. Morris: Thank you for your time and consideration in listening to our pleas for help with the conditions at High Rock Lake. Please add my name to the list of citizens suffering not just financial, but emotional distress over what has happened to the once beautiful lake community where we chose to invest our money and our hearts. We realize that the drought conditions here in the South have accelerated the problem. However, the same drought exists at Badin (20 miles away). I was at Badin over the 4th of July weekend and the water was up close to maximum capacity, beautiful and filled with citizens enjoying the recreational activities they are accustomed to in the summertime. Life was going on there as normal. There is no life at High Rock. We are very close to having to "mow" the lake. Those who do not have an emotional attachment to High Rock, jokingly refer to it as Dry Rock. This is not a joking matter. Businesses are going bankrupt and property values are declining. Hearts are broken and wildlife is dying. The wildlife, more than us citizens are suffering the ultimate disaster. While we are financially and emotionally distressed, they are dying. Will we now lose our resident bald eagles? Are they not protected by United States laws? The geese and the fish are dying in droves. It is so, so sad. As High Rock citizens, we have heard all kinds of mumble-jumble from Alcoa - such as, High Rock was never intended for recreational activity. High Rock was built as a reservoir only - not for recreation. Why then was property allowed to be developed, marketed and promoted? Why is Yadkin, Inc. allowed to charge annual license fees and regulate the building and maintenance of the hundreds of docks on High Rock? If the lake was built only as a reservoir and only to be looked at, why were docks ever allowed? Why was property ever sold? You and I both know the reason - the almighty dollar. As a concerned and very upset citizen, once again I thank you for your time to listen to my frustration over a situation that has turned my dream come true into a nightmare. I just wish I could wake up and find my beautiful lake back the way it was when I realized my dream to have a place there. Sincerely, Brenda P. Hallenbeck email at home: hallenbeckgogirl@aol.com |
Friday, July 19th 2002 - 05:58:48 AM
| Name: | David Hampton |
| Locale you are from ?: | Kannapolis |
| E-mail address: | dtacmed@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Well I have been sitting back and reading the posts for the past few months. I was watching the news tonight and it was showing the fish kill at High Rock. Figured it was time to write. Surely there is someone from ALCOA reading this so this is for you. Well I would say guess your happy now but I know that's not the case. Obviously at this point you are realizing you really screwed up. As stated in other posts you should have lowered water levels equally at all your lakes. You keep using the drought as a crutch. We all know and are very aware of the drought. You keep falling back to the drought as if its a big suprise. We all knew there would be lower water levels. Guess your gamble didn't pay off looks like now you have no other option but to drop levels at badin at a higher flow than you were hoping for. Can't get much more from us at High Rock keep going and you will only be pumping mud. Guess Badin residents will now see first hand your lack of quality management concerning your lakes and I really feel sorry for them. Maybe at some point the federal government will step in and hold you responsible for your actions. In the mean time keep putting all the blame on the drought as if it controls the gates at the damn. Oh by the way hope everyone goes to composites and quits buying you main product. Have a nice day |
Thursday, July 18th 2002 - 09:09:24 PM
| Name: | Dave |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbotts Creek |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I wonder how Alcoa received a variance to reduce outflows from 1400 to
1200 Cf, when we have been told all along that they have a 1610cf
requirement. What happened to the other 210CF. If 200 cf variance is a grand
gesture, maybe they can pump back up the 210 that they have been
___________-ing? from us. Another thing. Seems that noone is mentioning the Duke Power Buck Steam Plant in Spencer being shutdown because of lack of water. I wonder why it is not reported anywhere that Duke Powers 1 steam plant produces more electricity than all 3 of Alcoa's hydro dams combined. Guess there really is "Power Struggle" over the water, and its not High Rock Residents against Badin's residents. Maybe we should follow the money, and see who is benefiting the most from Duke power having to quit producing electricity in Spencer. CPL? and Alcoa?. doesn't Alcoa buy & sell energy to CPL & Duke Power Also who are the investors behind Heron Bay and the other new subdivisions that have been selling like hotcakes on Badin( rumor has it Senior Alcoa official have invested heavily), when these folks on High Rock can't sell anything. Also we need to speak up about cities like Greensboro pumping Millions of Gallons out of our watershed to release back into another watershed. As we tell Alcoa only release what comes in we must also tell these others what you get, you put back. |
Thursday, July 18th 2002 - 08:06:10 PM
| Name: | High Rock Honey |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbott's Creek beside the Hwy. 8 bridge |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | My first comment is directed to Norm Arrington - this is a copy and
paste from his comments: "The Lake has always been an ALCOA business venture and was never intended for pleasure. At some point long ago, the original property owners adjacent to the Lake sold their land to developers, builders, or individuals so that they could build homes on the Lake." I hope you read this Norm. The ORIGINAL PROPERTY OWNER we bought our Point Harbor waterfront property from was ALCOA. They developed Point Harbor, put in a boat ramp, and sold lots. (I have the original map that lists The Aluminum Company of America as "owner & developer" if you would like me to e-mail you a copy.) They also developed and sold lots in Anchor Downs and Crane Cove in Rowan County. They might not intend the lake for pleasure but they sure didn't mind selling property designed for that very reason and adding that money to their corporate account. So you can just revise your thinking about us fools that bought waterfront property when we didn't own the lake next to it. Also, if you would like I will e-mail you a copy of their permit fee schedule where they are charging pier fees, marina fees, etc. for this not for pleasure lake. Oh, and by the way, although they have sucked all the water out of the lake and we may not have water again until 2004, they are raising our pier permit fee from $25.00 a year to $30.00 a year beginning Jan., 2003. Next item I want to address is: Every lake in NC on the Yadkin River (including ALCOA's other 3) is within 4 feet of being full except for High Rock which is down 22 feet. The 7 lakes that Duke Power owns on the Catawba River are each within 4 feet of being full and this is also in the severe drought area. I don't know about Duke's other lakes but Duke Power has a nuclear power plant and a steam station on Lake Norman. So there goes ALCOA's severe drought excuse. There was a comment on ALCOA's corporate taxes. I don't know about that but I have researched ALCOA's property tax records in Davidson County. ALCOA owns 161.9 acres of single family residence waterfront property in Davidson County - their tax value for this property averages out to $7272.41 per acre. (Some of the acreage has a tax value of $1,000 per acre.) The single family residence waterfront property owned by individuals in Davidson County has a tax value of over $100,000 per acre. So us individuals that bought waterfront property in Davidson County are paying almost 14 times the tax per acre as ALCOA. Not only is ALCOA (-- fill this space in with whatever word you feel is appropriate --) us but so are our good ole county commissioners. I have sent this information to the Lexington Dispatch - hopefully this information will come out in print for all to see at some point in the very near future. I could write a book (or at least a short story on this subject) but I know everyone is tired of reading so I will close by saying: I have been out on the lake 4 times in the last week and what used to be the lake is covered with thousands of dead freshwater mussels that were left high and dry when ALCOA sucked the water out. I care about mussels - God created them and they were meant to live just like we are. ALCOA can put out a big "shoreline management" evironmental plan but it is nothing but window dressing. They care absolutely nothing about the environment - mussels, fish, or any other living thing in the lake or on the shore. All they care about is the almighty dollar and keeping us lake people in our place. They are draining High Rock for spite - they are doing it just because they can. signed - call me High Rock Honey |
Thursday, July 18th 2002 - 06:11:39 PM
| Name: | Stuck on Abbots Creek |
| Locale you are from ?: | Southmont |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | For those who ae interested in Concerned Property Owners of High Rock
Lake (organization) their e-mail address is: cpohrl@lexcominc.net Their mailing address is: CPOHRL 1857 Riverside Drive Lexington, NC 27292 They do not have a webpage, yet, they meet at the Southmont Fire Station, when a meeting is scheduled. If interested please contact them for additional information. Also, the High Rock Lake Association is requesting letters be sent to FERC and all elected Representatives in reference to the water levels and the requested variance. Hope this helps. |
Wednesday, July 17th 2002 - 06:11:46 PM
| Name: | High Rocker |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbotts Creek |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | No big surprise here- Alcoa got a variance just in time to save Badin from what High Rock knows all too well! |
Wednesday, July 17th 2002 - 06:56:53 AM
| Name: | Erin |
| Locale you are from ?: | ?front property |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Is there any plans for a class action suit against Alcoa/Yadkin for
dropping the water so suddenly without notifying anyone? It seems that those
whose boats have been 'stuck' in the mud because of the sudden drop in the
lake level should be able to sue on the grounds that they were not notified
in time to get the boats out and that, because of that, they have been
denied the pleasure of using these boats for the summer. The businesses might be able to sue about the lack of notification and not knowing they would not need to stock up for the summer. Alcoa didn't make this decision in a split second. Also, does anyone remember a rumor from last summer that Alcoa was planning to take the lake WAY down in order to check out the dam and make repairs? It never happened. Why? There is also a rumor out there that Alcoa is doing this to punish Waterfront Properties for a lawsuit. Another rumor is that they were planning to drop the lake last fall (concerning the dam project) in order to get back at Waterfront Properties but decided to wait until now in order to use the drought as a smoke screen. It could all be rumor but considering how much Alcoa cares about the people on the lake...who knows? |
Wednesday, July 17th 2002 - 06:23:05 AM
| Name: | mud hater |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbotts Creek |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I wonder how Alcoa received a variance to reduce outflows from 1400 to
1200 Cf, when we have been told all along that they have a 1610cf
requirement. What happened to the other 210CF. If 200 cf variance is a grand
gesture, maybe they can pump back up the 210 that they have been
___________-ing? from us. Another thing. Seems that noone is mentioning the Duke Power Buck Steam Plant in Spencer being shutdown because of lack of water. I wonder why it is not reported anywhere that Duke Powers 1 steam plant produces more electricity than all 3 of Alcoa's hydro dams combined. Guess there really is "Power Struggle" over the water, and its not High Rock Residents against Badin's residents. Maybe we should follow the money, and see who is benefiting the most from Duke power having to quit producing electricity in Spencer. CPL? and Alcoa?. doesn't Alcoa buy & sell energy to CPL & Duke Power Also who are the investors behind Heron Bay and the other new subdivisions that have been selling like hotcakes on Badin( rumor has it Senior Alcoa official have invested heavily), when these folks on High Rock can't sell anything. Also we need to speak up about cities like Greensboro pumping Millions of Gallons out of our watershed to release back into another watershed. As we tell Alcoa only release what comes in we must also tell these others what you get, you put back. As for the drought yes it exsists, and it does play a major role in the developments today. BUT it is also a magnifying glass that has clearly shown that Alcoa has been misrepresenting to Landowners, FERC, Other Agencies what their motives and intentions really are. Yes we will have to suffer thru this dryspell. BUT I BET IT will not happen again. For the person that said Alcoa has always owned these lands WRONG Duke originally owned them. and Alcoa does not own the water in the lake or that flows through it only the land beneath . it is the publics water. For anyone who think Alcoa is not at fault Ask yourself why our lake was FULL in March and Empty in June according to them we were in an exreme drought since last fall |
Tuesday, July 16th 2002 - 09:14:02 PM
| Name: | property owner |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock |
| E-mail address: | poe6matt@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Amen to Hank's comments! It is extremely difficult not to criticize Alcoa when despite their "ownership" of the lake, there are many things they could do to improve efficiency and in essence be a good neighbor. For starters, why not refund all our pier license fees for this year? At least it would be a gesture that the company has some humanity about it. More importantly though, Alcoa needs to improve the way it handles the water and learn from other power companies how to keep the water in the lake(recycle like Duke Energy). Although Alcoa owns the lake, they are not removed from the responsiblity of the "balance" the FERC requires them them to keep for the sake of the lake, wildlife, homeowners (that they knew would come if they built the lake) and recreational activities. The drought has only magnified the inefficiencies that already existed in Alcoa's resource management approach. No, I for one cannot absolve Alcoa for not being more proactive. |
Tuesday, July 16th 2002 - 02:46:30 PM
| Name: | HANK |
| Locale you are from ?: | HIGH ROCK |
| E-mail address: | HANKT@HERZOGVENEERS.COM |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | NORM, MAYBE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BUY SOME PROPERTY AT THE LAKE, I'M SURE AFTER SEEING YOUR HOUSE VALUE GO DOWN AS YOUR TAXES KEEP GOING UP, YOU WOULD SING A DIFFERENT TUNE! UNLESS YOU HAVE WORKED HALF YOUR LIFE TO HAVE SOMETHING, AND THEN SEE IT GO TO POT, I REALLY DON'T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND! |
Tuesday, July 16th 2002 - 09:29:51 AM
| Name: | Norm Arrington |
| Locale you are from ?: | Winston-Salem |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I have been traveling from Winston-Salem for 26 years to boat and fish
on High Rock Lake. I have many fond memories of the Lake. Nobody loves the
Lake more than I do. I went to the Lake yesterday evening to see it. I was
broken-hearted at what I saw. Now I have had a good night’s rest. I have just read a number of comments here regarding the Lake, but mostly about ALCOA. Now I am able to step back and take a deep breath and give this issue some real thought, less the emotion. Although I understand that lake management doesn’t appear to be a strong attribute of ALCOA, I do understand the following facts: 1. ALCOA built the lake early in the 20th century for business purposes, specifically to generate electricity for the smeltering plant at Badin. This was a business decision and was of great expense to ALCOA at the time. 2. ALCOA owns the Lake. They have the only rights to it, plain and simple. 3. We are in an extreme drought condition that hasn’t been seen in about half a century. There are three very old lessons to be learned here: 1) if you don’t own the property adjacent to your own, don’t be surprised when things are all-of-a-sudden don’t go your way one day, 2) business and pleasure just don’t mix, and 3) you can’t fool with Mother Nature. The Lake has always been an ALCOA business venture and was never intended for pleasure. At some point long ago, the original property owners adjacent to the Lake sold their land to developers, builders, or individuals so that they could build homes on the Lake. Much of this was for business purposes, but ultimately the home owners are in it for the wonderment of a Lake-side view and recreation. This is a wonderful notion and I truly appreciate that. But somewhere in all this, many of the homeowners chose to assume that they had some mysterious right to expect the Lake to always look the way it does and the water levels to remain at a level that provides the most enjoyment and recreation right during the peak season when they want it. Here is where folks have chosen to ignore why the Lake exists in the first place and that the varying waters levels are the result of business decisions, federal regulations, and most of all, Mother Nature. Instead of bashing ALCOA for what I understood they were going to do with their property to begin with, I would like to thank them for building the boat ramps and allowing me access to the Lake I love so much. I understand they are in this for the business aspects, just like any other business and that the drought is not their fault. Although I can appreciate that, I would encourage them to fine-tune their Lake management skills, not because they owe that to anyone, because they don’t. But because it is the right thing to do to enhance the quality of the Lake environment for the wildlife that call it home. And as I understand that my own personal well-being is not the only going concern here, I would also like to thank them for allowing sufficient water to pass on to our brothers downstream who need it for survival, not necessarily to look out on it, fish in it, boat on it or float their piers. Never fear, this too will pass. The Lake will come back to us again one day. But next time, when we reflect on its beauty, let's also reflect on its intended purpose and reason for being, and just thank God for what we can take from it when we can. Norm Arrington |
