Name:   caughtafew - Subject:   The "Rule" Date:   6/6/2015 10:22:11 PM

Although the lake is used for power generation that is not the primary reason they start the draw down so early.  The main reason is to lower the temperature of the water flowing past Gorgas Steam Plant on the Warrior river just below Parish.   River Water is used for cooling the Turbine condensers at that plant since they do not have cooling towers.   The river is normally cool enough and has enough normal flow until the July timeframe and then it's necessary for Alabama Power to use Smith lakes cold water to keep the  Warrior cool enough to run the turbines efficiently at Gorgas.  Otherwise the discharge water temperature from Gorgas would be too high and cause fish kills downstream of Gorgas.    Since APCo owns the lake I think there's little chance of the rule changing unless Gorgas units 8,9 & 10 shut down.   And that won't be in our lifetime.