Welcome to the blog of the...

Thanks Volunteers!

2011-10-15T19:10:00.005-04:00

Thanks to those that were able to do their part this morning to keep our lake clean and litter free.

Hope to see you this Thursday at:

‎2nd Annual Wine For Water Wine Tasting & Fundraiser

Did you know that our lake association is a supporting member of the Gills Creek Watershed Association (GCWA)? Join Us Thursday, October 20, 2011 - 6:30-9pmThis event will be held at the Rockbridge Club on Spring Lake in Forest Acres, and will showcase a diverse selection of domestic and imported wines.Specialists will be on hand to discuss the wine, and purchase opportunities will be available. Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be catered by Spotted Salamander. Come learn about the work and vision of the Gills Creek Watershed Association! Tickets are $30 per person in advance. $40 the day of the event. Children are free!All proceeds from this event will benefit the annual operations of the Gills Creek Watershed Association.Sponsored by Fuss and O'Neill Engineers and Grimball Cotterill Landscape Architects.Call 727-8326 for tickets and more information, or see the Wine For Water page.Gills Creek Watershed Association Annual Meeting. GCWA will hold its annual meeting at 5:30pm before the Wine For Water event. Everyone is invited to attend. We will be reviewing our accomplishments during 2011 and discussing plans for 2012. GCWA members will be voting for members of the board of directors.

CARPe Diem!

2011-10-03T07:14:00.001-04:00

looks like the carp are still calling Upper Rockyford Lake home.

Join Us Oct. 15th to Toss the Trash

2011-09-30T22:51:00.002-04:00

We will gather on the spillway Saturday morning, October 15th, 2011, 9 a.m. to conduct our Fall litter pickup as part of our involvement in Keep the Midlands Beautiful's Adopt a Waterway program. We will supply trash bags and you can pick up litter that morning or anytime throughout the day. Place bags and other trash collected at the corner of Percival and Overcreek, and the trash truck will pick it up Monday.

Hope to see you then!

May 4th Lake Association Spring Meeting-RCPL

2011-03-22T10:32:00.006-04:00

We have confirmed a meeting space at the Cooper branch of the Richland County Public Library and we will meet May 4, 2011, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The board has developed an agenda for this meeting and topics include: Volunteers sought for lake board; Financial report/expenditures; Major progress made on lake restoration/dam repair this year; Wildlife enhancement on the lake; affirming the lake bylaws; setting dates for lake litter cleanups/Gills Creek Watershed Association membership; Facebook page for our association. Don't miss this important meeting and meet new neighbors/catch up with old friends. By the way, we now have a Facebook (FB) page. If you are on FB, send a friend request to Amy Overstreet (allimaxwell@earthlink.net) and I'll send you an invite to our page. See you May 4th!

Click here to view the May 4th meeting invite: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0ByXNd1QUSsOrMTNhY2Q0NDItZTAyOS00ODEzLTk4MjktZjQ1ZjA3MzYxMGNh&hl=en&authkey=CMWnj0s

March 5th Adopt A Waterway Lake Cleanup

2011-03-06T11:18:00.004-05:00

A big thanks to Buford Goff, Maurice Duperre, Thom Bristol and son, Gerald and Margaret Crawley, and Pam Greenlaw of the Gills Creek Watershed Association for coming out Saturday morning to help us pick up litter in the lake and along Percival Road. We found lots of trash, including bottles, hubcaps, plastic, fast food containers, etc.

See you on May 4th at our annual meeting!

Thanks, Amy O.

Important Dates Coming Up on Upper Rockyford

2011-02-02T20:43:00.002-05:00

MARCH 5th, 2011: Adopt-a-Waterway Lake Litter Pickup Meet at 8:30 a.m. on the bridge to pick up trash bags and help us clean up the shoreline (which is loaded with trash!).

MAY 4th, 2011: Upper Rockyford Lake Homeowner's Association Spring Meeting, location to be announced. 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Snow on Overcreek...Again!

2011-01-10T12:19:00.003-05:00

Global Warming? I think not :) Enjoy the snow!

Fish Restocking Has Begun

2010-11-23T11:37:00.004-05:00

Great news lake residents (especially those of that miss fishing on the lake)! Wade Bales of Quality Lakes, Inc., began a three phase restocking plan last Thursday when he put 13,000 bluegill/redear fingerlings into Upper Rockyford Lake. The lake will be mapped in December, and then in the Spring and Summer of 2011, we will have fathead minnows and largemouth bass fingerlings stocked. Alas, our fish population will make a comback!

Out with the Old....In With the New....

2010-10-03T15:49:00.005-04:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We have a new gate mechanism, 90% complete.

Chuck has to re-order the part of the crank mechanism, but that part is being shipped second day air and should be completely installed by Wednesday evening (October 6th).

You should see the lake level rising in the meantime.

Come by and take a look at the new arrangement. I am pleased, and I think you will be too.

Best Regards,

Tom Teuber,
Upper Rockyford Lake Homeowners Association
President

P.S. from Amy: If you have time, please take a moment to get out on foot along the shoreline, or by boat, and collect some litter that has risen to the top of the lake. There's lots of it but if we all pitch in, we can get rid of it and keep our lake crystal clean!! Thanks!

Adopt A Waterway Fall Cleanup 2010

2010-09-18T14:17:00.011-04:00

A great way to spend Saturday morning working together with neighbors to clean up our lake and get rid of some of the trash and debris that has been submerged in our lake for many years. Thanks to the 15 or so volunteers who came out. Your help was most appreciated, and your efforts resulted in collection of lots of trash. We might do it again soon after the water level rises as some of the trash we didn't get may rise to the top. Hopefully tower repair will begin next week. Again, thanks for pitching in, and we'll see ya around the lake

The Drawdown of Upper Rockyford

2010-09-13T20:04:00.002-04:00

The lake improvement plan is definitely in progress. It might not be so pretty now, but what we are doing with this project will ensure the safety and health of our lake for years to come. I see lots of trash and debris in the lake bed that we can work together to clean out on Saturday. If anyone has any photos they want to share, send them to me and I'll post them on the blog!

