Ongoing Projects
Lake Relicensing
R.L. Harris Hydroelectric Project Relicensing
Dam Facts
- Capacity: Two generators, rating 67,500 kilowatts each
- In service: 04/20/1983Area: 9,870 acres
- Type: Gravity concrete
- Length: 1,142 feet
- Maximum height: 151.5 feet
Renew Our Rivers Cleanup
Renew Our Rivers is a national award-winning campaign originated by Alabama Power in 2000 that has since grown into community cleanups on rivers, lakes and creeks across four Southeastern states. Since its start, thousands of volunteers have removed more than 16 million pounds of trash and debris from waterways.
The annual Renew Our Rivers Lake Wedowee cleanup is a joint project with Alabama Power Company and the Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association. According to the Renew Our Rivers campaign organizers, of the thirty seven lakes covered in the state, Lake Wedowee is the best organized group they work with. LWPOA members organize the annual event.
Renew Our Rivers River Cleanup Program Alabama Power Shorelines
- Elevation above sea level: 793 feet
- Area: 9,870 acres
- Shoreline: 367 miles
- Length: 29 miles
- Maximum depth at dam: 121 feet
- Area of watershed draining into reservoir: 1,454 square miles
Kids Fishing Day
Each spring, the LWPOA sponsors a Fishing Day for Kids 15 years and younger at the Rice Pavilion on Lake Wedowee. The LWPOA purchases channel catfish, from Auburn, and places them in the lake inside nets provided by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The use of the Pavilion is donated by the Rice Family.
”Kids Fishing Day” occurs every year in May on the last day of school for the Randolph County School System. This is the biggest and most fun event of the year, and takes place at the beautiful Rice Pavilion on Lake Wedowee.
500 pounds of channel catfish are purchased from the Auburn University Fisheries. The fish are delivered by Auburn, and then placed in the lake behind nets installed by the Alabama Department of Natural Resources, and secured by divers from the Randolph Co. Sheriff’s Department.
This event is made possible by very generous donations from local businesses, individuals and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resource.
Lake Safety
Wake surfing is a hot topic in the association, around the state, and the nation. Many people, organizations, and elected officials are looking for ways for wake surfers and everyone else to safely and peacefully coexist. If you are creating a large wake, be mindful of other boaters and shoreline structures. If possible, move to larger areas of the lake where your wake can dissipate. A recent study suggests up to 600 feet of distance is needed for wake surfing waves to diminish to the size of waves created by non-wake surf boats. Don’t get close to smaller boats. Those big wakes can capsize kayaks, canoes, and even small fishing boats. The Water Sports Industry Association knows that if wake surfers don’t police themselves, laws restricting them will be enacted for the protection of the larger population. So be aware, respectful, and courteous when wake surfing.
Water Quality
The cleanliness of Lake Wedowee water is consistently monitored by the LWPOA Water Quality committee to make sure your lake water is safe for full body contact sports like swimming and skiing, and for fish and fishing. The volunteers of the Water Quality committee test the water in Lake Wedowee and its tributaries, providing an invaluable service not only to association members but to the larger community of water users in our region and all our downstream neighbors. The committee has about a dozen water monitors around the lake who take monthly samples and test for chemical indicators of healthy water such as pH, dissolved oxygen, mineral content and alkalinity. Several of these volunteers also test for E. Coli bacteria that can wash into the lake. The test results, which have been collected and entered in the Auburn University Alabama Water Watch (AWW) database for many years, provide a historical record of the water that can be used to detect changes in water quality or trends water users should be aware of. If you see a potential water quality problem, or have a question about test results or data, please get in touch with the water quality chairman, Frank Varisco.