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Thurmond Lake is one of the southeast's largest and most popular public recreation lakes. Built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1946 and 194 as part of a flood control, hydropower, and navigation project, authorized purposes now include recreation, water quality, water supply, and fish and wildlife management. Each year, millions off people utilize the many public parks, marinas, and campgrounds conveniently located around the lake to pursue a variety of outdoor recreational experiences -making Thurmond one of the 10 most visited Corps lakes in the nation.

Thurmond Lake is a man-made lake bordering Georgia and South Carolina on the Savannah, Broad, and Little Rivers. The lake is created by Thurmond Dam located on the Savannah River twenty-two miles above Augusta Georgia and 239.5 miles above the mouth of the Savannah River. The lake extends 39.4 miles up the Savannah River, 29 miles up the Little River, and 6.5 miles up the Broad River in Georgia, and 17 Miles up the Little River in South Carolina, at normal pool elevation, Thurmond Lake comprises nearly 71,100 acres of water with a shoreline of 1200 miles.

1. Corps of Engineers Waives Day-Use Fees Veterans Day

2. Thurmond Project Schedules Deer Hunts for Bussey Pt.

3. Army Corps of Engineers Rewards Informants for Reporting Vandalism Through Corps Watch

4. Dissolved Oxygen Level Improvements to Benefit Striped Bass Populations

5. Annual Day Use Passes Available

Corps of Engineers Waives Day-Use Fees Veterans Day

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Savannah District announced day-use fees will be waived for veterans, active and reserve service members and their families at two of its lakes on the upper Savannah River, the J. Strom Thurmond and Hartwell Dam and Lake on Veterans Day, Nov. 11 through Nov. 15. Other agencies managing recreation areas on Corps lands are encouraged, but not required to offer the Veterans Day waiver of fees in areas they manage. The waiver requires only verbal confirmation of service.

“The Fee Free on Veterans Day initiative began in 2006 to show the Corps’ support and to honor the men and women who have served our nation and the Armed Forces,” said Col. Ed Kertis, commander of the Savannah District. “We encourage our veterans, active duty and reservists and their families to visit one of our recreation areas this Veterans Day and throughout the weekend to enjoy their favorite outdoor activities. We extended the fee waiver through the weekend to provide more opportunities for these selfless patriots to visit one of our Corps lakes.”

The waiver does not apply to camping and camping-related services or fees for specialized facilities, such as picnic shelters.

The Army Corps of Engineers is the largest federal provider of outdoor and water-based recreation in the nation. More than 16 million visit one of the Savannah District’s three lakes annually. Nationwide, Corps lands and waters provide 4,500 miles of trails, 3,400 boat launch ramps and 33 percent of all freshwater fishing in the U.S, and host 350 million visits at its lakes, beaches and other outdoor areas.

Corps Schedules Deer Hunts
For Bussey Point

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers’ J. Strom Thurmond Project Office will conduct primitive weapon deer hunts in Bussey Point, located in Lincoln Co., Ga., in order to maintain the deer population within the carrying capacity for the area and to improve the quality of the herd. The 2,545-acre peninsula will be open for scheduled hunts on these dates:

Dates Hunts

Sept. 18-19 Archery (ONLY)

Oct. 9 Archery (ONLY)

Oct. 10 Muzzleloader

Nov. 13-14 Muzzleloader

Hunters will be checked through the check station located at the entrance gate. Hours of operation will be from one hour before sunrise through one hour after sundown. Camping will be limited to the camping area adjacent to check station during the management hunts.

The bag limit is two does and one quality buck each day of each hunt. Quality bucks are those with racks having four points or better on at least one side, or a 15-inch or greater outside spread.

Muzzleloader hunts are limited to 100 hunters per day. The muzzleloader hunters will be registered on a first-come, first-served basis. Archery hunters are invited to participate in all scheduled hunts.

Hunters must be licensed in accordance with existing Georgia Game and Fish Regulations. A Wildlife Management Area (WMA) license is not required for these hunts. Appropriate license(s) will be inspected at check station. All state regulations and bag limits will be strictly enforced.