Lake Draw Down/Tower Repair BEGINS TODAY!

2010-09-06T08:30:00.003-04:00

Greetings from your lake board!

A few reminders about some very exciting things that will begin today on Upper Rockyford Lake. Today we begin a process to improve, protect, and ensure the safety and health of our lake.

1. Lake level will gradually begin dropping today through the first Saturday in October. As pictured in the photos, Thom Bristol, Tom Teuber, and Wesley Graybill got busy on Labor Day and began removing the fencing around tower to enable the water level to drop--and it worked. Now is the time for you to repair shorelines, walls, docks, etc. Remember: homeowners cannot extend their dry ground property into the lake. Also, if you have a floating dock, please make provisions for the drop in water to protect your dock.
2. Engineering for the removal and refitting of the outflow tower gate will begin week of Sept. 13th.
3. The lake level will be raised to half full to test the new gate before completely filling the lake.
4. One of the reasons for delaying the refill of the lake is so that we can also clean the lake bed. So please come out on September 18th, 8:30 a.m., meet on the spillway, and get ready to clean out the lake. There's no telling what we might find in there! Don't forget your mud boots. ALternate rain date will be SEpt. 25th.
5. October 2nd is the day the water level will begin returning to full level.

See you out on the lake! Happy Labor Day!

Wesley's Memorial Day Catch!

2010-06-01T10:58:00.003-04:00

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

"Three-fourths of the Earth's surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn."

-Chuck Clark

Okay, so Upper Rockyford is still populated with acquatic life. Wesley Graybill proved this on Monday, May 31st, when he caught this 4-pounder!

Upper Rockyford in the Spring

2010-04-24T16:52:00.001-04:00

My favorite time at the lake. The temps are warm, the flowers are blooming, the grass is green, the birds are chirping, the sun is bright, and the fish put up a good fight! They are bitin'! Get out there and have fun.

Spring Meeting is a Success!

2010-04-15T07:20:00.005-04:00

Thanks to these families for attending last night's Spring Homeowner's Meeting: Maxwell, Teuber, Bristol, Fields, Lindsey, Brown, Korn, Myerson, Crawley, Howard, Gibson, Jones, Gibbons, Kummer, Goff, Banker, Myerson, and the Haynsworths.

We had a great discussion ably led by Board President Tom Teuber, and three important resolutions were voted upon.

Topics of the evening included repair of the tower, implementation of a fish and wildlife management plan, purchase of liability and director's/officers insurance for board members, and concluded with a vote on the bylaws.

Also discussed were the association's involvement and support of the Gills Creek Watershed Association (GCWA) of which Upper Rockyford is a sponsor--http://www.gillscreekwatershed.com/sponsors.html.

We also discussed our involvement in the Keep the Midlands Beautiful Adopt a Waterway Program. Our next litter pickup is scheduled for June 19th.

The three resolutions were voted upon and passed, so that means that our tower will be renovated (Fall 2010), thus ensuring the safety of our property as well as our residents and neighbors, and we will be working on ensuring that our fish and wildlife species have sustainable habitat and want to stick around Upper Rockyford. It's one of the things that makes living on the lake such a privilege.

See ya around the lake!

Lake Cleanup Makes a Difference!

2010-03-07T20:05:00.009-05:00

Thanks to everyone who came out March 6th, 2010, to help pick up litter in our lake and along Percival Road. Your efforts made a difference, and your energy, time, and enthusiasm paid off. Thanks for pitching in to do your part for our beautiful neighborhood. Thanks to these families for having one or more representatives at the cleanup:
The Maxwells; The Teubers; The Jones; The Graybills; The Bristols; The Grants; The Goffs; The Duperres; The Chambers; The Gibsons; and The Coles!

The next cleanup will be in early June.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER!

2010-03-02T07:35:00.001-05:00

To All Homeowners on Upper Rockyford Lake,

Greetings from your Lake Board-

This letter concerns Upper Rockyford Lake and its care, and includes plans that your Lake Board has to improve the long term health, beauty, and value of our commonly-owned lake. We encourage you to take the time to read through this letter thoroughly.

The Lake Board is announcing a meeting of all lake homeowners on the evening of April 14th from 7:00 until 8:30 P.M. at the Cooper Branch of the Richland County Public Library. Please reserve the date on your calendars. We hope that you can attend.

There are three important resolutions that the board will bring to the homeowners for a vote that evening:

1. The Lake Board has made the determination to have our outflow gate overhauled. The metal on our current gate has been deteriorating significantly over the last few years. The refitting of the gate will require a significant capital expenditure, which requires a vote by lake residents. This operation will require a complete draw-down of our lake during the month of September or October of this year. The cost for this repair is estimated to be approximately $20,000.

As a part of the same resolution, and in response to concerns about the draw-down's impact on recreational fishing, we propose to put into place a long term fish and wildlife management plan for our lake. Specific details regarding this plan will be outlined and mailed to homeowners prior to the April meeting. A large part of the long-term plan includes measures for stocking the lake with game fish. We believe that having a continuing wildlife management plan will add significant value to every home on our lake.