Tuesday, July 16th 2002 - 06:39:19 AM
| Name: | Drydocked |
| Locale you are from ?: | Lexington |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | If power and money was not the object of Alcoa, then they could drop badin 75 feet and you could still use it for recreation. It is over 150 feet deep. High Rock may have more surface area of water (mud) but it is shallow all over. The water level site of Yadkin shows it expected to rise, but my guage shows it still falling faster...guess they are going to lie on the levels now! How much longer do we smell dead fish and stinking mud, standing water to breed mosquitos. I took a stroll today, saw dead fish, carp stuck on the flat mud in less than 6 inches of water on Abbotts creek but you can not get to the water for the mud. Alcoa knew this was going to happen back in early spring. It is the first time the old bridge at southmont landing has ever had bouys on them. Funny thing they have to release so much of our water to go to SC, but there are no laws upstream for anyone to give us more water. Alcoa wants to be in the power business, then they should build a modern powerplant and recycle the water like Duke Energy! Looks as though Alcoa has put a lot more people out of work around the lake than they have working in the plant at Badin now! I guess if we dont get rain, then we can pray for the Mexican border to open soon enough to get some cheap prices on import aluminum and put Alcoa out of business!! I am just sick of the whole situation! I guess if they can go around the laws and stripmine in Texas, then they can strip the lake here. |
Monday, July 15th 2002 - 10:05:26 PM
| Name: | Concerned Taxpaying Environmentalist |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbots Creek |
| E-mail address: | ajack1953@yahoo.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | This is how your government works hard for your interests. PAC's
(supported by big businesses like ALCOA) donate big bucks to get their
chosen candidate elected so they can have their way at the expense of the
environment and honest tax paying citizens. Paul O'Neill is only one of the "tycoons" in the Bush cabinet. The Bush Administration Paul O'Neill TREASURY SECRETARY Corporate Connections: Alcoa; International Paper; Lucent Technologies; Eastman Kodak As CEO and chairman of Alcoa, the world’s largest aluminum manufacturer, Paul O’Neill decided to dissolve his company’s PAC in 1996. "What’s going on with campaign financing has reached well beyond a reasonable limit," he told Fortune magazine. "Some people said we’d have a problem with access [to elected officials]. That hasn’t been the case." That’s probably because Alcoa relies on Vinson & Elkins, a Texas-based law firm, to lobby the government on its behalf. While Bush was still governor of Texas, Vinson & Elkins got a loophole in the state’s environmental regulations that will allow Alcoa to continue emitting 60,000 tons of sulfur dioxide annually into the air, solidifying Alcoa’s position as one of Texas’ top polluters. Vinson & Elkins was George Bush’s No. 3 campaign contributor, giving him more than $200,000. Before joining Alcoa, O’Neill was the president of International Paper. He has also served on the boards of Lucent Technologies and Eastman Kodak. Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics. Why should ALCOA care about a lake in North Carolina? It would be interesting to learn how ALCOA rates among corporate tax payers. Remember, Enron did not pay any income taxes during the last 5 years because of corporate tax loopholes. It would be enlightening to see how much ALCOA has made during the last three years selling power directly or indirectly to power brokers like Enron. Why the last three years...? Well one reason would be that the "deregulation of electrical utilites" in California made power broking a profitable business at the expense of the citizens of California. Who could forget reading about utility bills that were 120% higher than the previous summers, or the rotating brownouts consumers endured. |
Monday, July 15th 2002 - 06:23:17 PM
| Name: | Concerned Taxpaying Environmentalist |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbotts Creek |
| E-mail address: | ajack1953@yahoo.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Please see article at CNN.COM with pictures of our dry lake bed. Historic drought dries up rivers in South July 15, 2002 Posted: 12:31 PM EDT (1631 GMT) Boats rest in a dry riverbed on High Rock Lake Resevoir in Florence, South Carolina. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FLORENCE, South Carolina (AP) -- Mayor Frank Willis is exasperated that his already struggling region's economic future lies in dwindling lakes 100 miles away in another state. Without significant rain, state officials say, several reservoirs along the Yadkin River in North Carolina will run dry by mid-September. Those waters feed the Pee Dee River, which provides industry and drinking water for the million or so people who live along its basin in northeast South Carolina. If the reservoirs run out, water levels along the Pee Dee could drop 80 percent, leaving the river useless for manufacturing and water plants. That would cripple a region whose unemployment rate hovers around 8 percent, well above the state average of 5.5 percent. "With the bad economic times we already have, something like this could lead to economic disaster," said Willis, who estimates up to 20,000 jobs could be lost if the river slows to a trickle for several weeks. Southern drought enters fifth year The Pee Dee's plight is the most extreme example of a Southern drought entering its fifth year. The dry spell in the South isn't as widespread as the four-year drought in the West. But the effects for some are severe. EXTRA INFORMATION Gallery: Images of drought-stricken South -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interactive: Water conservation tips and drought resistant plants -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Map: Drought conditions in the U.S. Hardest hit is an area stretching from central Georgia through the middle of South and North Carolina and into central Virginia. Some areas are 60 inches below normal rainfall. While farmers are suffering this year, for most of the drought they have been spared by rain that has come at the right time, keeping prices reasonable, said South Carolina Agriculture Department spokesman Wayne Mack. The worst effects are harder to see. Underground, wells are drying up as not enough rain makes it through the soil to recharge the water table. Lake levels are well below normal, exposing stumps and debris. Many rivers at record low levels Nearly half of the rivers in North and South Carolina are at record low levels. At least 35 municipalities in North Carolina and 20 water systems in South Carolina have issued mandatory water restrictions while all of Georgia has restricted outdoor watering for two years. "The only drought that compares to this one is the one in the '50s," South Carolina drought coordinator Hope Mizzell said. Mizzell said the 1950s drought was statistically more serious. But as the South's population has grown in the past four decades, a decrease in water is now felt much more quickly because of higher demand. A bullfrog and a goldfish share tight space in a quickly shrinking pond behind a subdivision in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Nowhere is the situation more dire than the Pee Dee. The river flows through tobacco fields, providing water for heavy manufacturers and a half-dozen water companies before heading into the Atlantic Ocean along the Grand Strand, South Carolina's No. 1 tourist destination. Several businesses along the Pee Dee River have reported temporary shutdowns. If the Pee Dee River drops too low, a textile maker and a paper manufacturer along the river have already said they will have to close, eliminating at least 2,500 jobs. It's not just industries that are worried. Several companies in Florence County send waste water to the county treatment plant, which discharges into the river. If the river flow gets too low, the county can't discharge enough water. "And if we can't discharge, they can't keep operating," Willis said. Forecasts through autumn provide little hope for relief. Normal or less than normal rainfall is predicted, which will not be enough to recharge rivers. "Hopefully a nice tropical storm will come in from Mississippi and stay over us for a week," said Freddy Vang, the deputy director of the state Natural Resources Department's Land, Water and Conservation Division. Forecasters predict more relief could come in the winter with a warming of Pacific Ocean waters called the El Nino effect. The last time the region as a whole had above normal rainfall was in the winter of 1998, when El Nino last affected global weather patterns, Mizzell said. So far none of the water systems that use the Pee Dee River for their drinking water have had serious problems. But in Georgetown County, workers often operate their intake plants only during low tide because not enough freshwater comes from the Pee Dee basin to drive ocean water away. Other water companies along the booming coast worry about salt water intrusion too. They all have wells to turn to, but groundwater supplies have been falling ever since the drought started. That has officials like Georgetown City Administrator Boyd Johnson carefully watching the waters of the Pee Dee. "We have all of our 10,000 citizens depending on it," he said. Copyright 2002 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. |
Monday, July 15th 2002 - 05:08:16 PM
| Name: | CONFUSED |
| Locale you are from ?: | WINSTON-SALEM |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I AM NOT A PROPERTY OWNER, BUT I AM RELATED TO OWNERS AND HAVE ENJOYED
MANY DAYS AT HIGH ROCK AND ALSO HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED FOR MANY YEARS WITH LOW
WATER LEVELS. I WOULD BE MORE POLITICALLY ACTIVE IF I WAS A PROPERTY OWNER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VENTING AND I GUESS THAT'S USEFUL FOR THEM, BUT THERE
ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT ARE CLEAR. ALCOA DOES NOT CARE; THEY ARE ONLY OUT TO
MAKE MONEY; SINCE THEIR PRODUCT IS NOT EASILY IDENTIFIABLE, THEY COULD CARE
LESS ABOUT GOOD WILL. IN FACT, I THINK THEY LOVE BEING HEAVY-HANDED AND
INCONSIDERATE. THEY PROBABLY READ THIS FORUM AND GET HIGH FROM THEIR POWER
AND ABILITY TO MANIPULATE. SINCE WE ALREADY KNOW THESE THINGS, HAS ANYONE FOUND OUT IF THERE IS ANY LEGAL RECOURSE? I KNOW LAWYERS HAVE PLACES ON THE LAKE. CAN THE GOVERNMENT HELP SINCE ALCOA IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE LAKE (WHAT LAKE)? WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE AND AGENCIES PLACE PRIMARY BLAME ON THE DROUGHT, WHEN HIGH ROCK IS THE ONLY LAKE THIS SEVERALLY AFFECTED. VENTING IS NICE, BUT AM I MISSING SOMETHING? WHERE IS THE HARD-CORE ACTIVISM. REAL ESTATE PRICES ARE PLUMMETING, BUSINESSES ARE STRUGGLING; I'M SURE EVEN SALISBURY AND CLOSEBY TOWNS ARE FEELING IT. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY ANYONE WOULD PAY THEIR PIER LICENSE FEE. REMEMBER: THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. |
Monday, July 15th 2002 - 01:05:04 PM
| Name: | Karyn Musgrave |
| Locale you are from ?: | Lexington |
| E-mail address: | MUSGRAVEKRUN |
Monday, July 15th 2002 - 01:00:40 PM
| Name: | Mike |
| Locale you are from ?: | Greensboro |
| E-mail address: | mgregory@triad.rr.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I have seen the following association (Concerned Property Owners High
Rock Lake (CPOHRL))mentioned in several articles but I have been unable to
find more about it. Things such as charter/mission statement, cost to join,
etc. I am a lot owner at Yachtsmans Point and have joined the High Rock Lake
Association but I would also like to learn more about the CPOHRL. |
Monday, July 15th 2002 - 11:05:24 AM
| Name: | Dried Up! |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbotts Creek |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Alcoa unplugs lake 7-15-02 By MATT WILLIAMS, Staff Writer News & Record HIGH ROCK LAKE -- Carroll Tysinger throws his truck into gear, pulling tight a rope tied to Johnnie Laquire's pickup and the pontoon boat it's trying to drag from what little water remains in High Rock Lake. Tysinger would normally be at his marina, Smiley's Tamarack, serving fishermen and waterskiers. Now that his business has dried up with the lake, he's left to help his customers fish their boats out of mud. Hundreds of boats like Laquire's litter the shoreline, moored to docks 50 feet from water. If Laquire had waited another week to get his boat out, it might have joined the others on the shore, beached where there should be nearly 20 feet of water. Laquire reaches into his wallet and hands Tysinger $40 for his help. He refuses. "Just be a customer," Tysinger says. These days, that's what he really needs. Since the lake sunk below his docks and boat ramps, business has dropped off 95 percent. Carroll and his wife, Karen, have started having Biker Night, Classic Car Night, and karaoke to drum up business. But nothing can replace the customers drawn by a full lake of water. Instead, High Rock Lake, which straddles the Davidson and Rowan county lines, is in full retreat. Its precipitous decline started shortly after Memorial Day, the beginning of the peak boating season. The lake fell 20 feet in a few weeks. The worst could lie ahead. The lake's owner, Alcoa Power Generating, is caught in the middle. It owns and manages High Rock and three other reservoirs to generate power for a smelter and release water downstream. That water flows into the Pee Dee River and down to South Carolina, where more than a million people depend on it for their water supply. Alcoa officials say the lakes are falling for one reason: they must release twice as much water as is now flowing into the lake. "What's coming in is less than what's going out," said Gene Ellis, Alcoa's environmental and natural resources manager. Federal regulators allowed Alcoa to reduce the amount of water they must release from the dams, but the move only delays the eventual drain of High Rock until August. Alcoa's other lakes, Tuckertown, Badin and Falls, are only a few feet down, but could be empty by mid-September. High Rock is already empty for Angie Patton, who lives on the lake outside Salisbury in Rowan County. She says the water is often low near her house, but never this bad. "Our boat is sitting on dirt," Patton said. "Our cove looks like a desert." Patton acknowledges that the area is in a drought but said Alcoa could do a better job managing water levels. She questions why Alcoa's downstream reservoirs are nearly full while High Rock dries up. That attitude is shared by many residents and business owners. At the High Rock Marina and Campground, Stephany Farquhar sits exhausted at the counter in her empty store. She spends most of her days now calling government officials and rallying lake residents and visitors to speak out against Alcoa. All that's left of the lake near her docks is a trickling stream and a field of cracked mud. The marina usually sells 500 gallons of gasoline a week. So far this week, their only sale was to fill up a lawn mower. As she explains the lake's problems to a customer over the phone, workers with Sunnyside Ice take away one of the marina's outdoor freezers. The marina hasn't sold much ice now that there are no boaters' coolers to fill. Half joking, Farquhar asks the delivery man to empty his load of ice to help fill the lake bed. Never again, Farquhar says, will she own a business that is so dependent on something she can't control. She blames Alcoa and Ellis for draining the lake and forcing her to lay off 11 employees. "So he can keep making a profit, I have to lay off my people," she said. "It's a matter of greed." The drought -- not Alcoa's actions -- is the