Park visitors who are not hunting are encouraged to find other recreation areas during the

scheduled hunts, as well as two days prior to each hunt when the area will be closed except to hunters scouting or placing deer stands. No weapons are allowed in Bussey Point on scouting days.

For more information, contact Ken Boyd at the J. Strom Thurmond Office toll free at 1-800-533-3478, ext. 1121, or at (864) 333-1121.

Army Corps of Engineers Rewards Informants
for Reporting Vandalism

The Corps of Engineers has begun implementation on a program to reduce senseless destruction at Corps projects. Initiated in 2006, The “Corps Watch” program allows anyone who witnesses vandalism, property damage or suspicious activity to report it using a centralized number.

Each year millions of dollars in property damage are lost due to vandalism, larceny, arson, and environmental and cultural degradation. Corps Watch is designed to heighten public awareness of the impacts of crime within and around dams, power production facilities, campgrounds, recreational areas.

Callers may remain anonymous. Corps watch contains a provision to provide cash rewards at 10% of the assessed value of damage or loss, not less than $100 and not more than $1,000 to individuals for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of offenders. This program does not replace the 911 emergency systems.

Since implementation, calls have been received which have contributed to the arrest and conviction of offenders at Corps projects nationwide. As a result of these helpful tips, roughly $1,000 worth of rewards have already been paid out to hotline callers.

Examples of Corps Watch rewards were paid for information from a concerned landowner when he witnessed the unauthorized cutting of government trees and vegetation. Also, a park user called to report a senseless act of vandalism on Corps playground equipment and received the award after conviction of the offenders.

Dissolved Oxygen Level Improvements to Benefit Striped Bass Population

Contractors with the US Army Corps of Engineers, have secured the remaining permits for Phase I of the construction of the Cryogenic-Oxygenation system on J. Strom Thurmond Lake near Modoc, South Carolina. Phase I of the construction will include the improvements to the current road system on Gilchrist Ferry Road and expansion and paving of the existing boat ramp parking lot.

This system is a portion of the Richard B. Russell Pumped Storage Project. When completed, the system will improve dissolved oxygen concentrations in the lake from the Modoc area to the J. Strom Thurmond Dam and provide excellent striped bass habitat in the lower portion of J. Strom Thurmond Lake.

During Phase I of this construction, the US Army Corps of Engineers will close the Corps operated ramp on Gilchrist Ferry Road, known as Modoc 7 Ramp, until this phase of the construction has been completed. Closure began, April 20, 2009, with reopening of this facility anticipated in mid November 2009.

We recognize the potential inconvenience this closure may cause local residence and we thank you for your patience during this process. For further information concerning this matter, please contact the J. Strom Thurmond Project Office at 1-800-533-3478.

Annual Day Use Passes

Available

The new 2009 Annual Day Use Passes for use at U. S. Army Corps of Engineers’ day use recreation areas are now available at the Richard B. Russell, Hartwell and J. Strom Thurmond Dam and Lake Project Offices. Passes are available for purchase from each of the lakes’ Visitor Centers. The fee for the annual pass is $30. The new annual passes are valid 12 months from the date of purchase. Passes can be purchased at the following locations: Russell Visitor Center, 4144 Russell Dam Dr., Elberton, Ga.; Hartwell Visitor Center, 5625 Anderson Hwy., Hartwell, Ga.; and the J. Strom Thurmond Visitor Center, 510 Clarks Hill Hwy., Clarks Hill, SC.

Alternative locations for purchasing passes in the J. Strom Thurmond Project area include Belvedere Marine and Sportsman’s Corner in North Augusta, Cliatt’s Crossing in Lincolnton, and West Marine in Martinez.

Visitors should hang their passes from the vehicle’s rear view mirror so the decals on the pass will display the issue date of the pass. Open vehicles such as motorcycles or jeeps should display the decal directly on the rear view mirror or some other easily visible location on the vehicle.

For more information contact the Visitor Center at the Russell Project at (800) 944-7207, Hartwell Project at (888) 893-0678, or the J. Strom Thurmond Project at (800) 533-3478.

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