2. The Lake Board has reviewed our bylaws and sees a need to purchase insurance to cover the lake and its homeowners against any liability or potential litigation that may be present because of the risks associated with water and the structure of the outflow gate and dam. Requirements to purchase insurance coverage (for homeowners and the board) is included in the bylaws, and is also seen as a part of good stewardship of the lake, though it will require an annual expenditure as well.

3. Board members have reviewed information in the lake bylaws and feel a need to re-broadcast the bylaws to all current lake residents, so that all homeowners have a clear understanding of the language contained in it. Please take time to review the document prior to our April 14th meeting by visiting the blog at the link below, or let me know of you would prefer a copy of them e-mailed to you.

These are big plans that will benefit all homeowners. Each part has support of the board. Now here is some good news: The implementation of these resolutions will not require any additional extra fee or assessments. Our careful stewardship of funds over the last few years has allowed us to have on hand the needed funds to make these improvements without any need for asking for extra funding from homeowners, and while allowing emergency reserves to remain in place. We have built up a war-chest to make these improvements, and now need the lake resident's approval to move forward. At no additional cost.

The Lake Board feels that we all have a vested interest in maintaining the health and beauty of our commonly owned property, Upper Rockyford Lake. Each homeowner benefits from his or her joint ownership of this property, and from the way that living on a lake benefits them. All I need to do to be reminded of this is to look out of my back door each day. I will also take a moment to be quite direct: no one else owns this lake but the homeowners on it; if we do not take steps to take plan for its care and upkeep, no one else will.

Please take a moment to mark your calendar for the night of April 14, when we meet at the Library. If you have a significant scheduling conflict, a proxy form will be mailed to you for your use.

On another, closer note:

As part of our involvement as an official group in the Keep the Midlands Beautiful Adopt a Waterway program, our lake association agreed to conduct 3 lake cleanups throughout the year. On Saturday, March 6th we will conduct an Upper Rockyford Lake clean up to coincide with the Midlands Makeover, which starts March 1st and goes through May. In 2008 our lake association won an award from Keep the Midlands Beautiful because of our successful lake cleanup on March 1, 2008. I hope we have a similar success on March 6th. Meet on the dam on Overcreek Road between 9-9:30 a.m. to get your supply of trash bags, gloves, litter pick-up-sticks, and to sign in. We need plenty of folks to clean up the lake by canoe, by foot along the shoreline, and also to target the litter-strewn stretch of Percival Road that borders the lake. The city will come by and haul off all the trash we collect the following Monday, so I hope to have a big pile for them.

Again, take a moment right now to mark your calendars. We look forward to seeing you on March 6, and again on April 14.

Feel free to e-mail questions or concerns to us at my e-mail : tteuber@sc.rr.com

We hope that you are ready to enjoy the coming springtime on Upper Rockyford Lake.

All the Best,

Tom Teuber,

For the Upper Rockyford Lake Board

Thom Bristol,
Geri Fields,
Ken Grant,
Wesley Graybill,
John Lindsey,
Amy Maxwell,
Greg Maxwell,
Tom Teuber,

Buford Goff, (ex-officio)

SNOWvercreek 2010!

2010-02-13T19:54:00.004-05:00

Post your photos of snow on Upper Rockyford Lake. What a fun day!!!!!

DECEMBER 5th LITTER PICKUP-JOIN US!

2009-10-31T23:27:00.001-04:00

FOCUS OF DEC. 5th LITTER PICKUP:

Percival Road from Decker to Overcreek.

The litter on Percival is an eyesore, is degrading the water quality in our lake, and ultimately effects property values. Board member Wesley Graybill agreed to spearhead this Percival Road cleanup, and his call to action inspired the board members, and hopefully you all as well, to get it cleaned up and keep it clean.

We hope to engage other folks in our neighborhood as well (not just those that live on the lake) so tell your neighbors that we will soon be establishing a recurring Percival Road litter cleanup, the first Saturday of each month.

This will begin on December 5th, 2009, 8:30 a.m., as we come together to tackle this serious problem. Meet at the corner of Percival/Overcreek that morning to pitch in, and bring your neighbors. The more folks we have, the bigger our impact.

We will be distributing a flyer about this cleanup effort, but just wanted to give you a heads up.

Thanks for helping to make our neighborhood a clean, safe, and beautiful place to live.

Researching Our Options....

2009-10-30T20:25:00.004-04:00

As discussed at this week's Lake Board meeting, here is a DNR produced guide to pond management. Might be good reading material to educate us on the issues we need to consider as we decide what/when/how to protect and improve the safety/liability, fish habitat, and water quality of Upper Rockyford...
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/fish/pdf/pondmanagement.pdf

Here is a quote that John Lindsey got for fish restocking in our pond.....

FISHMAN FARMS, LLC, "QUIT WISHIN'…START FISHIN'"
QUOTE
1153 SC HWY 121
SILVERSTREET, SC 29145
Phone 803-276-2070 OR 803-944-3058
DATE: 11/2/2009
To: John Lindsey

This is an advanced pond stocking. All fish are in inventory and can be delivered within 3 weeks.

1. Bluegill Bream, 12500, 3" to 5' at 0.75=$9,375.00

2. Largemouth Bass, 1250, 3" at $1.3=$1,625.00

3. Sterile Grass Carp, 150, 8" to 10" at 11=$1,650.00

Sub Total=$12,650.00
Free Delivery

Total=$12,650.00
=
30% Discount=-$3,795.00

Final Quote Total:
$8,855.00
This quote is the total for Pond Stocking and Delivery, all payments due upon receipt.

Creating an identity for our group

2009-10-29T18:43:00.003-04:00

Last night at the Upper Rockyford Lake Homeowners Association Board Meeting, the group voted to officially pledge support to the Gills Creek Watershed Association http://www.gillscreekwatershed.com/
by becoming a sponsor in the amount of $500. This means that our association will be recognized on all promotional materials published regarding GCWA, and we will get mention on the website, in their monthly newsletter, etc. I am glad that the board decided to do this, as the GCWA is really getting ready to do some great things to protect and improve the watershed in which we live and work.

