 Thu, Aug 28, 2008 07:54 PM
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2008-06-06  Duluth | Cost of fun on Lanier rises
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| | by Scott Sowers | |  |
June 12, 2008 | 10:24 AM
www.gwinnettherald.com
CUMMING – One of the biggest stories in the Atlanta area the past year has been the ever-shrinking shorelines of Lake Lanier. One of the biggest stories nationwide the past year has been the ever-expanding cost to fill up at the gas pump. Combine those two and toss in the busy season for boating and lake use and it gets even more confusing.
Business on the lake from the various marinas and resorts has been fluctuating. The recent kickoff to summer with Memorial Day weekend usually signals a dramatic upturn in lake usage, but this year it's a different story. While the lake has been battling to keep its reservoir filled, consumers have been fighting a battle of their own at the gas pump.
Marinas have felt the crunch the most, citing high gas prices keeping people away. Kenny Haddock, the general manager for Habersham Marina, said this comes from two different things.
"We have people from all over Atlanta who keep their boats here and they may not want to spend the $15 or $20 on gas that it would take to get up here, and then they have to pay for fuel for their boat," he said. "A lot of boats have huge tanks as well. Our gas business is down by half from last year."
Haddock said that the lake levels have not been as big of a concern for his business. Habersham is a dry boat storage facility so they have not had the issue of moving docks farther out into the water.
"Some people who own homes on the lake have come to us about putting their boats in our facility. Our storage business has been doing about the same, but usage is down about 35 percent," he said.
The lake level has remained the same the last few months, rather than continuing to go down, he said, which could be a boon.
While marinas may be feeling the crunch, the picture is a little brighter for those who provide accommodation on the lake.
"We had a very good Memorial Day Weekend. We weren't sold out but the hotel was mostly at capacity," said Katy McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Lake Lanier Islands Resort. "Boat rentals were great as well and the water park was full on Sunday and Monday."
The resort's Emerald Pointe Hotel and Conference Center has been undergoing renovations the past few months, but McLaughlin said those have been completed. She said that while Memorial Day is usually the kickoff to summer, Fourth of July weekend is their busiest time and they anticipate operating at capacity then.
The recently approved Army Corps of Engineers plan to hold 50 percent of the intake in the lake should help retain lake levels, but it's anyone's guess about fuel prices. Summer is the busy driving season and prices usually reflect that, especially around the holiday weekends.
"All we can do now is sit and hope," Haddock said.
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Lake Going Down
June 20, 2008 | 04:40 PM
I am wriring this on the 20th, and from looking at the lake levels of late it looks like this lake is starting to go down pretty steadily now. If there are no major rainstorms coming in the near future, it doesn't look good with or without the new plan to hold back more water. I am not so sure it was a wise thing to pick Lanier as the kick-off site for National Marina Day. It might do the opposite of what they hoped to accomplish for the area.
D. Hajjin
| | Corps still lettng the lake go
June 13, 2008 | 07:24 PM
In the midst of the new plan to hold back more water I have watched in Atlanta this week the increased flow that looks alot like what went on went the so called valve/gauge caused too much water to flow. I cross the river twice a day. Nothing of this flow on the local news though.
Andy Bell
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