Talk:Smith Mountain Lake

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[edit] Peak water level?

I would like to find out what the maximum recorded water level at SML is. I've done some googling, but haven't found it. My old boss said the highest he can remember was 12 feet above full pond. I've seen it as high as a 3 feet above.

Sdblair 17:24, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

Theoretically, the highest the lake level can possibly be is whatever altitude the height of the spillway is, right? (Not that I pretend to know what that specific number is, so I can't say if the article has it right or wrong). Wahkeenah 17:40, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

That would be true if the spillway had unlimited capacity. During periods of excessive rainfall, the lake can be inundated with water beyond the spillway capacity. Even if they could open up the gates to keep the water level constant, that would cause worse flooding in Leesville lake since it has significantly less capacity (a two foot drop in SML results in a 13 foot rise in Leesville lake). Sdblair 18:55, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

  • What's needed, then, is some verifiable info on how high the lake can rise. For example, if the Roanoke goes 10 feet over normal height, that might translate to just a few inches added to the lake, due to its massive surface area compared with the upstream portion of the river. Wahkeenah 23:21, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

Here's the answer: The maximum recorded water level at SML was 799.79 feet on April 27, 1978, according to AEP's website (http://www.aep.com/environmental/recreation/hydro/smithmtn.htm). That's 4.79 feet above "full pond." The spillways at the dam are at 802.0 feet ASL. Bitshftr 00:41, 16 August 2006 (UTC)


There are alot of false info in this artical..first..who wrote this? The dam produces pumped-storage hydroelectricity. Water flows through the dam turbines into Leesville Lake during the day (high demand time) to produce supplemental electricity. Water is then pumped from Leesville lake back into Smith Mountain Lake at night (low demand time). The dam is operated by Appalachian Power, part of American Electric Power. The resulting tidelike levels from the pumpback operation decrease stagnant mosquito larva breeding pools and the lake is relatively free of mosquitos.

There are alot of mosquitos here in the summer months. And then there is the Visa Yacht Club. That club was not around in the early 90's The marina is Bernards Landing.This info can be seen at the end of the movie"what about bob" credits. Body Camp is not at the lake Body Camp is off route 24 and that inturn is like 10 miles from the lake. Flood proof? NO! In the summer of 2004 all the docks at the lake were under water.Many residences lost land due to that flood,even rip rapping did not protect some home owners.

  • Well I'm not sure who you are, since you didn't sign your comment, but it depends on your definition of the word "flood." The spillways at the dam are at 802.0 feet ASL, so the lake level cannot exceed that altitude. Granted, most docks were under water during the event of the fall of 2004, but everyone who buys a lakefront lot gets a survey that shows where the 800 foot and 802 foot contours are, so they know where the maximum possible water line is. Bitshftr 03:08, 19 September 2007 (UTC)


Does anyone know the lowest it's ever been? (i mean after it reached full pond so post 1970s) —Preceding unsigned comment added by SMLBen (talk • contribs) 21:22, 18 September 2007 (UTC)

Here's the answer: The minimum recorded water level at SML (after initially reaching full pond in 1966) was 787.60 feet on January 23, 1970, according to AEP's website (http://www.aep.com/environmental/recreation/hydro/smithmtn.htm). That's 7.4 feet below "full pond." It has also been down to just over 788 feet several times since then. Bitshftr 03:08, 19 September 2007 (UTC)