Efforts underway to raise lake Weiss water levels

Organizations pushing to raise the wintertime water level on Weiss Lake are moving forward despite a setback by a federal regulatory agency.  The water level on the Alabama Power Co. lake in east Alabama is reduced six feet in winter. The Weiss Lake Improvement Association and Save Weiss Lake want it reduced only three feet to make the lake usable for more months.  Alabama Power included that request when seeking a new license to operate the lake, but the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission turned down the change June 20 claiming that the higher winter level would hinder flood control responsibilities of the Army Corps of Engineers.  Association President Carolyn Landrem says Corps officials are willing to look at data about possibly maintaining flood control at higher levels.