real culprit in the situation, Ellis said. The company must release more water than is flowing in from the Yadkin River to accommodate for the lack of rainfall downstream. High Rock is at the top of a water system that flows all the way into South Carolina, so naturally it is the first to empty in times of need, he said. So far, Alcoa has been draining High Rock to keep its Badin reservoir nearly full instead of spreading the drain between the two. Ellis admits there is a financial motivation. The hydroelectric generators on Badin's dam produce three times as much power as High Rock for Alcoa's Badin aluminum smelter and run most efficiently when the lake is full. "We try to keep Badin as full as possible for as long as possible," Ellis said. "Our actions are geared toward assuring the viability of that smelter and its 400 jobs." The water shortage has hurt Alcoa's power generators, which are operating at a fraction of their capacity. In a good year, Ellis said, the company's power plants generate half the electricity to fuel the smelter. This year, the company has had to buy more power on the open market. The solution to the problem, he said, lies in more rain and an easing of requirements that water be sent down the river to South Carolina water systems. "The real answer is rainfall," he said. "The secondary discussion is what South Carolina can accept as a minimum release." Water officials from both states plan to meet Wednesday to discuss measures that could slow the lakes' decline. At the current pace, High Rock will sink 30 feet down, back to the original Yadkin River channel, by the beginning of August. Then the pinch will fall on the three other lakes, which could empty in September. At that point, downstream water users will have to survive on what little river flow remains. In a letter to residents, Alcoa said unless rainfall picks up, the reservoirs wouldn't return to normal until 2004. Marina owner Karen Tysinger understands there is a drought in the area but called Alcoa's actions inconsiderate to other businesses and residents. She said there was no warning from the company that lake levels would drop so fast. If they had known, the marina wouldn't have stocked up on inventory for the peak season. Additionally, Alcoa is raising annual fees it charges private docks that are now dried up and unusable. Residents have threatened to withhold payment of any dock fees until the water comes back. Ellis said Alcoa will continue to charge the fee, saying the dock permits don't promise that there will be any water. The lake's other residents, a thriving stock of largemouth bass, crappie, and striped bass, has been squeezed into what little water remains of a lake that once hosted the prestigious BASS Masters Classic fishing tournament. State fisheries chief Fred Harris said fish were faring well so far in the remaining pools. But with so many fish and very little oxygen to go around, things could get worse. "You could conceivably have a considerable fish kill," Harris said. Even if the water comes back, a lake with no fish is not much of a lake for marina owners. Smiley's is scheduled to host the Crappie USA tournament in October, but may have to cancel if there is no water or fish, costing them thousands in lost business. A similar fate may hit Badin Lake in the coming months if rain doesn't pick up. Cary Stephens, who runs Badin Lake Jet Ski Rentals, said he was fortunate to have water until Friday, when water got too low to launch their boats. If the lake continues to follow High Rock, his business will be over too. "By the end of the year," he said, "I'll have to start selling out." Contact Matt Williams at 373-5205 or mwilliams@news-record.com |
Monday, July 15th 2002 - 11:01:26 AM
| Name: | Kathie |
| Locale you are from ?: | hrl |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Today I wrote to the EPA. I've written to everyone else and have gotten
absolutely no help. Here is the e-mail address in case you want to write: wetlands.helpline@epa.gov I'm just sick of what has happened to beautiful High Rock Lake. The other day, the fish were dying and the smell was horrible. The herons were lined up catching the fish as they hurled themselves about in the last moments before dyng, and the buzzards were there eating those that had already died and were along the shore. It made me very, very sad. |
Monday, July 15th 2002 - 08:43:59 AM
| Name: | Letter: High Rock suffers unfairly |
| Locale you are from ?: | Lexington |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Letter: High Rock suffers unfairly July 11, 2002 The Davidson and Rowan county commissioners, property owners, small businesses around High Rock Lake and all citizens should be outraged by the recent variance request by Alcoa to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. This so-called variance will make no difference to the current water level of our lake. It will not provide our suffering businesses with any relief. It will not help the property owners who are trying to sell their homes. It will not bring back the lost revenue for our counties from fishing tournaments that have gone elsewhere. It will not bring back the fish and other wildlife that have died as the water continues to flow through the High Rock Dam on its way to Badin. The variance will, however, allow Alcoa to continue making power and revenue for a large corporation while we suffer. We should all see this variance for what it is: a public relations effort. Representatives of Concerned Property Owners High Rock Lake (CPOHRL) attended the recent drought summit at the Alcoa facility in Badin. At this meeting, Alcoa spent a lot of time explaining the drought conditions. They talked about the rules set by FERC for water discharge from the dams. They told us that High Rock Lake would most likely drop 30 feet in 30 days unless we had substantial rainfall. Gene Ellis of Alcoa was asked where he thought Badin Lake would be in 30 days. After he failed to answer the question twice, he finally made it clear that Alcoa plans to keep Badin as full as possible so they could generate as much power as possible for the Badin Plant for as long as possible. The issue of big corporate profits seems to be an underlying issue. Concerning the issue of a variance, Ellis said if the county governments presented Alcoa with information that the county was suffering, Alcoa would consider a variance request. I hope Alcoa doesn't really believe anyone sees this as a real request. According to the rule curve set by FERC, Alcoa is to release 1,600 gallons per second from the High Rock Dam. The problem is that there is about 400 gallons per second coming down river. When these rules were written, the conditions we are now experiencing were not even thought possible. The other issue is that the city of Winston-Salem takes millions of gallons a day from the Yadkin and sells it to Greensboro. This water will never return to the Yadkin River basin. It is sold to a community that has had years of uncontrolled urban sprawl with no plan for long-term water use. Even during this extreme drought, Winston-Salem refuses to issue water restrictions. Since Winston-Salem has reserves at Kerr Scott Lake, it feels secure at this point. The Yadkin River basin is in an extreme drought condition. We also see that other lakes in the area are near full or 2 to 3 feet down when our lake is down 18-plus feet. The conditions in which we have lived over the past four years have affected the local economy that is lake-dependent. Local businesses have closed or are hurting; homes are on the market for long periods of time; homes are selling for below market value and even below tax value; tourism has been affected, which affects restaurants and motels; ducks, fish, turtles and even deer are dying in the lake. The property owners, small business owners, the local economy and wildlife are suffering disproportionately compared to other lakes in the Yadkin chain or area lakes for one reason: big corporate profits. The profits of Alcoa are more important than the people of Davidson and Rowan counties. The solution is for FERC to provide a true and meaningful variance for the Alcoa-controlled lakes. The only variance that would provide any relief is to go to the flow of the river, up to a maximum of 1,400 gallons per second, until High Rock returns to full pond. The future rule curve should require that, once High Rock falls four feet, the dam be reduced to the flow of the river. At this point, all cities that get water from the Yadkin River should be mandated to go on water restrictions. DEAN VICK Lexington |
Sunday, July 14th 2002 - 09:29:49 PM
| Name: | Fed Up! |
| Locale you are from ?: | Dry Rock |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | DUKE POWER........Will you please make a offer to buy The Yadkin River
Chain and end the stupidity of ALCOA for good!! Just browsing your website we can see the interest you have in your lakes. You even have email access to your site, unlike the other money hungry devils. The problem...piss-poor management!! |
Sunday, July 14th 2002 - 08:17:51 PM
| Name: | What now? |
| Locale you are from ?: | Denton |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I know with Alcoa saying it will be 2004 til the lake might be up again, than let's have our turn. Alcoa should dig the lake out deeper. In Southmont and the Flat swamp area, like all the other inlets, the silt is bad. Alcoa should show us that the lake is a concern of theirs too. If they were to dig the lake deeper in alot of the areas, Hogh Rok would hold alot more water. In Abbotts creek last year there were alot of spots with 2-3 foot of water, and that could change to make it 10-12 foot of water. Lets think about it. If we could have our lake back, would it be nice for it to be 2-3 times deeper in the branches of the lake? I think that Alcoa should feel that this type of change would comfort alot of the residence of the lake. I know that Lake James, Hickory, nor Norman are as low as High Rock in depth. Years of low levels and refilling it bak has added the silt to the lake. Alcoa owes it to us and North Carolina to send the equipment in, and spend the money on this lake. I have more to say, but lets face it, Alcoa will not listen. Will they even look into this? It remains to be seen..... |
Sunday, July 14th 2002 - 11:33:07 AM
| Name: | Erin B. |
| Locale you are from ?: | our former lake |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I don't know if anyone from Alcoa/Yadkin reads comments from this site
BUT.... It should be pretty, darn clear by now that the name 'Alcoa' comes up in every conversation cncerning the state of the lake. If you are reading this Alcoa, I hope you are very clear about the fact that your reputation in this area has reached an all time low. Even lower than our beloved lake!!!!! Nobody, but nobody, that I've talked to believes you aren't making money on this lake drain. Nobody believes that you could not have prevented it. Nobody believes you care about the horrific damage you have done to the environment here. Nobody has one kind word to say about the Alcoa Corporation. Now I realize that the powers that be at Alcoa/Yadkin have no emotional ties to anything but the almighty dollar. However, I wonder if you ever think, for even one moment, about all the people out here who would like nothing more than to hear that Alcoa has gone belly up like the fish in our dying lake. |
Sunday, July 14th 2002 - 05:04:32 AM
| Name: | Stuck on Abbots Creek |
| Locale you are from ?: | Southmont |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I hope everyone has received the NEW REVISED SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PLAN
INCLUDING REGULATIONS AND GUIDLINES, from YADKIN. What timing. I also hope
you read them very carefully. Once again YADKIN, has placed even more
burdens and restrictions on the property owners. I have several questions for YADKIN. Of course, I don't expect them to answer, they never have and probably never will.....all they have ever done is make excuses as to why it can't be done...always hiding behind that License of theirs.... All for what.....PROFIT PROFIT PROFIT..... 1. Why and update now, when most all the property owners are so mad at you about the draw down of High Rock Lake? Seems to me you want to just keep the hornets nest stirred up forever. Or are you just trying to clean the shoreline of piers and boat houses???? Like you did at Tuckertown. Tear them down, that is the best for all, wasn't that your practice? If it wasn't, then why did they disappear???? 2. What would you do if everyone who has a boat house, pier, other devices or other access to the lake, decided not to pay your proposed $30.00 annual fee? How would you respond to looseing around $100,000.00/year in income? I believe I read where there were almost 4000 such items on High Rock Lake, you do the math...This would not include the marinas outrageous fees. 3. Why don't you dredge the lake now while the water is down. After all, you announced doing just that a couple years back, even went so far as to say individual property owners could have the dredging company dredge in front of their properties, at their expense, of course. You even got our County Commissioners to commit our tax money torward it. What happened to that money and that idea????? 4. What happened to the suggestions to install silt fences upstream, or other silt catching devices to help prevent some of the rapid filling of the lake. Would it not be a lot cheaper to remove silt from narrow upstream sites, rather than having to remove it in deeper water or at the damsite??? It seems your plans are to just let the lake fill up, killing a GREAT FISHERY, reducing property values, (including your own), and putting the Mom and Pop stores out of business, as well as creating havoc on the local economy. Just restablishing the fishery will take years and cost millions of tax dollars to re-establish. 5. Why doesn't ALCOA spend some of their millions of dollars in profit, that they so much like to boast about, to correct some of their mess, instead of giving it away or wasting it on things that are not very important to society in the first place. OH!, I forgot, you have to please the stockholders, which I happen to be one of, and I don't appreciate you wasting my money, so why waste others? 6. What happened to plain old "Common Sense", don't you have any? As I get older I learn more and more that these highly paid and educated persons that manage our larger companies, lost their "common sense" somewhere between the 7th grade and graduating from College......if they had any in the first place. Plain old "common sense" tells me that the drought is not all the problem, the main one is management. You have been warned for years this could happened, yet you ignored those warnings. Well it is here now, and you are crying "HELP". Why did your managers choose to ignore the property owners a couple years back, when we asked you to reconsider or at least compromise on some of the issues of your ridicluious ShoreLine Management Plan, Safety issues, and other items. If I recall correctly it took several drownings at Pebble Beach before your managers ever took any action, does that make any sense? The loss of one life should have never happened when it could have easily been prevented through proper safety practices. Doesn't it make sense to allow the property owners to dredge the lake bed, at their leasure, rather than requiring all the red tape and permits to get it done.. Afterall what is it costing you???? NOTHING... But who benifits, ALCOA, how, more storage capacity.. Does that not make sense?? I surely think so.. OH! there I go again, I forgot, ALCOA, needs that money (permits) to pay those highly educated "common sense" managers, now don't they??? I believe the group that went to Ablemarle and other meetings were almost laughed at for protesting or making comments against the Shoreline Manaement Plan. So I ask, WHY should we HELP you now???? It seems to me that we as property owners are the ones who always loose, not you. Our taxes go up, your regulations cost us money, yet you keep putting more and more on us. Just when is enough???? The old adaged of "you scratch my back and I will scratch yours" sure doesn't set to well with the taxpayers when we see you asking for "HELP" and you refused to HELP us. So Alcoa or Yadkin, whichever you prefer to be called. I would suggest you stop advertising "your good neighbor policy" and start practing what you preach. Be a good neighbor and correct your own mistakes....and not at our expense but your own. |
Saturday, July 13th 2002 - 09:42:21 PM
| Name: | K.Brinkley |
| Locale you are from ?: | Rowan Co. High Rock Lake |
| E-mail address: | BSearay1@cs.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I realize we are in a severe drought situation in N.C. & S.C., but I
have serious questions as to why the water level in one lake (High Rock) has
been so severe, this year in particular. While most cities in the Piedmont
area are under mandatory water restrictions, (Winston-Salem, Greensboro,
etc.) which feed off of the Yadkin River, it was reported in the Salisbury
Post today that the water flow from the Yadkin River was adequate to supply
the water needs of Salisbury without implementing mandatory or voluntary
water restrictions without further study. (Wise up Salisbury!- if the water
situation is so severe, that your own lake is drying up- do something!)
