|
Welcome to Richard B. Russell Lake and Dam Project, the most recent multi-purpose water resource development built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District. Due to Federal Laws that prohibit private exclusive use of public lands surrounding the lake, the area remains strikingly beautiful and picturesque. Many visitors express their appreciation with the Corps for maintaining the aesthetic qualities of the lake and shoreline - a unique experience for most outdoor enthusiasts in the area. With its undeveloped shorelines, Russell Lake provides an outdoor experience that goes beyond just fishing - visitors enjoy the beautiful scenery as well as the abundant wildlife.
Please stop by our Visitor Center located in the Operations Manager's Office approximately 4 miles south of Georgia State Highway 72 just off the Bobby Brown State Park Road. Here you can receive local information and purchase Annual Parking Passes. We also have a variety of brochures and pamphlets that will assist you during your visit to the Richard B. Russell Lake and Dam Project.
Visitor Center and office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Click to: Read more about Russell Lake
|
|
Jan. 20, 2012 was a special day at Richard B. Russell Lake for one Outdoor Dream family. Ross Norton and his two sons, Tripp and Alex, attended an early morning duck hunt at Russell’s private waterfowl impoundment. Russell rangers and local volunteers assisted with the hunt. Tripp and his brother harvested two mallards and one ringneck duck. The Savannah District has a partnership with the Outdoor Dream Foundation to provide mutually-beneficial recreation opportunities for children with terminal illnesses.
|
Needless drowning deaths of hunters who fall into lakes and streams can be prevented with a little preparation and fast thinking, according to officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District.
"Duck hunters or waterfowlers may not think of themselves as boaters, even though they use boats to position decoys in the water," said Park Ranger Asher Alexander. "They may not consider a life jacket as a necessity; but hunters drown needlessly every year."
Hunters should always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device while traveling to and from the hunting blind, according to Alexander. Camouflage life jackets are available and offer adequate flotation.
"Likewise, fisherman should always wear a PFD while fishing from a dock or a boat," he said.
In a water emergency, hip boots or waders can keep a hunter afloat for hours if the hunter takes action quickly, Alexander explained. By keeping the knees bent in a seated position, the crease will trap air inside the waders to keep the person afloat for hours, allowing the person to propel backward to return to the boat. Additionally, floating duck decoys can be held while maintaining this position to increase buoyancy. (See Illustration) Waders, however, should never be considered a replacement for a personal floatation device, Alexander said. READ MORE...
|
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District reminds the public to always wear a life jacket when recreating in, on, or near the water, especially during the winter months when cooler water temperatures increase the risk of hypothermia.
Hypothermia is a condition in which the body loses heat faster than it can produce it. Violent shivering develops, which can lead to confusion and a loss of body movement.
Hypothermia is a significant risk factor for injury or death while boating or fishing. Cold water accelerates the onset and progression of hypothermia, since body heat can be lost 25 times faster in cold water than in cold air. Many suspected drowning victims actually die from cold exposure or hypothermia, according to information released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters and the U.S. Coast Guard. READ MORE...
|
|
The Richard B. Russell Project hosted a fishing trip and deer hunt for five children ages 6 to 14 (and their parents) of the Outdoor Dream Foundation on Oct. 21 and 22. The children went on a guided fishing trip on Friday afternoon near the McCalla state natural area. The group caught about 50 fish, including striped bass, largemouth bass, yellow and white perch, crappy and catfish. The group went on a deer hunt Saturday morning and evening. The children spotted many deer, and one child harvested a five-point buck.
The Anderson, S.C.-based Outdoor Dream Foundation provides hunting, fishing, and other outdoor excursions to terminally ill and disabled children. These events give the children an opportunity to forget about their illness for a moment and bring them fond memories to look back on during harder times. The Savannah District signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Foundation in August, formalizing a mutually beneficial partnership between the two organizations.
|
|
 |
 |
| Col. Jeff Hall, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District, presented life jackets to David Drake (right photo), park manager of Calhoun Falls State Park, and Keith Whitaker (left photo), park manager of Richard B. Russell State Park, during a visit to the Richard B. Russell Dam and Lake Project Aug. 10. Calhoun Falls Park is operated by South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism (SCPRT), and Richard B. Russell State Park is operated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR). The Corps loaned 15 life jackets to each park manager for use in the parks' life jacket loaner programs, which allow park visitors to borrow a life jacket while recreating at Russell Lake. Photos by Glenn Kowalski. |
|
