I understand that the Corps has ordered a temporary stop to releases from Lake Thurmond while rain run-off swells streams below the dam. That's great but it's not enough. The lake jumped up over 2ft with the recent much needed rains but we are still way too low for viability of interests around the lake. And although the Corps has finally done something right they don't deserve our gratitude. It's like a thief has temporarily stopped stealing your money. Gratitude is not what comes to mind.
Instead of thanking the Corps and our local politicians for recent actions, we need to demand further action from both to get the lake level corrected permanently. What is happening is comparable to the taxation without representation that precipitated the American Revolution. No where have we been represented in determining how to manage lake levels. In the future those of us with lake interests need to demand that any politician running for office in this area state their position on lake level controls. Did Shane Massey or Gresham Barrett or either of our state senators ever state a position on lake level management? And even more to the point are any of these guys doing anything concrete to change things for the better?
If we don't act now by getting involved with petitions stating changes that would help and talking to our politicians about future permanent solutions we may lose our beautiful (until the recent drought) lakes. This would be a shame. Lakes Thurmond and Hartwell could be a very important asset to the CSRA and the Anderson/Clemson areas. But not until the people with lake interests can be assured that the level control problem has been solved. At present most of the people that used to come to Lake Thurmond have shifted to the coast and other bodies of water for investments and recreation. I assume similar affects are being felt in the Anderson/Clemson areas. It would be criminal to allow this to continue.
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