Another question-What is the real purpose Alcoa has in draining High Rock?
While Kerr Lake is only 6 inches down & is fed by the Yadkin before getting
to High Rock Lake, High Rock is over 20 Ft. down. Why is Tuckertown, Badin &
Tillery less than 5 ft. down? Between myself & my relatives we have had
property on High Rock since the 50's & never have I witnessed the sights I
saw today! I circled the entire lake, from Rowan to Davidson & the lake is
being drained!--for what reason? Because Alcoa has a new contract to sell
water to CP&L? Are they trying to drain to build a new dam? Do they need to
drain the lake for more power (money?). Why is it that Alcoa can all of a
sudden ask for a small variance from the FERC to slow their water flow a
small amount & get approval overnight! Something is not right, why not get
approval BEFORE the environment was harmed? I WANT AN ANSWER! Today for the
first time in my life, I witnessed fish gasping for breath!, swimming in an
exodus for survial, rolling in muddy waters, fins surfacing the water trying
to find enough air & water, to survive. At one stop (Tamarac Marina)--a
beautiful Lab. (dog) was almost to exhaustion trying to free himself from
the mud at a closed public access ramp. Long forgotten road beds are now
uncovered, beautiful white cranes are leaving their nests to search for
water. Alcoa was SO concerned over the environment, placing restrictions on
all property owners-yet they will allow such traversities! And speaking of
property owners--the taxes paid on the lake are all based on "waterfront"
property--with most "waterfront" lots appraisal more than the house
itself!--Fair? I think not! The Yadkin has existed for centuries-
Alcoa--don't destroy it now!! |
Saturday, July 13th 2002 - 08:53:08 PM
| Name: | Dry Rock Resident |
| Locale you are from ?: | Dry Rock |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Please check out the website below. See exactly just what kind of
company ALCOA really is.Just copy and paste it in your browser and you will
really be in for a surprise to see how they are! It appears if they dont
like the laws, they just dont abide by them! www.neighborsforneighbors.com |
Tuesday, July 9th 2002 - 06:27:20 AM
| Name: | Scottie Alan Davis |
| Locale you are from ?: | Kernersville, nc |
| E-mail address: | sdavis3@triad.rr.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | My wife and I recently drove to High Rock, (Friday, 7/05/02, to be
exact) to see for ourselves, the devastation of the lake. We were new to the
area, (2 years ago), and found camping, fishing and all-around enjoyment in
our newfound paradise. High Rock Marina and Campground offered much more than we ever could have imagined, giving the peace and quiet and over-all family-type entertainment that is really hard to find in this new day and age. I only hope that what Alcoa has done will not jeapardize the already deplentished quality of life here in North Carolina, (let alone , the welfare of the marina and campground). But I just have to say, when we drove there, we expected the worst, but couldnt have fathomed what we saw! How anyone, let alone a company that has it's livelyhood here, or at least part of it, could ever let this happen! I feel for the local people there, which, evidently, Alcoa could care less for. I noticed businesses with signs up (GOING OUT OF BUSINESS) that have been there for years and years! Hooray for the big corporations once again! THEY WIN!? Is there anything I and my business colleages can do or boycott? Thank You, Scottie Davis |
Monday, July 8th 2002 - 04:33:02 PM
| Name: | Marlene |
| Locale you are from ?: | Pennsylvania |
| E-mail address: | marzzie22@cs.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | ALCOA sucks...water from High Rock Lake All kidding aside, we drove 500 miles to spend a week watching the grass grow where water once was. I also got to see first hand how the areas business are suffering and most of all: how the wildlife is suffering. I hope to return in 2004 (rumor has it that's how long it will take to get High Rock back to it's normal level) In the meantime, I'll pray really hard for rain so that all my southern friends can once again enjoy what High Rock Lake has to offer. |
Monday, July 8th 2002 - 12:28:53 PM
| Name: | Dry Rock |
| Locale you are from ?: | Dry Rock |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | If Alcoas only interest was not "Making Power" then back when the lake was Full, they should have only let out as much water that was coming into the lake. Why drain it down, then start conserving.....Right now it has been going through steady 24 hours a day. They could have closed the dam at High Rock and dropped Badin a couple feet while High Rock was filling up from the rains.Then only let out what water was coming in...but no, gotta make power for Alcoa to fatten their wallets! |
Sunday, July 7th 2002 - 04:48:37 PM
| Name: | Katherine |
| Locale you are from ?: | the Alcoa Kingdom |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Whether Alcoa is responsible for the state of our lake or not (and I'm
among the people who believe they are responsible), one thing is very much
apparent and that is that THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF HIGH ROCK
LAKE. That was made crystal clear this spring and summer. If they have a community relations person, a very poor job was done. They have not had any kind of meeting with the people who live on or near High Rock Lake...the very people who are affected by their lake policy here. There has been no explanation to US concerning what they have done to keep this situation from arising. Did they cut back on their hydroelectric sales, for instance, in order to try and keep our lake from being drained? They also made no effort to let people know they planned to take the lake down so suddenly, thereby leaving boats stranded in a dry lake bed. They are not going to refund the money to those people who can not use their docks. And I'm sure they will expect payment next spring (and let's not forget the fact the fee is going up, folks), even if the docks are still high and dry. It's because they don't feel they need to tell us anything at any time. It feels much like living back in the dark ages where the King does as he pleases, while the peasants have to do as he rules. In this case, Alcoa is King....and I guess ya'll know who are the peasants! |
Sunday, July 7th 2002 - 05:55:44 AM
| Name: | tony |
| Locale you are from ?: | high rock |
| E-mail address: | cheeto1220@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | DEAD ROCK!!!!!!!!! ALCOA SUCKS!!!!!! |
Saturday, July 6th 2002 - 09:09:05 PM
| Name: | Christine |
| Locale you are from ?: | Lexington |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Alcoa has to keep the wealthy happy on Badin. I believe Badin would be affected if it were not for the exclusive community of Uwharrie Point and some of the "hotshots" that have homes on Badin Lake. Meanwhile the entire high rock community is suffering. It isn't just the people who live on the lake that are affected, but the economy as well. What alcoa is doing should be illegal. |
Saturday, July 6th 2002 - 02:24:38 PM
| Name: | john |
| Locale you are from ?: | spencer |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Hey, have you ever noticed that "AL QAEDA" and "ALCOA" sure do sound alike!! Could all this be a Terrorist attack on the people & wildlife of High Rock lake, from OSAMA himself? Should we notify the FBI that BIN LADEN could be running the whole show from Badin lake, At the AL QAEDA I mean ALCOA HEADQUARTERS?? Should we Watch for the next Osama video that is released? We just might see the shores of Badin lake in the back ground! SO MANY QUESTIONS SO LITTLE TIME!!!! |
Saturday, July 6th 2002 - 05:43:59 AM
| Name: | Carlton Butler |
| Locale you are from ?: | Rowan |
| E-mail address: | Cbutl@vnet.net |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | If you live around High Rock then you know that Alcoa is pulling the
lake level just before the holidays every year. It sure seems that they are
sending us a message. It also seems that Alcoa is more concerned with their
lake level on Badin than they are with preserving the wildlife on high rock.
