Water Levels At The Lake Are Dropping

Lack of significant rainfall continues to be a major factor for the declining level of water at Smith Mountain Lake. According to the Smith Mtn Eagle, the watershed for the Lake is experiencing a dry spell which means less water is flowing into SML from its tributaries, including the Roanoke River and other smaller streams. Appalachian Power has reduced the amount of water it is releasing from the Smith Mountain Project, yet under terms of their license agreement with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, they are required to maintain certain flows downstream.