ROCKY MOUNT, Va., May 27, 2011 –   For the second time in less than a week a boater has destroyed a navigation marker in an active area of Smith Mountain Lake.

            Boaters should be aware that the R-16 marker will be missing during the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The marker was located near Smith Mountain Lake State Park in what is known as the S-Curve, a high traffic area on the reservoir.

            Since the boater left the scene, Appalachian Power has no additional information on the accidental or intentional damage to the marker. However, the company’s call center was contacted by others who noticed the missing sign. The incident probably occurred last night.

            Appalachian Power workers today removed the debris as well as the broken piling below the water surface. Contractors will not be able to replace the structure and marker until Tuesday.

            On Saturday night, another boater destroyed a second navigation marker that was replaced Thursday.

            Persons who see damage to navigation markers on the reservoir should call and report it to Appalachian Power at 800-956-4237.  

            Smith Mountain Project is a 636-megawatt pumped storage hydroelectric facility that utilizes an upper reservoir (Smith Mountain Lake) and a lower reservoir (Leesville Lake).  Water stored in Smith Mountain Lake first passes through turbine-generators in the powerhouse to produce electricity and is discharged into Leesville Lake.  Most of the water is retained in Leesville Lake and pumped back into the Smith Mountain Lake for re-use.  A portion of the water goes through the turbine-generators at the Leesville powerhouse to generate additional electricity and to meet the minimum discharge requirements of the project's operating license. 

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