If not then all the lakes in the chain would be down every year, however
that is not the case and never will be. It just seems if they were truely
concerned with wildlife concervation as it states in their Shore line
management program then they would try to keep enough water in each of the
lakes to keep from killing all the fish in one. I guess that we are the only
ones who will pay for Alcoa's right to generate power. Also I drive accross
Tuckertown, Badin, and Tillery almost every week and they do not have any
lake level problems. I love to hear Alcoa's explaination for the reason that High Rock is so low. Well High Rock was never expected to be a recreational lake. Excuse me I believe that FERC requires them to provide access for this very purpose. Just how long before someone looks at the coincidental draw downs just before the holidays at High Rock. The levels will be ok for weeks and then in a matter of a day or two we are empty. It seems to me that if the water was leaving a little at a time and from all lakes that people might believe the bull that Alcoa explains. |
Friday, July 5th 2002 - 01:09:38 PM
| Name: | Kathie |
| Locale you are from ?: | HRL |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Received today from Sierra Club representative: I've reviewed all of the material you forwarded, all of the entries on the website message board, Alcoa’s response to a writer’s inquiry, the newspaper articles and numerous other materials that are available. It would be great to be able to hold accountable one business or industry and say they’re responsible for causing and therefore resolving the High Rock Lake water level problem. However, with all things being taken into consideration, it appears the High Rock water level problem is primarily the result of the ongoing drought being suffered by the entire state. The pictures you’ve sent are sad and disturbing but indicative of the larger problem we’re all facing. The water levels in our streams, lakes and reservoirs are at record lows. As you know, many of our towns and cities are now suffering stringent water restrictions with no certainty of relief in the near future. While North Carolina has suffered severe drought conditions in past years the demands on our water supplies weren’t as great. Over the past several years many of our watersheds have been significantly diminished by unwise or ill-conceived residential and commercial development. It’s going to take new and ongoing efforts towards water conservation and watershed protection to resolve our problems and ensure sensible growth and development for our State. Water is a precious commodity for residential, commercial, agricultural as well as recreational use. We’re hopeful we will have sufficient rainfall before our lakes and waterways go completely dry. It’s not certain that when the Yadkin license comes up for renewal FERC can reduce the outflow limits and still meet the downstream requirements. We’ll be interested in following that issue. In the meantime we suggest directing your efforts towards educating the community on the larger issue of preserving the watersheds that feed the inflow. |
Friday, July 5th 2002 - 12:20:45 PM
| Name: | Mark |
| Locale you are from ?: | Lexington |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I really hate to see High Rock Lake in this kind of condition. I have to
drive 15 miles further to boat and ski in Badin instead. This might get
people upset but here it goes. I have been looking for land at High Rock
Lake for about 10 years not. When I find some available the price reflects
some outrageous amount that would make someone think there is gold buried on
the land. Then you try to get in one of the RV parks and there are no
vacancies or they have a rule where no pets are allowed. Needless to say I
have not purchased land at High Rock. What can I say...I'm not happy about
the situation but I do have to kind of laugh to myself at these people who
have no water to talk of and several businesses have closed and things are
such a mess. All I can say is now I can see what is beneath the land that
these vultures were trying to sell my for exorbitant amounts...nope, no
gold. hahahahahahaha Try to sell it for that now!! |
Friday, July 5th 2002 - 08:48:59 AM
| Name: | High-Rock.com |
| Locale you are from ?: | Spencer, NC |
| E-mail address: | gorowaninfo@carolina.rr.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I have been very quiet over the last several months watching the
comments board, traveling the Yadkin River basin, reading the newpaper
articles and would like to say a few things. #1. I think the drought is the
number one culprit. I have traveled from northern Florida to southern
Virginia in the last several years quite extensively and south of us has
been in a serious drought for 5 years. 95% of the farm ponds and lakes in
Ga. are 50% dry. Rivers and lakes have been down 50%. The drought has moved
northerly and it is our turn for a while. #2. There is the north and south
yadkin rivers, Potts creeks and five other almost major fingers of water
feeding the lake. All of these feeder streams are pitifully slow in the
feeding of water. Tuckertown has only 2 feeder streams. Badin has all of
High Rock, Tuckertown feeding it and Badin has 4 or 5 areas of feed. It
stands to reason that Badin would have more flow because that lake drains
many more thousands of acreas of land than does High Rock. #3. Has anyone
taken into consideration that the elevation of the bottom of the dam at High
Rock is the probably the same as it was when it was built. Almost the entire
High Rock lake bottom has silted in. The mudflats area in the upper lake is
now probably 3 to 5 feet shallower due to mud and silt than it was 50 years
ago; therefore the capacity of the entire lake at full pond is maybe 30%
less than it was when it was built. This Phenomenon is common in every cove
on the lake. When the water drops 5 feet it will have more of an effect on the shallow areas of the lake. Most of the coves do not have a creek bed anymore, the bottom is flat due to silt. And this problem can only get worse as time goes on. #4. I also have to say that I think ALCOA and the regulatory agencies should have made emergency measures possible long ago. If forward thinking folks had created variences years ago it would help ease the pain of the fish, wildlife and property owners. There are other issues that I have not heard much about. When fresh water flows from the state reach the ocean, if that flow is not sufficient the ocean pushes brackish water upstream doing great damage to estuaries,which are already in danger due to pollution. We can't win no matter what we try to do. We are drawing out drinking water all along the chain of lakes in enormous amounts. Dumping sewerage back in, chemical spills and you name it. We have overloaded our water supplies and guess what?? It is biting us in the Butt!! #5. I don't think anyone at ALCOA is vindictive toward anyone or group, but I do think the lake levels between all the lakes could have been better managed. I also think ALCOA has hidden behind the regulations and should have asked for some help from FERC long ago. I also think they should have done a better job informing the public as to what is happening. I INVITE MORE COMMENTS FROM ALCOA TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THEIR DILEMMA. By the way, High-Rock.com has NO ties to ALCOA. |
Friday, July 5th 2002 - 06:10:42 AM
| Name: | *Erin Brockovitch* |
| Locale you are from ?: | new gold course in Davidson Co. |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | So ummmm, *Larry* from "where it counts"...guess you must work for
Alcoa, and/or live on Badin. I spent the 4th of July watching the fish die in my part of the lake. It has finally reached the point where it's separated from the main channel and the fish are stuck in the few inches of water off my dock. The herons were out there 'til long past dark having a July 4th feast. If I believed for one moment that Alcoa was blameless in what has recently happened here (ie. that they sold no electricity during this drought), I would quit pointing the finger at them as the cause of the lake drying up. I just don't believe that. AND, I don't think they care one tiny bit about the people on High Rock Lake. |
Friday, July 5th 2002 - 04:35:08 AM
| Name: | *Larry* |
| Locale you are from ?: | Where it counts |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I am writing this to address some of the problems in the Yadkin River Basin. Simply put for those of you who have already made up your minds that Alcoa is at the heart of some conspiracy to deprive the residents of High Rock Lake of it's water and there by put people out of work; this is rubbish. Please wake up and look outside, when you see rain you will have water and not one minute sooner! Alcoa has more important things to do than engage in the kind of childishness it's being accused of. Alcoa has done many great things for HRL. in the past and continues even now. So everybody just grow up. If you really want to do something helpful you can drop down on your knees and pray. Short of Divine intervention I see no real or immediate end to the water problem. Sorry. |
Thursday, July 4th 2002 - 08:43:56 PM
| Name: | Kathie |
| Locale you are from ?: | new High Rock golf course |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Want to e-mail the White House? {What the heck, it can't hurt!) Here's the address: President George W. Bush: president@whitehouse.gov I was also thinking about 'Inside Edition'. Deborah Norville came to Davidson County a while back to spend a few days in Sheriff Hege's jail.....why not have her come back and take a boat ride on our local lake (or what used to be our local lake)? Write to Inside Edition Investigative Report Team at: ietips@kingworld.com |
Monday, July 1st 2002 - 04:15:05 AM
| Name: | Patrick Kennedy |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock |
| E-mail address: | Alaskabear13@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | OK. I know that you guys are probably getting tired of seeing my
comments, I promise that this will be the last for awhile. Many of you have
written to me asking for the response that I received from Alcoa, I have
posted it below for all to see. Below you will also see an E-mail that I
have sent to the President. Again, you may want to do the same. Mr. President, I live in Davidson County North Carolina. My name is Patrick Kennedy. For many years we have enjoyed our precious lake, now our lake is dissappearing rapidly. We have a Company that controls the lake by the name of ALCOA POWER INC. We have been informed that they will be lowering the lake level to as much as 30 feet below normal. We are currently at 16.6 feet below the normal. We expect large fish kills, as this type of drop will not be able to support the oxygen levels required to support the fish population. The biggest impact has been on our local economy. Many business's have been forced to close because we do not have enough water left in the lake. Residents cannot sell their real estate that used to be at the lake. I make a plea to you to investigate the mis- management of our lands as we appreciate our wildlife. Attached you will find a response to an E-mail that I recently sent to ALCOA INC. You may wish to visit our local web site at www.high-rock.com and see first hand the comments left in the dream book. Subj: RE: High Rock Lake Date: 6/26/02 7:19:55 AM Pacific Daylight Time From: Wade.Hughes@alcoa.com To: Alaskabear13@aol.com Sent from the Internet (Details) Alcoa shares your concern with the lingering drought conditions in the Yadkin River watershed but we need to point out that the water level in High Rock Lake is governed by Federal Government licence requirements designed to manage water needs for water users downstream of the lake. Unfortunately, without a significant increase in the amount of water flowing down the Yadkin and South Yadkin rivers, which make up the vast majority of the flow into High Rock Reservoir, water levels in High Rock and Narrows reservoirs (locally known as Badin Lake) are expected to continue to fall. As a result of the prolonged drought, June stream flow in the Yadkin and South Yadkin Rivers is at its lowest level in the 72 years since such data has been recorded. Each day the gauging stations on these rivers is recording new record low stream flows. (Ref: Yadkin is required by the conditions of its license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to release a specified amount of water from the Project for downstream water needs. The amount of water flowing into High Rock Reservoir from the Yadkin and South Yadkin rivers at this time is less than one-third of the amount of water we are required to release for downstream users. The storage capacity of the reservoirs is used to make up the difference. High Rock and Narrows reservoirs are the primary and secondary storage reservoirs in the Yadkin Project. Tuckertown and Falls Reservoirs have little storage capacity and accordingly cannot contribute much water to satisfy the downstream release requirements. Additionally, the License for Tuckertown limits its drawdown to less than 3 feet from full pool, except in emergency situations. As I am sure you are aware, the Yadkin River continues through North Carolina and into South Carolina ultimately emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Winyah Bay. Downstream communities and industries rely upon the water flowing down the Yadkin River as a source for drinking water, sewage discharge dispersal, and process water. The minimum discharge requirement at the Yadkin Project is intended to maintain flow in the river to meet those needs. While Yadkin has the ability to temporarily hold the water flowing down the Yadkin River for use in hydropower generation, Yadkin cannot cut off the water flow in the River entirely. About two years ago, recognizing the severity of the drought conditions, Alcoa's Yadkin operation began a public outreach and education effort. Since you have internet access, let me encourage you to visit Recently a High Rock resident contacted FERC concerning High Rock's water level. You can find FERC's response at: Please do not hesitate to contact us again if you need more information. Alcoa Environment, Health, and Safety group -----Original Message----- From: Alaskabear13@aol.com [mailto:Alaskabear13@aol.com] Sent: Saturday, June 22, 2002 12:25 AM To: ContactEHS@alcoa.com Subject: High Rock Lake Sincerely, Patrick Kennedy |
Monday, July 1st 2002 - 12:15:43 AM
| Name: | Patrick Kennedy |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock |
| E-mail address: | Alaskabear13@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Below is an E-mail that I sent to the FERC. I urge all of you to send
the same type of E-mail to QMOI@ferc.gov. Hello, I am a resident at High Rock lake in Davidson County North Carolina. As you are probably already aware, our lake is down some 16+ feet and still falling. I recently wrote ALCOA and they tell me that your office is ultimatly responsible for controlling the water flow downstream. While I understand the importance of industry, I do not understand why the water cannot be shared. Our lake is very close to being no-existant. Soon the water levels will be so low that it will indeed create a deficate of oxygen for our fish. We have already lost our sping bass spawn and are now loosing our pan fish spawn. Currently fish are also being found belly up in some locations. Many of our small business's have already closed the doors due to the levels. Why must we sacrifice "Our" local economy to Billion dollar corporations? Our environment across the land is already in trouble due to the miss handling of the environment. Must we continue to do more damage? Is there no end? I am making a plea to you, the FERC to look into the mis-management of our lands. Reference: Yadkin Project P-2179 Sincerely, Patrick Kennedy |
Sunday, June 30th 2002 - 11:06:09 PM
| Name: | Patrick Kennedy |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock |
| E-mail address: | Alaskabear13@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Do we have a lake commitee? If so, I would like to be really involved. Please let me know. If we dont, then we need to start one ASAP! We all have invested plenty of money in our lake. With represenitives and some financial help, we can get things done. I understand Alcoa's side from a corporate perspective, however, that doesen't make it right. If I can help get thing rolling, Please contact me.Alaskabear13@aol.com. I love our lake, fish and environment. |
Sunday, June 30th 2002 - 09:03:16 PM
| Name: | Debbie Allred |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock Lake |
| E-mail address: | MTNana55@yahoo.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Tonight I spent a great deal of time reading some of the comments and
complaints. I have written letters to everyone from Alcoa to the Humane
Society. I do not know how many people have tried to e-mail Alcoa directly, but if they get as many e-mails as there are complaints and concerns in this site, surely someone has to listen. I would like to urge everyone to e-mail or write to Alcoa directly. If enough people yell, maybe we can get results. Honestly...at this rate most of us have no more water to loose anyway. I also contacted the NC Governor's office. Hey guys...anything is worth a try. Complaining amoung ourselves abviously is not doing it. Lets get heard by someone other than ourselves. A lot of people have listed various places to voice complaints, petitions to sign, forms to fill out. Lets all share our resourses and use them for our benefit. |
Saturday, June 29th 2002 - 10:46:45 PM
| Name: | Kathie |
| Locale you are from ?: | Dry gulch |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | There is some interesting commentary and pictures in today's (Saturday)
Lexington Dispatch concerning our lake woes. In fact, it made the headline.
