SHORELINES

Water whys As the year draws to a close, it's the perfect time to look back on the year that was. We are doing that this year with photos from the past four years along with some archival photos of past springs, summers, autumns and winters. It's amazing to me how each season can be so different on the lake but alike in their overwhelming beauty. We started 2019 celebrating the 20th year of Renew Our Rivers, and what a celebration it was. In 2019, more than 4,500 volunteers removed more than 316,000 pounds of trash and debris from Alabama lakes and rivers. Both those numbers increased over last year. Hopefully, one day those numbers will go down because fewer people are littering, but until then, it's great to see so many people care about our waterways and their communities. ere are a couple of other updates in this issue of Shorelines. A two-year project to replace the spillway gates at urlow Dam has been completed, though you might never know just by looking at the dam. e work was designed to mimic the historic look and feel of the structure. ere will be a big difference though on the dam's efficiency and control of the flow of water over the spillway. Additionally, we look at continued work being done at recreational sites at Alabama Power lakes. Earlier this year, we wrote about a new playground coming to Logan Martin. Since then, improvements have been made at several other lakes and more projects are planned for 2020. We also explore work being done to save a tiny threatened fish that can only be found in a few spots in the world, including the Coosa River. Finally, we bring the year to a close with a look at some holiday recipes for the lake house or any place you are gathering with family and friends. Enjoy! — Justin Averette Photo: Karim Shamsi-Basha 2 | 2019 Vol: 4

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