I drafted up a logo to give us an identity, and welcome any comments/suggestions, etc. NOTE: the logo above is posted in low resolution, so that actual logo will appear much crisper/sharper.

Thanks!

Boatloads of Trash Collected Today

2009-07-18T22:29:00.011-04:00

Thanks Upper Rockyford Lake Neighbors for coming out today in support of our Adopt-a-Waterway (our 2nd one this year) effort which is going a long way toward keeping our lake clean and safe.

We had great turnout this morning, and at least three families hit the shoreline in canoes and kayaks, while some neighbors chose to stay on land and clean up the streets. Thanks to family members of the Teuber, Maxwell, Bristol, Graybill, Goff, and Crawley families, and anyone else who pitched in to help today.

We collected and disposed of an interesting assortment of stuff, as usual. From shoes, hats, deflated basketballs, coffee cans, loads of liquor bottles and beer cans, and more fast food wrappers than we could count. But, perhaps the award for the most bizarre find of the day goes to Andrew and Wesley Graybill who discovered a case full of unopened Bud Light beer stashed on the street corner! This Bud's for you!

2009-07-16T08:05:00.003-04:00

Greg has arranged for the Lake Board to meet with a prospective contractor on the dam next Wednesday evening, July 22, at 6:00 to discuss a refitting of the control tower.

If we can get a contractor who can answer our questions, we can begin the process of repairing that ruin of a gate. This is a huge step, and if we do it right, the new gate can stand in place for another fifty years, and help make sure that our lake is safe and secure.

Also, the new trash boom was installed at the upper end of the lake. Thanks to Thom for getting it, and to all who helped install (Thom, Greg, and Wesley). Here's a photo of it.

Hope to see you this Saturday morning, July 18th, for our Adopt a Waterway litter pickup--rain or shine, but hopefully it will shine :)

Upper Rockyford Makes FRONT PAGE news

2009-07-06T21:09:00.003-04:00

Check it out! On Monday, July 6th, the Gills Creek Watershed Association, of which our lake homeowner's association is a member, made the front page of the The State News. Our lake is mentioned twice in the article.

Here's the link......

www.thestate.com/local/story/853409.html

Sediment Concerns

2009-06-13T15:53:00.002-04:00

Greg and I were out in the lake this morning fishing (caught a few!), and the murkiness of the water is cause for concern. I know we've had lots of rain lately, and surely a good bit of runoff has made its way into the lake, but it looks like it could perhaps be a situation where this is sediment running into our lake from a construction site, or other area? A few of us are presently looking into the situation to see what can find out, and that way, we can ensure that our lake and its inhabitants are safe and healthy.

The Fish Wars HAVE BEGUN!

2009-06-01T18:04:00.004-04:00

Wesley Graybill sent me these photos of some nice looking bass he caught on our lake--the bigger one weighing about 2.5 pounds.

Way to go!

Anybody caught anything bigger? Send me a pic. I'll post it!

Happy fishing!

Spring 2009 Lake Homeowners Meeting is May 27th!

2009-05-07T07:14:00.006-04:00

When?
May 27th, 2009

TIME?
· 6:30 p.m.-Meet, Greet, and Graze*
*please bring a snack for others to enjoy and bring a lawn chair
· 7:00 p.m.-Meeting Begins

Where?
3427 Overcreek Road, home of Randy and Geri Fields

Why?
· Find out the latest news on our lake, including—
· plans to repair the spillway
· the importance of litter prevention and stewardship of the lake
· participation in Keep the Midlands Beautiful’s Adopt-a-Waterway Program.
REMINDER: Homeowners can also pay their 2009 dues (due by August 1st!)
Only $300—make checks payable to Northlake Company

Questions and RSVP
Please let us know if you can attend by contacting—
allimaxwell@earthlink.net
(803) 730-2422

Spring on Upper Rockyford Lake

2009-03-22T20:13:00.006-04:00

Spring arrived this Friday, and if you took a walk around the neighborhood over the weekend, it was obvious!

The trees and flowers are bursting with blooms, and the grass is starting to green up, and for you
fishermen/fisherwomen the fish ARE BITING!

At least they were this afternoon :)

Thanks to the folks that were able to make it out Saturday morning for the Adopt-a-Waterway litter pickup (the Graybill Family, the Maxwell's and Dan Cole). If you picked up your fair share at another time, thanks! It's pretty obvious that we have a litter problem in and around our lake, so hopefully we can all pitch in whenever we see trash, and not just during our scheduled litter pickups. We'll have another one at the end of the summer, but until then, let's continue to keep our lake and our beautiful neighborhood clean!

See you on the lake!
amy

Lake Cleanup-RESCHEDULE FOR MARCH 21st

2009-02-22T20:43:00.004-05:00

Due to last weekend's very inclement weather, we cancelled the March 1st lake cleanup, and have RESCHEDULED for SATURDAY, MARCH 21st. Meet on the bridge at 8:30 a.m. If you can't participate on that day, or at that time, no worries...just do your part anytime, anyday, by picking up around the lake when you can!

P.S. anybody know what became of the paddle boat that got sucked into the spillway Monday? Did someone get it, or was it swept away into the depths of the spillway?

Lake Lowering Starting this weekend!

2009-02-05T07:39:00.001-05:00

During a regularly scheduled meeting of the Upper Rockyford Lake Board, members voted to lower the lake beginning this weekend (Feb. 6th) through March 1st.