The pictures are very sad indeed. Included, is some commentary by Yadkin's environmental and natural resources manager. |
Saturday, June 29th 2002 - 05:27:22 PM
| Name: | Patrick Kennedy |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock |
| E-mail address: | alaskabear13@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I sent out coppies of the letter to all of you that asked. Sierra even wanted a copy. Welcome Sierra, give us a helping hand. I am really dissapointed with the bass masters. I could not get a reply from them. |
Friday, June 28th 2002 - 09:33:14 PM
| Name: | Kathie |
| Locale you are from ?: | Dry Rock |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I have been in contact with the NC branch of the Sierra Club. The woman
who got my e-mail said that the 'before' and 'after' pictures that I sent
were worth a thousand words. I was given the name and address of the local
conservation chairman. She forwarded my message to him, and I sent him a
note this morning. I don't know if the Sierra Club will help us, but as I
look out on my dry, dry waterfront (where I've not seen one great blue
heron, beaver, or otter recently) I feel anything is worth a try. I have not
gotten one reply from any local legislator. No matter who you are writing to for help, I suggest that if you have the ability to send pictures with your mailings to use them as it will certainly help explain our dilemma. That's especially true of those people outside of our area. |
Friday, June 28th 2002 - 05:45:34 AM
| Name: | Patrick Kennedy |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock |
| E-mail address: | alaskabear13@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | The following news was delivered to me today from an inside connection.Duke Power has supposedly set up an emergency meeting with Alcoa. It seems that Duke Power is running out of water needed to cool their reactors due to the low level in High Rock. Duke is also dependant on our lake. It would sure be nice to have Duke on our side. I for one will support them! This may be a small form of an answer to our prayers. Also I wrote Alcoa last week. They unexpectedly replied to the tune of a full page. It was very interesting. If anyone would care to see the response please E-mail me. alaskabear13@aol.com We must get the attention of the Feds. Alcoa say that the Feds require them to maintain the flow downstream |
Thursday, June 27th 2002 - 09:52:54 PM
| Name: | Ron Melton |
| Locale you are from ?: | Main Channel |
| E-mail address: | rmelton@triad.rr.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | People, PLEASE we can all sit here and cry about what's going on at High Rock Lake and nothing is going to happen with out help from YOUR elected officials. Call Howard Coble, Mel Watts, Richard Burr, whoever your Reps are, they are the only people the FERC is going to listen too. This comes from Richard Burr's office in Washington. We can't wait any longer. There won't be anything left to save if something is not done soon. PLEASE, PLEASE contact your FEDERAL officials. This is the only path that will work with the FERC and Alcoa. |
Thursday, June 27th 2002 - 06:18:19 PM
| Name: | J.T. Kesler |
| Locale you are from ?: | Fisherman's cove |
| E-mail address: | infernoangel16@hotmail.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I am writing on the behalf of about 50 family members and myself, who have lived and played here long before it was the classy thing to do. I myself am only 21 years old, and I have enjoyed growing up at the river more than I can say, but my parents, thier parents, and thier parents before them have been coming here for well over 50 years to get to gather with thier families to truly enjoy life with nature as it was meant to be, and everyone used to see this river as a special family place to come and see one another all year round. But unfortunately we now reside by a gaping, stumpy, and smelly mud hole wich isn't exactly where anyone would want to be or especially travel to get to. I'm not going to whine because I want to play in the water, but I will say that when I think of the fact that my various family members have put in such exhuberant time, energy, love, and money into making this our dream place it makes me disgustingly noxious. |
Thursday, June 27th 2002 - 05:31:32 PM
| Name: | scott foster |
| Locale you are from ?: | wilkesboro nc |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I live in wilkesboro where the yadkin river runs through.and im suprised at the letter from one person saying the yadkin was low.well ill tell you from where i can see it it looks pretty dogone full.but as alot of you i also have a place at highrock lake.now i understand that we have been in a drought but at the same time i thought that we as landowners had a contract with alcoa that they would do everything possable to keep the lake up as much as possable.well from where i live theres plenty of water.w.kerr scott lake is full as well as the yadkin river.so you tell me why is it we have little to none water in highrock lake.it seems to me that someone is holding back the water as well as someone else is draining it.or else badin wouldnt be full.i know alcoa is the true owners of the lake from the full mark on our land to 15 foot above that.but still it seems that somebody could let some water out and hold some water back.at least for the week of the fourth.if they donot then maybe it would be a good idea for the tamerac as well as the boat dock to call off the fire works.that is my favorite time of the year when i can sit in my boat and watch the gloriouse fireworks exploding in such beautiful colors against the night sky.but alas with no water im afraid that a chance of starting a fire on peoples land who dont have acess to water to put it out seems to be the best reason to cancel.i would love to be able to see the fireworks more than anything but i have nowhere to get my boat anywhere near the water.even at the tamerac there boat landing isint a good place to put in.there cement has run out of water and now theres a big hump of dirt at the bottom that im not sure even with a four wheel drive could launch a boat.but thats my oppinion and as they say everyone has there own oppinion.our family has been on this lake scince 1948 and we just think its a shame but well what can we possably do?you tell me then we'll both know. |
Thursday, June 27th 2002 - 10:55:36 AM
| Name: | Matt |
| Locale you are from ?: | W-S |
| E-mail address: | mbohannon@triad.rr.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | For one, I went on by the Yadkin River on Monday, and it is dry. I guess since we have had no rain, this would be a reason. My yard is dead, because we have had no rain. High Rock is first in a chain of several lakes, and with no rain, no water will come in to help the lake go up. Visit the WGHP Fox 8 site and look at the rain fall from last year, and look at this year. We are 6-7" low on rain, from last year. Yes, I know that Alcoa is a money hungry pig, and they love to be a swelling corporate giant, but RAIN is the main reason High Rock is down. Pray for rain, our country is having weird weather patterns, and with the Midwest flooding, and us dry as a bone, we need to look to the Lord for rain. I know that all of us are upset at the lake levels, and yes having access to a lake home on Falt Swamp, it is very depressing not to ride the Sea Doo, or the boat, or fish with my chidren. What should we do?, or what can we do? Nothing... We know that Alcoa is not taking water levels out of the lake that they have in years past. All of the USGS info is on the web. I was able to see that the same amount of water is being taken out as the last several years. It was bad last year, but not as bad, but we also had more rain than this year. Also, if any one thinks that water is being held in the Yadkin River chain, it isn't. I have seen Rowan, Davie, and Surry/Stokes county chains, all down low. All I can say is thank you Lord for the rain we had on June 26th. We need a hurricane to come through to replenish our water levels in our part of the state. I hope all of you have a great holiday. |
Wednesday, June 26th 2002 - 08:44:39 PM
| Name: | David H |
| Locale you are from ?: | Kannapolis |
| E-mail address: | chipround@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | My family has had a place on High Rock Lake for over 30yrs, and I would consider myself a "River Rat Brat", I am equally upset as everyone else is. Upon reading all the comments posted on this site and others, my plea is for everyone to pray earnestly for rain. Prayer Works! As for our 4th weekend we will try to make the best of a bad situation if things do not change, and still enjoy family time on the "lake" and just get away from real life. |
Wednesday, June 26th 2002 - 06:11:14 PM
| Name: | Dave Campbell |
| Locale you are from ?: | Panther Point |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Has anyone contacted our congressmen/women or senators yet? |
Wednesday, June 26th 2002 - 05:22:02 PM
| Name: | Roy H. Stanioch |
| Locale you are from ?: | Flat Swamp |
| E-mail address: | roy@southern-pipe.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Mr. Steve Blount, Rowan County Commissioner. Thank you for stepping
forward to address your consituents on the High Rock Lake issue. It would be
a good idea for some of the Davidson County Commissioners to follow your
lead. I have a couple of coments to make for all of us to think about in a more positive vain. If I recall my history lessons, is a government of the people, for the people, and by the people. Government personnel serve the people. We pay the salaries and benefits. We the people are in the dar, we would like to know the downstream communities that require this downstream water and for what purpose. In the current scenario as I understand it, ALCOA benefits all the way downstream because they generate power at each level, lake by lake. In my opinion ALCOA, and evidently the FERC, has assumed that we the people are too stupid to understand the license details, so neither sees fit to communicate to the public, we the people. We the people have a right to review this agreement (license) in its entirety and to be able to offer suggestions for its improvement. Millions of dollars of property damage has been incurred because the lake levels dropped so fast the people could not get their boats out of the lake because they were already on the ground. No warning communications from AlCOA! I wonder to whom we should send the bill. We the people would like to see a detailed plan from the FERC and ALCOA on what they plan to do to prevent this occurrance from happening again. What is being done to remove the thousands of tires that litter the exposed lake bottom. ALCOA has benefited from years of cheap power, plus the sale of land in and around the lakes. Now it is time to see some real corporate leadership to reinvest in the future to maintain and insure the future of our lakes. In other words, it would be a great time for ALCOA to prove they are a good corporate citizen by working with us to our mutual benefit. If you are monitoring the lake levels you will note High Rock is being Raped and the other lakes are being maintianed. I'll close with Mr. Bushs statement " If you aren't with us your against us" |
Wednesday, June 26th 2002 - 06:41:03 AM
| Name: | JDH |
| Locale you are from ?: | Abbotts Creek |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I plan on taking my Nautique to Badin Saturday, not to protest, but just to enjoy a day on the water. I also plan to buy fuel, drinks, etc. here local. I've lived on High Rock for 20 some years, and back in the mid 80's it was the same way it is now this time of the year. This is nothing new folks, and if you buy and live on this lake you will always have to deal with water level issues. |
Wednesday, June 26th 2002 - 05:40:37 AM
| Name: | Allen & Rhonda Harris |
| Locale you are from ?: | high rock desert |
| E-mail address: | aharris13@triad.rr.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | If you want to go to Badin Lake, everybody buy their gas and food, bait at home and support our local buisnesses. |
Tuesday, June 25th 2002 - 03:11:31 PM
| Name: | Donna |
| Locale you are from ?: | Beech Drive |
| E-mail address: | donnas_wink@excite.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I read about the plan for a bunch of people to take thier boats to Badin
on 06/29 and 06/30. I don't see how this will help High Rock. Don't you
think Badin businesses would love to take High Rock boaters money for gas,
drinks, ice and snacks? Show them how much extra money they can make and we
never will have water. Besides, from what I can see, most everyone's boat is
like our's, sitting in the mud. We couldn't take our boat anyplace else even
if we wanted to. We need to come up with some ideas to put a stop to this torture from Alcoa once and for all. I don't think that spending our money on Badin will help. I would also love to hear ideas from anyone about how to fill the time in my weekend that I used to spend socializing with my friends on GOAT ISLAND. We need to plan some group activities to lift everyones spirit. ANY IDEAS? |
Tuesday, June 25th 2002 - 11:31:36 AM
| Name: | Heartbroken |
| Locale you are from ?: | Mudfront Resident |
| E-mail address: | donnas_wink@excite.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | It is just heartbreaking to see the Lake these days. My husband's family
had a small camp lot on Flat Swamp and he grew up loving this lake. His
dream was to able to afford a home here so that his family could make some
of the memories he cherished from his own childhood. He spent 11 years
trying to convince me that we should brave the high mortgage and buy a
waterfront home. Four years ago I fe1l in love with the lake myself and we
bought that waterfront home. Every year he becomes obsessed with the lake
levels as we found the water would rise and fall with little rhyme or
reason. It is a contest to see if we can still enjoy our summer despite what
Alcoa dishes out. My husband told me the other night to face the reality "We will not be able to use this lake again this summer". My daughter is heartbroken, she wanted to learn wakeboarding this summer and she just got her PWC license. More than the lose of recreation, how disgusting is it to pay premium prices for lakefront property when you are not even able to enjoy a few months recreation in the summer...I thought it was bad the way they drained us in winter but this is ridiculous. What about the impact on the lake area economy, the wildlife habitats and the morale of area residents? I personally get very depressed everyday when I return home and look out over my muddy, stump ridden lakefront view. Driving around the lake and seeing all my neighbors and friends boats and piers high and dry just makes me sick. For those who say "oh well, theres always next year." Think about it. This is someones last season on the lake, this was thier last chance to enjoy it. It may sound corny but "THINK ABOUT IT." It could very well be your last chance. |
Tuesday, June 25th 2002 - 11:04:04 AM
| Name: | Jim |
| Locale you are from ?: | dry gulch |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I appreciate Steve Blount taking the time and effort to write in here.
