Lake group launching ongoing cleanup of shrinking Lake Lanier

GAINESVILLE - As the level of Lake Lanier drops lower and lower, and more of the lakebed and an ever-expanding shoreline are exposed, the Lake Lanier Association is launching an ongoing lake cleanup effort.

The association has arranged for designated dumpsters at five sites around Lanier for debris - and is asking anyone using the lake to collect what they can and deposit it in the dumpsters.

"We hope the public will donate some of their time when convenient to volunteer and help clean up the shoreline," said Jackie Joseph, the group's president. "We are very grateful to J & J Disposal in Gainesville for their donation of construction containers for trash and to S & S Hardware in Buford for providing trash bags."

The Association has site volunteers available at various locations around the lake who are resources for groups who would like to organize clean-ups. These site volunteers will suggest areas and have trash bags on hand for the volunteers.

"We hope that civic, church, scout and other groups will organize clean up visits to the lake," said Joseph. "One scout is already submitting an Eagle Scout proposal to the Scout Council to organize a clean up of a specific area of shoreline in Gwinnett County, and we challenge other scouts to do the same."

Designated dumpsters are available for trash drop off via road access only. In cooperation with the Buford office of the US Army Corps of Engineers, J & J Disposal has placed dumpsters in Little Ridge Park in Cumming and Van Pugh South Park in Flowery Branch. Holiday Marina, Gainesville Marina, and Port Royale Marina are also offering designated dumpsters. The Lake Lanier Association requests that batteries and tires not be placed in dumpsters but next to them for special handling.

"This ongoing effort will not replace our annual Shore Sweep in September," said Joseph. "We are requesting that volunteers 'keep on sweeping' while the shoreline is exposed."

The level of the lake Thursday morning was 1051.13, down another .07 foot since Wednesday morning.

On the Web: http://www.lakelanier.org.