| Smith Mountain Lake | |
|---|---|
| Location | Bedford, Franklin, and Pittsylvania counties, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 37°03′26″N79°35′47″W / 37.05722°N 79.59639°WCoordinates: 37°03′26″N79°35′47″W / 37.05722°N 79.59639°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | |
| Primary outflows | Roanoke River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 32 sq mi (83 km2)[1] |
| Average depth | 55 ft (17 m)[1] |
| Max. depth | 250 ft (76 m)[1] |
| Water volume | 2.8 km3 (2,300,000 acre⋅ft)[1] |
| Shore length1 | 500 mi (800 km) |
| Surface elevation | 795 ft (242 m)[2] |
| References | [1][2] |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
- Smith Mountain Lake Slot Limit Map
- Smith Mountain Lake Striper Slot Limit
- Smith Mountain Lake Real Estate
- Smith Mountain Lake Map
'Is Smith Mountain Lake a healthy fishery? Yes, it is now,' Wilson said. Biologists, as well as members of the Striper Club, have worked vigorously, through slot and creel limits as well as other means, to restore striper numbers and size in the six years since the massive striper kill.
Smith Mountain Lake is a large reservoir in the Roanoke Region of Virginia,[3] located southeast of the City of Roanoke and southwest of Lynchburg. The lake was created in 1963 by the Smith Mountain Dam impounding the Roanoke River. The majority of the south shore of the lake lies in Franklin County while a small portion, including access to the dam, lies in Pittsylvania County. Bedford County makes up the northern half of the lake with the Roanoke River as the dividing line. The lake has become a popular recreation spot and has also experienced significant development in the last decade. It is the largest lake contained entirely within the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- 1History
History[edit]
Initial proposals were made in the late 1920s to dam the Roanoke River and the Blackwater River at the Smith Mountain gorge to generate electricity. Construction on the Smith Mountain Dam began in 1960 and was completed in 1963. The lake reached its normal water level in March 1966. The lake covers 20,600 acres (83 km2) and has over 500 miles (800 km) of shoreline. The north shore of the lake lies entirely in Bedford County.
Located along the lake shore at Wirtz, Virginia is the Gwin Dudley Home Site, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.[4]
Development[edit]
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the area around Smith Mountain Lake remained rural and remote with tobacco farms and other agriculture. Marinas provided the bulk of public access in the early years of the lake. The limited early residential developments around the lake consisted largely of small trailer parks and modest houses. However, residential growth has been steady since the mid-1980s and increasingly upscale with large lakefront houses, condominiums, and communities centered on golf courses. The lake has attracted many who commute to Roanoke and Lynchburg and many retirees, many of whom have relocated from the Northeast. By the late 1990s, the number and affluence of the new residents resulted in the construction of new retail and commercial developments near the lake. Recent shoreline development has been limited to residential construction. With the enactment of Federal oversight of shoreline development in 1998 coupled with soaring real estate values, there is an escalating loss of public access to the lake as the lake's marinas are sold for residential development.
State Route 122 is the only primary highway that crosses the lake, though State Route 24, State Route 116, and State Route 40 are nearby.
Licensing[edit]
American Electric Power (AEP) is licensed to operate the Smith Mountain Project by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The initial license term was for fifty years. In 1998, AEP began the process of relicensing. Under the requirements of relicensing, AEP was required to perform numerous studies to determine management requirements during the upcoming license term. In December, 2009 the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted Appalachian Power a new license to operate the hydro-electricity plant. The new 30-year license replaces the original 50-year license and addresses recreational and environmental management.
Shoreline management[edit]
In 1998, the FERC required AEP to devise and implement a shoreline management plan. The Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) limits the development of all property within the 'project boundary.' Local zoning regulations have been effectively superseded by the SMP regulations. AEP acts as the permitting agency. Any variance requests are reviewed by interested State and Federal agencies such as Virginia Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries. Disagreements must first proceed to the FERC, then be appealed through the Federal Judicial System.
Geography[edit]
The area lies in a broad valley nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of rural south-central Virginia. Before the lake's creation, farming and logging were the primary industries. Communities around the lake include Moneta, Huddleston, Union Hall, White House, Penhook and Goodview. There is a post office located at 1080 Tolers Ferry Rd, Huddleston, VA 24104. The Booker T. Washington National Monument is near the west end of the lake.
The level of the lake normally varies by one to two feet (0.3 to 0.6 m) during the day and night, as water flows through (and is pumped back through) the dam. The normal maximum level of the lake (also known as 'full pond') is regulated to 795 feet (242 m) above sea level. The normal observed level (also known as 'normal pond') is 794.2 feet (242.1 m). The level can be significantly lower during periods of extended drought. Lake levels were sometimes about six feet (1.8 m) below normal during the years 2001 to 2003, after five years of below-average rainfall.
