Issue link: http://alabamapower.uberflip.com/i/773046
29 Shor e l i n e S | 2016 Vol :4 found nesting in undesirable places such as utility poles or towers that require regular maintenance. "The placement of additional nesting platforms along the lakes will provide safer areas for these large predators to nest, while allowing the public more opportunities to enjoy Alabama's wildlife," she says. The osprey is found around the world and is one of the more dominant species on Alabama waterways. It is often observed diving for fish. Nests are made of large sticks and branches and can be used by the same birds for years. On top of adding the new channel markers, the three-week project also restored the existing markers to conditions acceptable to the Alabama Marine Patrol. Alabama Power installed the original markers in response to property owners, the Marine Patrol and other stakeholders to increase safety on the lakes. Some of the original markers are due to be replaced because "time, weather, high flows, floating debris – even boaters and wildlife – take a toll on the channel markers," says Keith Bryant, a senior engineer with Southern Company Generation's Hydro Services unit. "Ultraviolet rays cause fading, especially to the red markers, and metal signs begin to rust." Parker Livingston, an engineer with Southern Company who oversaw the project, says the channel markers help boaters navigate around stumps and other hazards. "They are color-coded red and green so boaters can tell where to travel safely within the lake. If you're going upstream, the red markers should be on your right and the green markers on your left," Livingston says. "The markers are also numbered in chronological order to help boaters know where they are on the lake. We think it's a real win-win to have a dual-purpose project providing aid to navigation and platforms for nesting." — SHORELINES STAFF Above left: Alabama Power Photo — A work crew sets the pole for a new opsrey nesting platform. Above middle: Alabama Power Photo — Driving the pole upon which the nesting platform will rest. Above right: Alabama Power Photo — Putting the finishing touches on the opsrey nesting platform for next year's nesting season.