The Board also discussed hosting a March 1st (a Sunday) lake clean up as part of our our participation in the Adopt-a-Waterway program. More info. will be sent about this, but please go ahead and plan to do your part on that day to pick up trash in and around the lake. It does not matter what time, how long, or how you pitch in that day. Whatever you can do to help keep our lake clean and litter free is great!

Thanks, and see ya around the lake!
Amy O. Maxwell

What's the Beef with Buffers? PLEASE support 100 foot buffer ordinance!

2008-11-24T21:10:00.002-05:00

an email from Tom Teuber, Nov. 24, 2008:

Dear Homeowners,

It seems that the SC Landowners Association has stirred up some opposition to amending Richland County Code regarding land use. Close study indicates that the ordinance will most impact those who want to develop land right next to the water. It's measures appear to be geared towards protecting those of us living on the water from developers whose activities might impact the water we live on. The buffers referred to in the revisions apply only to land to be developed --not all lands and neighborhoods in Richland County.

a. The buffers included in the stormwater revisions are not what some are trying to imply are "a taking."
b. Buffers are a commonly used environmental protection tool used throughout the US. They are effective and not considered 'a taking.'
c. Right now, Richland County has a 10 ft buffer rule.
d. Landowners along water bodies have not had their land "taken"by the existing language, nor will they.
e. Any regulation protecting health (including environmental health) safety and/or welfare is not a taking. Any taking can be overcome using the Green Code, already in effect in Richland County. The Green Code provides a developer flexibility in creating smaller lots in exchange for buffers that protect the environment.
f. Lexington County already has these regulations.
g. Lakeside homeowners in Lexington County have not had their land taken from them, and certainly are not "having their property taken" from them as the SC Landowners Assoc. literature that states.
h. EPA and SCDHEC have approved of the proposed 100-foot buffers in the revisions.
i. If passed, the new buffer rule would NOT affect the use of your backyard--EVER.

Title:AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE RICHLAND COUNTY CODE OF
ORDINANCES;CHAPTER 26, LAND DEVELOPMENT; SO AS TO IMPROVE RICHLAND COUNTY'SWATER QUALITY, PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, AND COMPLY WITH THE COUNTY'S NATIONAL POLLUTION DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES)PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.

What this ordinance will do:It will benefit Richland County's efforts to improve water quality, it will serve as an addedmeasure to protect the environment and it supports compliance with our NationalPollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit.Richland County is currently operating under its second five-year National PollutantDischarge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to govern stormwater quality in County jurisdictional areas. DHEC issued the permit and it is effective from September 11, 2006through September 10, 2011. This reissued permit also covers two Co-Permittees, theTown of Arcadia Lakes and City of Forest Acres, for NPDES Phase II regulations.The changes to Chapter 26 are needed to support several programs developed byDPW's Stormwater Management Division in conjunction with complying with the Corrective Action Plan and reissued permit requirements. Some of those programs are: . Updated Stormwater Management Plan . Delegated Qualified Local Program (QLP) for plan reviews, inspections, etc . Pesticide, Herbicide and Fertilizer Control Program . Illicit Connection, Improper Disposal, Illegal discharge and Illegal Dumping Control . Sanitary Sewer Regulatory Program (SSRP) . Industrial and High-risk Runoff (IHR) Control Program . Stormwater Infrastructure Inspection and Maintenance . Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs) . Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans . Road Runoff Management Program . Sampling and Monitoring Program, etc. . .The changes to the current Ordinance reflect components of the developed programsf or their effective implementation. The Ordinance language is being updated to reflect currently effective permit requirements.The feasibility for identifying an Environmental Protection (EP) Overlay District has alsobeen added to the Ordinance. The EP Overlay District is intended to address general environmental concerns within a designated area. In an effort to address some of themost critical water resource problems that exist within Richland County, environmental protection overlay districts will be established by Richland County as necessary andappropriate. In the proposed Ordinance, the Gills Creek watershed has been identified as an environmentally protected watershed (EP-GC). Richland County seeks to preserve the Gills Creek Floodway in order to protect and improve the water quality,scenic beauty, and wildlife habitat of the creek.Also, language requiring water quality buffers has been added. Water quality buffersapply in all zoning districts, and must be maintained. Water quality buffers are requiredalong all perennial and intermittent streams, waterways, wetlands, etc.There will be no new financial impacts due to the added language. On the contrary,there is the potential to generate revenue for Richland County, as a result of enforcement, by implementing the added measures.This ordinance received first reading by County Council on October 21, 2008.

1st Annual Rockyford Adopt a Waterway Event Was a Success

2008-10-05T12:38:00.008-04:00

October 4, 2008, the Upper Rockyford Lake Association participated in Keep the Midlands Beautiful 1st Adopt a Waterway event. Friends and neighbors gathered on the Overcreek dam, sporting bright orange safety vests and toting heavy duty garbage bags to clean up our beautiful lake. Several paddlers made their way around the shoreline and collected all kinds of junk, including 8 deflated balls, lots of Styrofoam, and countless fast food containers. Thanks to the folks that pitched in to help keep our lake clean and safe. A similar event will be conducted in March 2009, and we hope to see even more folks then! Happy Fall!

Upper Rockyford Lake 1st Annual Adopt a Waterway Fall Cleanup-OCTOBER 4th!!!!!

2008-09-11T11:31:00.004-04:00

The Upper Rockyford Lake Homeowner's Association is one of the first groups to be officially enrolled in the new Keep the Midlands Beautiful sponsored "Adopt-a-Waterway" program. Sponsored by SCE&G, this program offers volunteer groups the opportunity to address water-based litter issues in Richland and Lexington Counties.