Recreation and public access[edit]
Smith Mountain Lake has become a popular recreational area. Boating, water skiing, wakeboarding, riding personal watercraft, and sailing are common activities as is fishing, especially for striped bass. The lake has hosted several professional fishing tournaments. Smith Mountain Lake State Park opened in 1983 and provided a beach and a section for swimming. Golf at one of the four nearby courses is a popular landside activity.
The majority of access to the lake is through private residential property. About a dozen private marinas provide various public access opportunities, which may be fee-based or free (through some have been recently converted to private, residential developments due to economic and regulatory pressure.) The fee-based state park (located on the Bedford County side, off Smith Mountain Parkway), the free Smith Mountain Community Park (located on the Franklin County side of the lake) and six government-managed boat launching ramps also provide public access.
In popular culture[edit]
- The 2012 independent film Lake Effects features Smith Mountain Lake. It's a fictional tale of a family raised on and later returning to the lake. The dramatic comedy first aired on the Hallmark Movie Channel during May 2012.
- The lake was featured prominently in the 1991 movie comedy What About Bob?, directed by Frank Oz and starring Bill Murray, Richard Dreyfuss and Julie Hagerty. It served as the stand-in for Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire.
- Smith Mountain Lake is a setting in 'Mind Over Matter,' an episode of the TV series The Outer Limits, which features actor Mark Hamill.[5]
References[edit]
- ^ abcde'Smith Mountain Lake'. Archived from the original on 2008-12-21. Retrieved 2008-05-22.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
- ^ ab'Virginia's No Discharge Zones'. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. June 21, 2007. Archived from the original on September 27, 2009. Retrieved 2007-11-18.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
- ^'Home - Roanoke Regional Partnership'. Roanoke Regional Partnership.
- ^'National Register Information System'. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^'The Outer Limits - Mind Over Matter'. SciFi. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015.
External links[edit]
- SML Dam website (Appalachian Power)
- Graph of SML water levels, tracked by hour (donation-based website)
Smith Mountain Lake - Dgif.virginia.gov
Smith Mountain Lake . 2016 . Smith Mountain Lake is a 20,600-acre impoundment located near Roanoke, Virginia. The new protective slot limit was adjusted in 2016 to 30-40 inches (only for the months of Nov-May), up from 26-36 inches initiated in 2006. ... Access Full Source
SOUTH DAKOTA - Game Fishing Parks
Age-0 gizzard shad were collected using a Smith-Root electrofishing boat during the day on August 19, Stockade Lake is owned by the State of South Dakota and lies within the boundaries of Custer minimum length limit for largemouth bass was established in 1995 in hopes of ... Read Document
Mille Lacs Ice Fishing Walleyes - YouTube
Mille Lacs Ice Fishing Walleyes Buck N Bass Outdoors. Subscribe Subscribed (ranging from 12-18 inches) but only one that was within the slot limit. Any more questions? Make sure to leave a comment below Lake of the Woods Outdoorsman January 2016 - Ice Fishing ... View Video
Coastal Fish - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
Coastal fish, also called inshore fish or neritic fish, lake; river; Fish; Hyporheic zone; Limnology; Lake stratification; Macrophyte; Pond. Fish pond; Rheotaxis; Slot limit; Bycatch; Discards; Incidental catch; Cetacean bycatch; Turtle excluder device; ... Read Article
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Using credit cards has become a way of life. Almost 70 years ago, Harold's Club casino owner Pappy Smith had little signs made that said: and more hands of blackjack or more pulls on the slot machine handle falls into this category. ... Read Article
Wild Fisheries - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
Wild fisheries flourish in oceans, lakes, Wabamun Lake in Alberta, Canada, once the best whitefish lake in the area, Slot limit; Bycatch; Discards; Incidental catch; Cetacean bycatch; Turtle excluder device; Shrimp-Turtle case; EU quotas; EU MLS; ... Read Article
Thoughts On Spotted Bass - School Of Forest Resources ...
Thoughts on spotted bass high-quality spotted bass fishery with a slot limit is Lewis Smith Lake in Alabama, where anglers are encouraged to keep spotted bass less than 13 inches. Alabama DNR reports some positive influence of the slot limit at this lake. ... Access Full Source
Smith Mountain Lake Slot Limit Map
NORTHWEST MONTANA NORTHERN PIKE WATERS
Blanchard Lake * 30 22 02 S of Whitefish 143 B Good size range, slot limit Boyle Lake 31 22 07 NW of Whitefish 46 D Long walk-in, good size range Brenneman Slough 28N Smith Lake 27 22 00 W of Kalispell 400 B Fishing dock, small to medium pike ... Retrieve Doc
Statewide Lake And Large River Electrofishing Survey
Statewide Lake and Large River Electrofishing Survey Updated: to by name in the tables (e.g. Smith-Root, Coffelt, and Kann). “Dueling” Shocking Boats Trophy Bass Management Lake - 12-18” slot limit initiated Jan 2002 ... Read Full Source
Waubay Lake, South Dakota Angler Use And Harvest Surveys ...
