While it may be winter, the Smith Mountain Lake Association is working to protect the watershed with a dock watch program.
This new initiative will let them monitor conditions year-round.
A harmful algal bloom in the summer of 2023 caused the Virginia Department of Health to issue a swimming advisory for the entire Blackwater arm portion, and it lasted for months.
This program was created in response to that, with a focus on monitoring the most common recreation point - the docks, instead of the main channels at the lake.
“We’re gonna have faster communication on when populations are getting high enough that we should be worried about a new harmful algal bloom in this coming season,” said Keri Green, chair of SMLA’s Lake Quality Council.
Training for volunteers is set for next month, with the dock watch program launching in early April.