Unfortunately, there is a litter problem in and around Upper Rockyford Lake. Chances are, you've seen trash floating in the lake, along the shoreline, and especially in the upper reaches of the lake closest to Percival Road. This program will allow us to officially organize lake cleanup days by providing us with materials and coordination efforts at least 3 times throughout the year.

The first official event will occur on Saturday October 4th, 2008, with plans for a second event between March and May, and a 3rd cleanup sometime in the Summer of 2009.

Please mark your calendars for October 4th and plan to meet on the Overcreek Road dam that morning at 8:00 a.m. We need folks on foot to pick up litter around the spillway/dam, and we also need plenty of paddlers to circle the lake and collect the trash which collects along the shoreline.

If you have questions, contact Greg or Amy Maxwell at allimaxwell@earthlink.net.

See you on October 4th!!!

Check out link below for more info. on the program...

http://www.keepthemidlandsbeautiful.org/aaw/aaw.asp

A Dam Good Job on Saturday!

2008-07-27T14:50:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Greg, T(h)om x 2 (Teuber and Bristol), Wesley, John, and Hildy who spent Saturday morning cutting back overgrown vegetation on the Upper Rockyford dam. Because of your efforts, it's looks alot better. Your neighbors appreciate it!

July 26th Party on the Dam-10 a.m.

2008-07-23T09:41:00.002-04:00

Well...sort of. Bring your weed wackers, clippers, gloves, and a water canteen for some good 'old fashioned weeding along the dam. It's time to do some cleaning up along the dam, and for those of you who would like to help, you are more than welcome to join us!

Meet at about 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 26th. Thanks for your help!

The Fishin' Is Good!

2008-07-17T17:54:00.001-04:00

Looks like there are some fish in Upper Rockyford Lake after all! Keep catchin' em and if you snap a photo, send to me so I can post.

Yearly Lake Association Dues are Due!

2008-06-18T21:51:00.002-04:00

Per the letter dated June 16th from Upper Rockyford Lake President Tom Teuber, annual dues for lake residents ($300) are due by August 1st. Send your check payable to Northlake Company to our treasurer, Geri Fields, at 3427 Overcreek Road.

The dues go towards eradicating invasive species in the lake that harm fish and wildlife habitat, and this year we used last year's dollars to purchase a trash boom, acquire accounting software, and spray for weeds on the dam. This year we have plans to remove some of the trees along the dam (the ones that are dead), and hopefully repair the spillway. Let us know if you have any other ideas on ways to improve our lake, neighborhood, and quality of life in this beautiful setting.

2008-06-09T19:25:00.004-04:00

Dear Lake Board, read note below from Keep the Midlands Beautiful Executive Director. I think that this would be a worthwhile effort for our lake association to adopt, especially considering our proximity to Percival Road and the amount of litter that ends up in our lake. If anybody else wants to attend, please do! I'll report back to the board what our involvement might be/involve. Thanks! Amy

June 9, 2008

I am pleased to announce that Keep the Midlands Beautiful will launch an Adopt-A-Waterway program with SCE&G as presenting sponsor in Fall 2008. The program is intended to address water-based litter problems on creeks, rivers, lakes, and boat landings in Richland and Lexington Counties and will follow the proven model used for the Adopt-A-Highway program and DNR's now-defunct Adopt-A-Landing program. KMB will recruit volunteer groups to adopt an identified section of shoreline or boat landing and agree to conduct litter pickups there three times a year for 2 years. Participating groups will be recognized on the KMB website and, as much as possible, on a sign placed near their adopted section of shoreline.

Since your organization or agency has a shared interest in preventing litter on Midlands waterways, I would like to invite you to a meeting to discuss plans for the Adopt-A-Waterway program and to explore ways that we can work together to advance your goals as well as ours. This meeting will take place on Thursday, June 19 from 10:00-11:00 AM at the Columbia Chamber of Commerce building (930 Richland Street) in the Training Room on the 1st Floor (just across from the elevator.) The Chamber parking lot is behind the building--please feel free to park in any spot labeled "Columbia Chamber of Commerce."

Please let me know if you will be able to join us on the 19th. If not, I would be happy to speak with you over the phone about the program or to set an alternate meeting time. If I have inadvertently left anyone off of this invitation, please forward this message on.
Thank you.

Best,
Heidi
-----
Heidi Johnson
Executive Director
Keep the Midlands Beautiful
PO Box 1360
Columbia, SC 29202
Phone: 803-733-2526
E-mail: heidi@keepthemidlandsbeautiful.com
Website: www.keepthemidlandsbeautiful.com

Upper Rockyford Bassmaster Competition

2008-05-20T17:48:00.007-04:00

Ok folks, Upper Rockyford resident and lake board member Wesley Graybill sent me this photo of a bass he caught last night (and then released). A whopper of a fish. Only problem is....he isn't revealing the honey hole where he found this beauty. So, that means the game is on! Ya'll get out there and catch some more, and send me photos of what you're reelin' in! Thanks for sharing Wesley, and by the way, what did ya catch him with?

2008-05-10T16:52:00.011-04:00

Upper Rockyford Residents: Our lake homeowner's association was presented with an award May 15th for our efforts to organize a neighborhood clean-up in March.

We received a check for $400. Congrats!

Pictured in photo above: left to right--Lake residents Greg Maxwell (holding niece Tess Overstreet), Amy Maxwell, and Keep the Midlands Beautiful Director Heidi.