Angler Use and Harvest Surveys December 2004 – August 2006 by Brian G. Blackwell, Ryan J. Braun, Nathan Smith, and Ryan Wendinger. iii Executive Summary 2002. On January 1, 2003 the Waubay Lake walleye daily limit was decreased from four to two fish and on January 1, ... Read Content
2014 Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary Zone 17
Recreational Fishing Regulations 2014 85 ZONE 17 SPECIES OPEN SEASONS LIMITS between the southerly limit of the C.N.R. right-of-way and Lake Ontario. EXCEPTIONS TO ZONE 17 REGULATIONS . Lake - Smith and Harvey Twps., Fish sanctuary - no fishing from ... View Doc
Fishing Seasons And Rules 2016-2018
Smith Lake Spirit Lake Spokane River Trestle Creek and tributaries Upper Priest Lake and tributaries • No limit on lake trout, lake trout can be possessed in the field or in transit with head removed • Cutthroat trout limit is 0, ... Fetch Document
Volume 19, Issue 1 - Register.dls.virginia.gov
Limits into one combined regulation section in a table format; (ii) establish a 14- to 20-inch bass slot limit from the Buck Dam on New River in Carroll County downstream to the Claytor Lake Dam, the limit shall be five than 20 inches Smith Mountain Lake and its ... Fetch Here
Smith Mountain Lake Striper Slot Limit
2016 DNR Spring Rule Hearings - WCC County Meetings 11:47 AM ...
2016 DNR Spring Rule Hearings - WCC County Meetings Summary of Results Statewide by Question 27 Round Lake bass protected slot: 1183 362: Yes 67: 3 1: 1 28: Hodge Lake panfish bag limit 1185: 424 Yes: Smith Lake, Spider Lake Chain bass no minimum length limit 1076: 244 Yes: ... View This Document
2012-2105 Fishing Regulations
2012-2105 Fishing Regulations lake trout, or lake whitefish in Flathead Lake (4) o Take the slot limit off (or modify) for lake trout (4) Rescind rule on ice shelters on Lake Helena and Hauser (2) Smith River from Camp Baker to Eden Bridge should have a combined trout limit of 3 ... Read Content
Michigan Department Of Natural Resources
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Northern Pike Fishing Regulations 1 Respondents somewhat supported the protected slot limit (PSL) and were neutral towards the no-MSL regulation Smith, K., J. Diana, and M. Thomas. ... Fetch Doc
EFFECTS OF STRIPED BASS STOCKING ON LARGEMOUTH BASS, AND
Black bass consumed by striped bass were less than the 330-381 mm slot limit on Lewis Smith Lake, and striped bass consumption of these black bass provided an additional mechanism to reduce small black bass. Although striped bass did consume some black ... Get Doc
CREEL (HARVEST) AND LENGTH LIMITS
CREEL AND LENGTH LIMIT GEOGRAPHIC EXCEPTIONS CREEL OR LENGTH LIMITS FOR EXCEPTIONS Bass Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted 5 per day in the aggregate (combined) Smith Mt. Lake and its tributaries below Niagara Dam Only 2 of 5 bass less than 14 inches ... Fetch Full Source
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Cheap and Free Things to Do in Las Vegas: Bellagio Fountains. Lake of Dreams at Wynn Las Vegas 19 RETNA, Kenny Scharf and Shinique Smith. Check Las Vegas Hotel Deals on TripAdvsior. Take a look at some pictures of the free art at Cosmopolitan Las Vegas. 5 of 22 . ... Read Article
Smith Mountain Lake Real Estate
Notice Of Proposed Changes In Regulations
Notice of Proposed Changes in Regulations NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Fish and Game Commission - Increase Smith River minimum flow trigger from 400 cfs to 600 cfs. The slot limit regulation was enacted at Lake Oroville to promote the harvest of redeye bass, ... Read Full Source
Smallmouth Bass Management In The New River, Virginia: A Case ...
To conditions indicative of a more healthy population subsequent to the implementation of a 279- to 356-mm protected slot limit in in 1987 to a 279- to 356-mm protected slot limit with a five per day creel limit (Smith and Kauffman 1991 anglers on the New River below Claytor Lake ... Access Full Source
Smith Mountain Lake Map
FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT PROCEDURAL MANUAL CHAPTER 2 ...
FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT PROCEDURAL MANUAL CHAPTER 2 FISHING REGULATIONS A 12-15 inch bass slot limit is in effect; see paragraph 2007.2. MCB launch sites on Smith Lake Road (see figure 2-1) and the MCB, ... Retrieve Full Source