Education
The Education Committee is comprised of a group of LOPOA members who are dedicated to the health and well being of children. The Education Committee's mission is to attend school board meetings, gather information pertaining to the school system, and report back to the Lake Oconee Property Owners' Association.
Planning & Zoning
LOPOA’s Planning & Zoning Committee members attend and monitor the meetings of the Putnam County Planning & Zoning Board, held on the first Thursday of each month. The committee also follows and reports on any matters which are sent to the county commissioners, such as requests for zoning changes.
Water Monitoring
Lake Oconee Water Watch
COOPERATING ORGANIZATIONS:
Lake Oconee Property Owners' Association, Georgia Power Company, Georgia Lakes Society, Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, Environmental Protection Agency, Georgia College & State University Department of Biology and Environmental Services
PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
Lake Oconee is a 19,000-acre Georgia Power Company impoundment on the Oconee River in the Piedmont area of Georgia. Formed in 1978, it has been a popular and productive recreational fishery. Recently, growth and development has accelerated to the point where the Lake Oconee Property Owners' Association (LOPOA) membership is concerned about maintaining the current water quality and determining whether current water quality is acceptable for water contact recreation throughout the lake.
Point source pollution sites in the watershed are primarily the cities of Athens and Greensboro. Non-point source loading of nutrients, bacteria, and sediments are thought to be from lakeside housing developments as well as cattle and dairy operations in the watershed. The volunteer monitoring project samples water from lake areas influenced by both types of loading.
Volunteers with LOWW sample 27 lake sites on a monthly basis.
In addition to visual observations and secchi transparency the following water quality parameters are sampled at each location at 1 meter, at 4 meters, and at 8-meter depths: temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, total dissolved solids (conductivity). On a periodic basis, tests are also conducted to determine levels of nitrates, phosphorus and chlorophyll A.
The data are tabulated and made available to Georgia Power Company, LOPOA, and Georgia Adopt-A-Stream. In conjunction with Georgia Power Company and the local counties, LOWW utilizes the data to help develop and promote a comprehensive lake management plan for Lake Oconee. The long-term nature of this monitoring enables the local residents to ascertain changes in water quality and determine whether the management goals are being achieved. LOWW has committed to providing trained volunteers to continue the project and actively updates its members and the local community on the data being taken. An annual report is submitted to Georgia EPD that documents equipment purchased, sites sampled, data collected, and other pertinent information.
Janet Pearson chairs Lake Oconee Water Watch and current members include:
North Team: Coordinator - Nell Pate; Charlie Pate, Jim Burton, Janet Peterson, Dewey Peterson, Bill Ronay, Marty Loeffler
Central Team: Coordinator - Susan Hess; Gary Hess, Anna Haslbauer, Vanna Wood, Janet Pearson, Frank Whitten, Sylbie Yon
South Team: Coordinator - Jim Wagner; Jeanne Wagner, Don Cottrell, Carol Cottrell, Bud Allen, Peggy Allen, Doug McAfee, Palmer Thomas, Bob Perkins, Roy Prater
Richland Creek Team: Coordinator and Equipment Manager - JoAnne Delles; Dave Sharpe, Jim Gillespie, Margaret Gillespie
Monthly & Annual Reports: Bob Hooson, Dianne McAfee
For more information, contact: LOWW, P.O. Box 4046, Eatonton, Georgia 31024 or Janet Pearson at [email protected].