See the news at: http://www.keepthemidlandsbeautiful.org/GACMM/GACMM08_awards_NAS_1.asp

May 3rd Cookout-Click on flyer for a larger view

2008-04-17T07:50:00.002-04:00

2008-04-11T11:27:00.002-04:00

From Lake Board President Tom Teuber

April 10, 2008

Dear Lake Board,

The Lake Board met Thursday April 3, and the following was discussed / determined:

1. We will plan for a pot-luck cook-out for all lake residents Saturday May 3 at 1:00. The purpose of the afternoon cookout will be to allow lake residents to meet one another and to report on the work of the lake board. Geri offered to host the meeting at her home. The board will spring for the burgers/hotdogs, and a flier will encourage residents to bring all else. Greg indicated that Amy would be willing to put together a flier regarding the event. Please mark your calendars.

2. We approved the purchase of Quickbooks Pro for use in accounting/recordkeeping.

3. We will send a letter in the next few weeks with the following aims:
1. To describe how funds were used during the past year (expenditures),
2. To advertise the cook-out, and
3. To discuss the need for this years funds, including our consideration of control gate repair.

4. We need to "get back on the horse" regarding our clean out of the trash boom. Trash has backed up so that debris and sludge is visible from Percival Road. We discussed theories as to why the brick on the Percival Road side keeps shifting, but are unsure. We do know that we need to keep up with the weekly cleanout.

Do I have the following right?

Who has week one?
Wesley has week two
I have week three
Greg / Amy have the last week.

5. Greg has a lead regarding someone who may be able to re-fit the tower. I do have specs from the Army Corps of Engineers study and will get them to Greg, so that he can ask for a good estimate.

6. I agreed to call "Stan the Tree Man" to have the dead tree on the dam taken out.

Thanks for all that you do, and for the creativity that you all offer in the interest of our beautiful little lake. It is in good shape because we keep it that way, and we can continue to take steps to further improve matters.

Many thanks,

Tom

March 1st Litter Cleanup is a Success!

2008-03-01T16:20:00.016-05:00

Dear friends and neighbors,

Thanks to all of you who came out this morning to participate in the 1st Annual Upper Lake Rockyford litter pickup. We had about 30 folks show up, representing several different streets, and everyone was ready to get to work! Keep the Midlands Beautiful provided us with trash bags, gloves, and then arranged for the trash to be picked up at 11:30. Target areas included the shoreline around the spillway, and most importantly, Percival Road. I think alot of us were amazed at just how much litter is on Percival Road, and how easily it can end up in Lake Upper Rockyford, which in turn is damaging to water quality, wildlife habitat, and is just plain ugly to look at. Below is a series of pictures that illustrates the impact of our efforts! There was definitely a noticeable difference along Percival after we finished. And look at all the bags of trash, tires, campaign signs, and other stuff that was collected! You guys did an awesome job, and I really appreciate your willingness to give up a Saturday morning to make our neighborhood a better place to live. Here are some photos of the before, during and after....thanks to everyone who pitched in and made a difference today.

Check out more photos from today's clean up by clicking on the link below...

http://picasaweb.google.com/aomaxwell/RockyfordLitterPicku

2008-02-20T08:08:00.004-05:00

Upper Rockyford Residents--We Need Your Help!

Participate in the March 1st, 2008, Great American Cleanup--Midlands Makeover--by cleaning up your own neighborhood!

Meet your friends and neighbors on the spillway bridge at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 1st.

Adults and supervised kids are welcome, and Keep the Midlands Beautiful will supply us with water bottles, trash bags, and gloves, and then they will come pick up the trash that we gather up that day!

We will break out into groups in order to target parts of Northshore/Overcreek/Goldbranch/
and a stretch of Percival. Paddlers are also needed to collect trash in Upper Rockyford Lake
which collects at the end near Percival.

Got questions? Contact Amy O. Maxwell at allimaxwell@earthlink.net.

Check out this link for more info. on the Great American Cleanup-Midlands Makeover

http://www.keepthemidlandsbeautiful.org/GACMM/GACMM08_cleanup_day.asp

2008-02-08T07:21:00.000-05:00

Hi! At our last board meeting, we had discussed a cleanup of Percival Road. Well, I think the time is now...at least March 1st, which is a community clean up day. Check out the link below for more details. I will see if anyone writes me back and wants to help me coordinate an Upper Rockyford Lake Cleanup. Email me at allimaxwell@earthlink.net if there is interest. Thanks!

2008 Great American Cleanup: Midlands Makeover
Community-Wide Cleanup Day: Saturday, March 1, 2008
Target: The Gills Creek Watershed

http://www.keepthemidlandsbeautiful.org/GACMM/GACMM08_cleanup_day.asp

Check out Gills Creek Watershed Website!

2007-12-20T10:51:00.000-05:00

This website is still under construction, but it will be a great resource to find out about meetings, happenings, hot spots, and progress towards improving our watershed.

As you can see, Upper Rockyford Lake Homeowner's Association is a Gills Creek Watershed Association (GCWA) Supporter.

Check it out at....
http://www.gillscreekwatershed.com/

Merry Christmas!

Amy

2007-12-04T08:54:00.000-05:00

Hey Upper Rockyford! I would love to see our entire neighborhood at this meeting! Come support this effort, please. Thanks!

The Gills Creek Watershed Association is hosting a critical meeting for residents living in the Gills Creek Watershed on Thursday, December 6th from 6:30 pm until 7:30 pm in Richland County Council Chambers, 2020 Hampton Street.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss action items regarding the restoration of the Gills Creek, Richland County’s largest urban watershed.The Gills Creek watershed runs 76 square miles through the heart of Richland County and empties into the Congaree River. Over the past several years the watershed has experienced pollution problems due to growth and development. The area has also suffered a loss of trees, shrubs and other growth along the creek’s banks, vegetation that normally serves to naturally filter water.