I've written to other state and FERC officials and have not received any
replies. Though I don't like hearing that we can't do anything about this
situation, I guess that is pretty much the same conclusion that I've come to
in the last few days myself. I feel really bad for the lake-related
businesses, and people trying to sell waterfront properties right now. I
still believe Alcoa has not handled the lakes competently and hope people
remember this and work together to try and keep them from getting relicensed
when their term is up. It may be too late to stop their plans now, but we
have 6 years to get ourselves organized to get someone else to take charge
of our lake system in 2008. I doubt that Duke or another electric company
could do us worse. |
Tuesday, June 25th 2002 - 05:48:10 AM
| Name: | Steve Blount |
| Locale you are from ?: | Rowan County |
| E-mail address: | smbcomfort@salisbury.net |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | As a Rowan County Commissioner, I assure you all that we elected
officials are very concerned with the low water levels on High Rock Lake and
the impact this has on your homes, bussiness and summer fun. For the past several years we have been trying to work with Yadkin,Inc. and Alcoa to keep the lake levels up as high as possible. We have heard the same explainations that you have and have contacted our State and Federal Legislators to enlist their help with this issue. We have been told the same things that you have: 1.We are in a severe drought condition with little if any rain water flowing into the river/lake system. 2.They are required by their federal license to maintain a minimum level of water release to provide adequate water supplies to the communities downstream that depend on this as a source of drinking water for their communities. 3. With the minimum required flow out being higher than the flow in, the lake levels will drop. 4. How far the lakes levels drop is completly dependent on how much water flows in from rain. 5. Until we have some heavy rain fall, the lake levels will stay down. FERC has confirmed that Alcoa is operating within the guidelines of their license agreement and City and County governments have absolutly no authority over yadkin, Inc. or Alcoa. We can not force them to do anything in relation to water levels on the lake. The property taxes you pay are based on the appraised value of your homes. If the lake levels stay down for extended periods of time (years) I would assume that your appraisals will go down and you will pay less tax. Appraisals are based on comparable sales of similar property in your area. I wish I could give you some reason to think that this situation will get better soon but I can't. Weather patterns have historicly moved in 7-11 year cycles and we have been in this drought cycle for about 5 years so we've got some time yet to go before we will see much rain. Alco is regulated by the federal government so we on the local level have little if any influence on their operations. Having us stand up at public meetings and say bad things about Alcoa, Yadkin, Inc. or FERC might make you feel like we are doing something for you but in reality, any elected official that does that is just a politician blowing hot air to get your vote. Please contact me if I can be of any help. Steve Blount |
Tuesday, June 25th 2002 - 04:59:03 AM
| Name: | Katherine |
| Locale you are from ?: | High & Dry |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Has anyone started a petition? Would be willing to go anywhere to sign it! <:o |
Monday, June 24th 2002 - 02:54:34 PM
| Name: | Katherine |
| Locale you are from ?: | High & Dry Rock |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Found info about a FERC Hotline. I'm thinking it may be appropriate in
this situation, but I'm not sure. Here's what it said about this address:
Enforcement Hotline The Enforcement Hotline was formed to resolve conflicts without litigation or other formal, lengthy proceedings. Jurisdictional companies and members of the public may ask the Hotline for help in matters within the Commission's jurisdiction concerning natural gas pipelines, oil pipelines, electric utilities and hydroelectric projects. Once a complaint is made, an attorney in the Enforcement section of the Office of the General Counsel contacts the other party, usually the same day, and seeks to bring the two sides together. All discussions are confidential and do not preclude formal action if they are unsuccessful. Calls to the Hotline may also be made anonymously. Hotline assistance has ranged from clarifying procedural questions to preventing gas pipeline companies from cutting off transportation services to helping resolve tariff disputes. The Hotline has also helped landowners obtain restoration of property damaged by pipeline construction and has helped obtain transmission services for wholesale marketers of electricity. Phone toll free: (877) 303-4340 E-Mailing: hotline@ferc.gov |
Monday, June 24th 2002 - 02:49:56 PM
| Name: | Allen & Rhonda Harris |
| Locale you are from ?: | no water |
| E-mail address: | aharris13@triad.rr.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I got this Address off the FERC web site mabey we can write or fax them
about our situation http://www.ferc.gov/index.htm Contact Information J.Mark Robinson or Robert J. Cupina Telephone (202) 219-2700 FAX (202) 219-0205 Postal address 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426 |
Sunday, June 23rd 2002 - 08:01:20 PM
| Name: | Betty and Jerry Stockton |
| Locale you are from ?: | W-S |
| E-mail address: | jstockton@triad.rr.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | We have had our "cabin" at High Rock since my parents bought it in 1953. We have seen droughts etc. but this is the worst ever. Also What Ever Happened To High Rock Lake Association? We used to give our donation and were a member, but have heard nothing. Three generations and look what we have to show for it. Dry ground. We are in the Southmont area and have always had trouble with the water at our place since we are in a cove off Wafford Rd. (Reynolds Rd. to be exact), but this is too depressing. I also think Davidson County should lower our property taxes. They raised them when it was worth paying them, but now we hardle have anything to pay on. Oh What To Do. BP |
Sunday, June 23rd 2002 - 07:07:57 PM
| Name: | Lisa |
| Locale you are from ?: | dry rock |
| E-mail address: | lsechrest@triad.rr.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I have heard that the reason dry rock (formerly known as high rock) is going down is because we are supplying power to California. Has anyone else heard this, and if it is true, why? I also think the owners of Alcoa are jerks. They are doing it for spite just because they can. Everyone should spend July 4th cutting down wood and put it in front of your pier so if the water ever comes up again we can have our own dam when they start pulling it. |
Sunday, June 23rd 2002 - 03:50:52 PM
| Name: | Chuck |
| Locale you are from ?: | Hickory Point |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Alcoa is using the drought as an excuse not to try and meet their previous agreement to maintain an adequate lake level for recreation purposes between Memorial Day and Labor Day. If you go back and look at the lake level trends since early Spring the lake level goes down during the week and then becomes steady or increases each weekend. This happens because there is a low demand for power on weekends. Since it is well documented by the lake level trends, Alcoa has proven it can maintain or increase the water level in High Rock Lake on weekends. Alcoa keeps stating that the are required to release water which I believe is true,b ut not at the extent of what they have been doing during the week to make power. As I stated in my previous note, Duke is able to manage their lakes on the Catawba River Basin so the public can enjoy lake recreation. It all boils down to putting profits before the good of Alcoa's neighbors. All persons that have been affected by Aloca's mismanagement of High Rock Lake need to remember this when the FERC license held by Alcoa expires. We need to support some other utility such as Duke to take over Alcoa's lakes. |
Saturday, June 22nd 2002 - 05:50:33 PM
| Name: | Allen & Rhonda Harris |
| Locale you are from ?: | used to be highrock |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | It's a shame to see highrock in this shape. It just pisses me off every
time I see the water levels. So I found these web sites to write someone
about it. http://www.ncgov.com/ www.landtrustcnc.org/links.html#1 |
Saturday, June 22nd 2002 - 03:52:41 PM
| Name: | Katherine |
| Locale you are from ?: | HR 'former' waterfront |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Does anyone have the e-mail addresses of politicians we can write to
about the situation on High Rock? I got one from the Sierra Club website. Jerry Dockham (Davidson/Randolph Co) rep to NC General Assembly): Jerryd@ncleg.net I'd be willing to write to anyone who might have the slightest ability to help us or offer ideas to help us. Also, did anyone see any coverage of our march up at the Alcoa conference? I saw nothing reported by the TV stations that were filming there. |
Saturday, June 22nd 2002 - 07:43:17 AM
| Name: | Jim |
| Locale you are from ?: | no-waterfront |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | How about some of you folks taking your dusty boats up to Badin Lake and
joining the Boat Parade that's supposed to take place around or on the 4th
or July? I don't know the particulars of the event, just that I heard they
are having one. You could drape your boats in black for the mourning of our
own High Rock Lake. I bet that parade gets some news coverage. Isn't it nice that Badin is high enough to have a boat owners parade while their cousin lake is dying? |
Saturday, June 22nd 2002 - 04:44:56 AM
| Name: | Patrick Kennedy |
| Locale you are from ?: | Mountain Shore Dr. |
| E-mail address: | alaskabear13@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Here's an idea folks. If we want national recognition, I know how to accheive it.We could plan a boat sit in at the base of Tuckertown dam. They wouldn't dare release water with us there because it would be unsafe.I will if agreed upon,set up the national media coverage. Those of you that would be interested please contact me. alaskabear13@aol.com or leave a post.We cannot set idle.This is our community and correct me if I am wrong, but Alcoa owns the lake bottom and surronding land. Not the water. Thats God given!o |
Friday, June 21st 2002 - 11:26:57 PM
| Name: | M. Jones |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock |
| E-mail address: | mjones12@triad.rr.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | We all need to be at Badin next weekend for a peaceful demonstration
that's being planned. The announcement that High Rock is likely to drop 30
feet in 30 days means that there will just barely be a river left, not a
lake. Consequently, I hope this gets the attention of the lucky folks who
may still have some water under their docks now. In a few weeks, they won't
have any water, either. Additionally, I hope all the fishing organizations
will also get more involved. With nothing but a river left, they will be
pretty much out of business on High Rock. No more Bassmaster Classics. For info on the Badin demonstration, look at http://www.expage.com/highrocklakelowwater. Everyone who can needs to be there. |
Friday, June 21st 2002 - 05:27:18 PM
| Name: | Patrick Kennedy |
| Locale you are from ?: | Denton |
| E-mail address: | Alaskabear13@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Folks, I am sickened by the news of our precious lakes end. We desperatly need to follow the boycott and get some of the environmentalist groups involved. I hope that everyone realizes that we not only lose the recreation and busines's, but will also lose the fish and other wildlife. I personally can't beleive that our wildlife resource commision would allow this. Conservation? yea right. If anyone has the inside on Alcoa products, please post them on this site. I guess if they sold gas I'd have to peddle a bicycle. Thanks Alcoa and all of our sell out commisioners for the greif. You wont get the vote next time! |
Friday, June 21st 2002 - 01:30:48 PM
| Name: | Roy H. Stanioch |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock |
| E-mail address: | roy@southern-pipe.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Dreambook is the right name because our lake is just a memory. I like
the boycot idea. Keep in mind that ALCOA owns reynolds which makes reynolds
wrap. Lets start listing all the products we can find and post them so
others can join us in this protest. Where ever you shop request that these
products be removed form their stores. See you at Tamarac! |
Friday, June 21st 2002 - 11:17:09 AM
| Name: | Paula Noonan |
| Locale you are from ?: | Lexington |
| E-mail address: | pwnoonan@hotmail.com, |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | IF YOU ARE ABLE, PLEASE COME TO TAMARAC TONIGHT, 6/21 TO HELP WITH THE RAIN PARTY. BRING A BUCKET OF WATER ( PREFERRABLY FROM TUCKERTOWN LAKE. THE NEWS MEDIA PLANS TO BETHERE AND WE TRULY WANT TO HAVE A SHOW OF CONCERNED PEOPLE. WE HAD ABOUT 100 AT THE INVITATION ONLY ALCOA MEETING AT BADIN YESTERDAY. OF COURSE WE WERE OUTSIDE. PLEASE WRITE OUR CONGRESSMAN THE COUNTY COMMISIONERS ARE JUST "YES MEN" TO ALCOA .SEE YOU TONIGHT. TAMARAC IS ON BRINGLE FERRY ROAD. AT THE BRIDGE THAT CROSSES OVER WHAT USED TO BE THE LAKE. |
Friday, June 21st 2002 - 09:56:18 AM
| Name: | Paula Noonan |
| Locale you are from ?: | Lexington |
| E-mail address: | pwnoonan@hotmail.com, |
Friday, June 21st 2002 - 09:53:00 AM
| Name: | Neal Martin |
| Locale you are from ?: | Foster's Point Cmpgrd |
| E-mail address: | kamper02@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Truly a sad site, our High Rock. Ever considered a boycott of Alcoa products? Seems to me that this is what would get their attention since they are bleeding "dry" the resource that we have worked hard to enjoy(ed). Surely there are other products that we can use that are not produced by the famous "mud makers". |
Friday, June 21st 2002 - 05:45:39 AM
| Name: | Bruce |
| Locale you are from ?: | Enochville |
| E-mail address: | brucep25@hotmail.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Why dont all the property owners and businesses in the high rock area start a class action lawsuit against alcoa for lost revenues and property values? |
Thursday, June 20th 2002 - 07:27:11 PM
| Name: | david |
| Locale you are from ?: | oakwood blvd. |
| E-mail address: | hiswdw |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | i for one am ready for the dept. of the interior to take a real look at what is happening to high rock. they couldn't do any worse job than what is happening now. the lakes that are feed by high rock are rich peoples land. and there fore they reap the benefits from others. but putting the others at risk on the lake in boats is beyond reason,there is fast coming a danger to boaters out on the lake, and since the saftey of the public is at stake i feel taht the federal goverment should be brought into the mix. the meeting at badin today is just to sugar coat the problem, and just keep up the same mess that is going on, balance is the answer not the rich having all the water all the time. will it take someone getting killed in a boating accident to wake up the publics since of fairness. if the water at badin lake fell 12 foot in matter of days you can bet that someone's but would be in a huge ringer. share the water and everyone is happy. is that such a huge request? we need help, but it'll have to come from the federal level. |
Thursday, June 20th 2002 - 08:03:08 AM
| Name: | Chuck Melton |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock |
| E-mail address: | chuckmel60@hotmail.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Unfortunately, I have been out of town and just got the info on the
meeting today. I am so sorry that I was not there. We need better publicity.
My wife, Florette and I live at Waterford Pointe in what we thought was going to be our dream house - 2 acres, beautiful view, right on the water. We built our house and moved in in 1995. It was aggrevating enough when they started dropping the water after Labor Day so we couldn't enjoy beautiful NC autumns on the water. But, we said there is no more beautiful place in the entire world in May, June and July so we can live with it. Friends would visit us from all over the world and fall in love with our house. To see your life's work tied up in a place that you can no longer enjoy - even in the short season of summer is very upsetting. To see the water levels at Norman, Badin, Tucketown only adds to our frustration. I hate what Alcoa has done to the residents of High-Rock. It is a real tragedy. It would appear to me that the economic impact is now at the level that the local governments of Davidson and Rowan have a real problem on their hands. We must apply pressure at every level. Businesses are dying, real estate values are plummeting. It is a much bigger problem than simply no boating. What can I do? I stand ready to do whatever it takes. Chuck Melton 1553 Waterford Pointe 336 798 2460 |
Thursday, June 20th 2002 - 07:59:19 AM
| Name: | jimmy |
| Locale you are from ?: | dry rock |
| E-mail address: | jjimmyshep@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Now the water is down far enough to walk to goat island or is it even an island, this is totaly ridicolous. people who depend on the lake for income are screwed (except alcoa ) these small businesses are not going to make much money! Less money! Less taxes! Less money for the county ! The rest of us are just without any water, any veiw, or any voice , because you can't do any thing against alcoa because they will take all the water, Oh wait!!! they allready have!!! |
Wednesday, June 19th 2002 - 09:02:41 PM
| Name: | jimmy |
| Locale you are from ?: | dry rock |
| E-mail address: | jjimmyshep@aol.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Now the water is down far enough to walk to goat island or is it even an island, this is totaly ridicolous. people who depend on the lake for income are screwed (except alcoa ) these small businesses are not going to make much money! Less money! Less taxes! Less money for the county ! The rest of us are just without any water, any veiw, or any voice , because you can't do any thing against alcoa because they will take all the water, Oh wait!!! they allready have |
Wednesday, June 19th 2002 - 09:02:37 PM
| Name: | kyle |
| Locale you are from ?: | high rock |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Let me ask you a question why is high rock the only one down. All those other lakes stay up but us at high rock have to suffor.I think its a bunch af bull crap. |
Wednesday, June 19th 2002 - 06:35:53 PM
| Name: | PAULA NOONAN |
| Locale you are from ?: | LEXINGTON |
| E-mail address: | PWNOONAN@HOTMAIL.COM |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | WE NEED EVERYONE'S HELP. TOMORROW JUNE 20 ALCOA IS HOSTING A MEETING TO
SPOON FEED THE MEDIA MORE PROPAGANDA ABOUT THE DROUGHT AND THEIR REQUIREMENT
TO KEEP TUCKERTOWN AND BADIN LAKES UP AND KEEP WATER GOING DOWN STREAM.