Pollution, runoff and silting contribute to flooding and affect property values. Residents are encouraged to attend this meeting to learn more.Free parking at Harden and Lady Street available.For more information call 799-5020 or 576-2065.

http://www.richlandonline.com/News/2007/GillsCreekWatershedMeetingDec6.asp

Symposium to Encourage Developers to Consider Environmental Impacts in Gills Creek Watershed and Beyond

2007-10-17T16:47:00.000-04:00

SC Chapter of the
Soil and Water Conservation Society
Amy O. Maxwell, President
1835 Assembly Street, Room 950
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 765-5402
allimaxwell@earthlink.net FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SC Soil and Water Conservation Society Plans Symposium to Encourage Environmental Planning in Urban Development
December 11th symposium will highlight ‘green development’ success stories

October 16, 2007, Columbia, SC—The SC Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) is planning a symposium which will educate developers, engineers, planners, natural resource professionals, and others about the integration of urban development with environmental planning.

Balancing Growth with Environmental Integrity in Urban Development will highlight the importance of environmental planning, particularly in Richland and Lexington Counties. Success stories from Lexington County’s Stormwater Management Division, and also from the Mungo Company, will illustrate how the pressures of urban development can be balanced to ensure protection of our state’s natural resources.

SC SWCS Chapter President Amy O. Maxwell said, “This symposium was planned because of the rising demand for communities that offer more open space and preserve natural features, such as buffers. Homebuyers in South Carolina, and the nation as a whole, are starting to understand the importance and necessity of environmental protection, particularly in high-density urban areas. They are actively seeking housing developments that evaluate environmental impacts before and during construction. So, it’s in the best interest of developers and planners to maintain open space, leave the natural vegetation and timber, and in turn, they may increase their profits over traditional developments.”

The symposium will take place December 11, 2007, at Seawell’s in Columbia, SC. The program will begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 3:30 p.m. The early bird registration fee (which includes lunch and breaks) is $50 for SWCS members and $75 for non-members, and is due by November 19th. There are also exhibitor/sponsorship opportunities available, and if you join the SC Chapter of SWCS before the symposium, you can register for the $50 rate. You can download and print out the mail-in registration form by visiting http://swcs.tripod.com/SCSWCSregisterDec11.pdf.

For more information about attending, exhibiting, or helping sponsor the symposium, contact Maxwell at (803) 765-5402 or allimaxwell@earthlink.net

Lake Board Meeting Rescheduled

2007-09-04T09:31:00.000-04:00

The Upper Rockyford Lake Homeowner's Association Board Meeting has been rescheduled for Wed., September 19th, 8:00 p.m., at President Teuber's house.

River Sweep 2007-Gills Creek Clean Up Site

2007-08-28T16:48:00.000-04:00

The Gills Creek Watershed Association (GCWA) is continuing its efforts to create a watershed clean-up plan, as well as an outreach campaign. Over the next 6 months, you will see and hear more information about our watershed, it's problems, and the solutions which will protect and improve it.

Upper Rockyford Lake Board members Amy Maxwell and Thom Bristol are active on the steering committee for the GCWA. They will keep you updated as events are planned and as the plan evolves.

The first event which you might want to participate in is the September 15th River Sweep. Sponsored by Keep the Midlands Beautiful, the Gills Creek Watershed was added in 2006 as a clean up site.

This year, volunteers are encouraged to meet in the parking lot of the K-Mart at 4400 Ft. Jackson Blvd by 8:45 a.m. on Sept. 15th.

More information is available at
http://www.keepthemidlandsbeautiful.com/river_sweep.html

Lake Board Meeting-Sept. 4th-8:00 p.m.

2007-08-22T07:17:00.000-04:00

The Upper Rockyford Lake Homeowner's Association Board will meet Sept. 4th at President Teuber's house. The latest reports indicate that the boom that was installed is working well. Board members are volunteering to take specific weekends each month to clean up the trash the boom is collecting.

Lake Board Decisions -- July 2007

2007-07-24T13:27:00.000-04:00

The Lake Board meets from time to time to act in the interest of the homeowners of Upper Rockyford Lake. The following decisions were made at the July Lake Board meeting:

To invest in an outfall skimmer boom for placement near Percival Road. The total cost for this will be $113.09 including shipping and handling. Thom agreed to assist in procuring this device. We discussed creating a weekly rotation (by first, second, third, etc Saturdays of each month) to remove material caught by this device.

Geri Fields was approved as our new treasurer. I will meet with her soon to transfer information, bank statements, etc.

We reported on progress on the dam. Terra-Tec did complete the patching job as promised.

A Gills Creek Watershed Task force is being re-formed in the interest of maintaining and improving the whole watershed. We will stay up on activities of this effort, and Thom has agreed to attend represent us at a meeting in early August.

We agreed to ask Mac Watson to spray for the aquatic primrose. (Mac has been contacted since the meeting, and intends to spray Saturday the 28^th).

We agreed to pursue other lake homeowner associations in this area of the watershed to trade ideas and discuss solutions. We hope to be able to meet with them in the early fall.

We also discussed long-range plans for repair of the outflow control tower. There are concerns about how the repair/refitting can be done without negatively impacting the fishing on our lake.

We briefly discussed the lowering of the lake, scheduled for mid-January.
Our next meeting will be in September.

Thanks to the members of the board for a fine meeting, and welcome to the new members, who bring refreshing “new blood” to the board.

Tom Teuber

Tools for keeping the lake litter free

2007-07-20T22:00:00.000-04:00

thanks to Thom Bristol for leading the effort to purchase skimmer/containment booms. These will help catch the trash that comes off of Percival Road and keep it confined to one part of the lake, thus making it easier to collect.

Thom, let us know when they come in, and we will be glad to help install. Thanks!