ACCORDING TO FOX EIGHT NEWS AND KAREN TYSINGER OF TAMARAC MARINA, IN ORDER
FOR US TO GET NATIONAL ATTENTION, WE MUST SHOW UP IN LARGE NUMBERS TO
PROTEST WATER LEVELS AND ALCOA'S MANAGEMENT OF THE WATER, WILDLIFE,
ENVIRONEMENT ETC. PLEASE HELP SUPPORT US BY SHOWING UP TOMORROW AT 8:30 AM
AT SOUTHMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT ON HWY 8 SOUTHMONT, NC OR IF YOU KNOW HOW TO
GET TO BADIN/ALCOA CONFERENCE CENTER ON FALLS ROAD OFF HWY 740 IN MONTGOMERY
COUNTY SHOW UP BY 9:30. THERE WILL BE MEDIA COVERAGE. PLEASE TELL EVERYONE
YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY WE WILL SUCCEED IS TO STAND UNITED. YOU MAY CALL 336-242-3155 OR 793=1030 IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. THANKS FORR YOUR HELP AND CONCERN. |
Wednesday, June 19th 2002 - 02:25:26 PM
| Name: | Katherine |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock CREEK |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | From what I've read, Yadkin's license does not expire until 2008! Is
there anything to be done in the meantime? On their website, they comment as follows about the responsibilities of a licensee: "As a FERC licensee, Yadkin is responsible for operating the Project for hydroelectric generation, for providing adequate public access and public recreation facilities, and for protecting important natural, environmental, cultural, and scenic resources. In short, an appropriate balance must be struck among various interests in the Project reservoirs and their use." I don't know about the rest of you, but as I sit here looking out at what has become nothing more than a creek, I don't feel Yadkin is in the least bit acting responsibly. The lake is down almost 13 feet right now and dropping hourly. Had Yadkin acted responsibly, this would not have happened. The drought, though real enough, is being used as a smoke screen to hide their irresponsibility in giving equal rights for everyone in their system to enjoy the lakes. |
Wednesday, June 19th 2002 - 01:33:19 PM
| Name: | Chuck |
| Locale you are from ?: | Hickory Point |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | It is pretty apparant that Alcoa doesn't care about the property owners on High Rock Lake. The way they keep pulling water from High Rock to make power it will be at an all time low by July. Once High Rock is dry Tuckertown and Badin will be next. The only reason these lakes are still up is that the water from High Rock is refilling them after power is generated from the High Rock dam. It all boils down to making money although the drought does contribute to the problem, the water could be managed better with some loss to power generation. Duke Power has demonstrated much more concern to property owners on their lakes located on the Catawba River basin as they are better able to manage the water assests with out draining their lakes. Propery owners need to make the effort to comment on the upcoming FERC re-licensing of Alcoa to operate the hydro facilities. I would like to see a more responsible operator such as Duke operate the hydro facilities that Alcoa continues to mis-manage. |
Monday, June 17th 2002 - 11:56:53 AM
| Name: | Bill |
| Locale you are from ?: | Mudfront |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Tried to help my dad make his comment on the lake situation, but turns
out it had been received afterall. Didn't look like it went through. Sorry
to have made pretty much the same comment twice. Even if we can't DO
anything about this miserable lake situation, it's nice to know other people
are also as mad as we are. Guess misery does love company, and my dad is
pretty darn miserable right now. Dad says you can't fight Alcoa, but I'm wondering if there isn't something that can be done about this problem. He and mom retired here a couple years ago and expected to be spending their golden years in a boat, not sitting on the dock looking at the mud. The realtor didn't tell them this lake is never full. Is this something new or is it a regular thing? |
Sunday, June 16th 2002 - 04:09:17 PM
| Name: | FREDDY |
| Locale you are from ?: | MOCKSVILLE |
| E-mail address: | FREDDYSROOFING84@AOL.COM |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I don't have a place on high-rock desert like a lot of folks do. I have
fished the yadkin river/high-rock for over 30 yrs.Folks use to be able to go
to the river /put your boat in and know kindly where he or she could go by
looking at how far the water was up or down.I have put a boat in at IDOLS
DAM/CLEMMONS N.C. and went all the way to old SCOTTS LANDING before.Now you
can probaly take a 4 wheeler and do the same.There is no sense in this.I
would hate to know I had a house on high-rock desert paying high taxes/boat
payments/ect,(dirt in front of the house & a boat on the ground).I'm just a old country boy but it look's like to me if you take a 55 gallon barrel (high-rock)and knock a hole in it.No matter how much water you put in the barrel they can't but so much water come out of the hole. (THIS IS CALLED CONTROL)(ALCOA)could adjust water levels so that all of the yadkin river from WILKES on down could have water.You KNOW THIS HAS TO HURT EVERYONE EXCEPT THE (TAX COLLECTOR).GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE ON TRYING TO GET SOME WATER. FREDDY |
Sunday, June 16th 2002 - 10:54:01 AM
| Name: | Bill |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock Mudfront |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | We are now down to 11.12 feet. I note that Tuckerton is expected to
rise, which means Badin should be up a bit soon. Since it is only down 2.01
feet, it should be at full pond before long. Looks like Alcoa is getting it
nice and full for July 4th celebrations. Duke Power may have it's faults but it appears that they do try to even out their lakes. Check out Dukes lakes at: http://www.dukepower.com/content/default2.asp?wpn=DP06b1 Compare the Catawba chain of lakes with the Yadkin chain. They are also suffering through a drought, yet their lakes are not as low as High Rock. Lakes Jocassee and Keowee are real low because of work done on the Bad Creek Reservoir. They haven't been able to fill back up very quickly due to the drought. At least they have a reason to be low. |
Sunday, June 16th 2002 - 09:06:48 AM
| Name: | Jim |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock Mudfront |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | We are now down to 11.12 feet. I note that Tuckerton is expected to
rise, which means Badin should be up a bit soon. Since it is only down 1.97
feet, it should be at full pond before long. Looks like Alcoa is getting it
nice and full for July 4th celebrations. Meanwhile, our workhorse lake
appears to be bringing in the bucks for the hydroelectric they are selling.
Duke Power may have it's faults but it appears that they do try to even out their lakes. Check out Dukes lakes at: http://www.dukepower.com/content/default2.asp?wpn=DP06b1 Compare the Catawba chain of lakes with the Yadkin chain. They are also suffering through a drought, yet their lakes are not as low as High Rock. Lakes Jocassee and Keowee are real low because of work done on the Bad Creek Reservoir. They haven't been able to fill back up very quickly due to the drought. At least they have a reason to be low. |
Sunday, June 16th 2002 - 09:03:37 AM
| Name: | Gail |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock - Rowan County |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I have read the comments made by other High Rock residents and while I
have nothing more to add, I want to express my disappointment over the High
Rock water level. I can appreciate the drought situation and would not have a comment if the drought affected all the lakes and not just High Rock. Every day I check the water levels and cannot understand why we are over 11 feet low and the other lakes are barely 2 and if over 2 show fluctuation as R for expected rising. Today is the first day we were at S for stay instead of F for falling. It is gratifying to know that our mud will stay and not fall. We have our family reunion on July 4th at our house and this year for entertainment we will probably have mud wrestling instead of swimming and boating. I have used humor to cover my complete disgust with what I see from my pier and front porch. Can something be done???? |
Saturday, June 15th 2002 - 06:55:30 PM
| Name: | beth |
| Locale you are from ?: | watership downs |
| E-mail address: | duwoods@lexcominc.net |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | When high rock lake was created yadkin inc.made promises including providing recreational opportunities to citizen affected by the acquisition of land. As I stare out my window, it is obvious that yadkin is more interested in money than the promises they made years ago. They should be forced to become accountable for their obligations. If they aren't going to maintain this lake they way it should be forced to reclaim the land they have made millions on. Yadkin should have to clean this area up. They should note that mining corporations in appalachia were forced to spend millions to reclaim land they raped. Yadkin is driven by profit-it would make more sense to maintain this lake than reclaim. If they think they are untouchable and protected by lawyers and red tape, they are wrong. They should take note at what some well organized homeowners did in WVA that forced mining compainies to keep their promises. Bottom line is FIX OUR LAKE! |
Friday, June 14th 2002 - 09:06:58 PM
| Name: | ALLEN |
| Locale you are from ?: | Rockwell, NC |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | It's pretty sad that a couple of big wig from alcoa who have homes on
badin lake or tuckertown are able to dictate the water levels like they do.
I know that the drought has an affect on water levels but to pull highrock
so far down that people can't even get there boats out of the mud while
these other lakes are completely full is a shame. "Come on lets share the water" BE SAFE ON THE WATER THIS SUMMER! |
Friday, June 14th 2002 - 10:06:37 AM
| Name: | Kathleen |
| Locale you are from ?: | Denton area of High Rock Lake |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | As someone who paid big bucks to build a waterfront home, I am very
saddened to see the lake at such low levels. I moved here in '98' and
thought I'd get to enjoy a lovely lake view...instead I'm watching the lake
steadily recede while the muddy shores increase daily. This past week the
lake has gone down at an alarming rate. I've kept an eye on the lake levels
at Badin, and notice that while our lake has gone down 11 feet, Badin has
only gone down 2. Strange that the drought hits those of us who live on High
Rock much harder than those who live on Badin. Could it be that the Alcoa
executives live on Badin? Also, the Yadkin inflow statistics are the same as last year while the water levels are much lower this year than they were in 200l. Why? |
Friday, June 14th 2002 - 10:04:40 AM
| Name: | Bruce |
| Locale you are from ?: | Enochville |
| E-mail address: | brucep24@hotmail.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | What is the point in even wasing tax payer money having a lake that is useless? I've wasted a good bit of money on fishing supplies, and cant even use them. It seems Duke Power or who ever is running that pathecic excuse of recreation get there rocks off by pissing people off. Thanks a bunch. I'm glad you all can afford to take your boats out and everything, why dont you stop and think about those who cant afford boats. We like to fish too!!! And it would be nice not to have to drive an extra 15 to 20 miles just to see what water looks like. |
Monday, June 10th 2002 - 07:52:15 PM
| Name: | Gene |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock Lake/ Davidson |
| E-mail address: | mtussey@lexcominc.net |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | I just spent another weekend looking at my pontoon and floater sitting
in the mud. That's bad enough. But what is worse is watching people who
don't even live at the lake enjoying what little water there is because they
were able to put their boats, pontoon or PWC's in at the various launch
sites. |
Monday, June 10th 2002 - 05:23:30 PM
| Name: | Sandy |
| Locale you are from ?: | High Rock Lake/Davidson County |
| E-mail address: | sanjon7@cs.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Today, Sunday, 6/9/02 my husband & I went for a drive to Badin lake,
Tuckertown lake, & lake Tillary – all lakes that feed off High Rock lake. As
we had feared, & expected, all three lakes were completely full with NO red
mud visible along the shorelines and all boats were in the water & floating.
Lake home & boat owners were out in full force enjoying a beautiful day on
“their” lakes -- evidentially the “drought” has not affected these three
lakes. As we drove back to our High Rock lakefront home the sadness &
anxiety of High Rock’s water level set-in. Our boat, along with all our
neighbor’s boats, stranded in the mud, at the end of their floaters, still
at least 3 or 4 feet or more from “the lake”. To anyone who will answer, on behalf of my family and all our High Rock lake neighbors, we would like to know why this extremely low water level is being allowed--especially when the other three lakes are full--why the city/county government of Lexington/Davidson/Salisbury/Rowan is not completely mortified as to how this low water level must be depleting the local economy, and other than filling out questionnaires & sending them to the FERC, what stance can we take to protect our investments? This is truly a sad and sickening state of affairs! |
Sunday, June 9th 2002 - 05:05:57 PM
| Name: | High-Rock.com |
| Locale you are from ?: | Rowan County |
| E-mail address: | dmp@gorowan.com |
| Comments about Yadkin River !!: | Welcome to our new comments page. We see the need for all concerned persons in our area as well as visitors to the area to be able to make their voices heard. Please feel free to use this board as many times as you would like in discussing our problems with the river/lakes. Others have plenty of water, we don't. Problems with drinking and driving a boat, litter, 4 wheelers, low water, etc. can and should be addressed here. Remember, there are youth that read this page so please use good language. If you find other useful info websites about the drought or water conditions, please share them. NO business ads, please. |
Saturday, June 8th 2002 - 07:37:36 AM