Lake Mitchell and Lay Lake are two of four lakes that Alabama Power has scheduled for water-level drawdowns in October 2018.

The lowering of Lake Mitchell’s water will occur Oct. 2-4 with the refilling process beginning Oct. 16.

Lay Lake is next up on the list with its drawdown taking place Oct. 16-18 and refill starting Oct. 30.

Both times remain tentative at this point and are subject to change depending on the weather conditions.

The lowered lake level will last for a two-week period and allow property owners along the lake to perform dock maintenance.

According to Michael Sznajderman, an Alabama Power spokesman, it has been about five years since the water level in the lakes has been lowered.

Another advantage of lowering the lakes is that it gives Alabama Power the opportunity to do some dam maintenance, if needed.

Alabama Power releases the information about the drawdowns months in advance, so lake residents can prepare and have everything planned out prior to the scheduled dates, Sznajderman said.

However, any modifications to the dock must meet the requirements set forth by Alabama Power.

According to Sznajderman, many of the regulations in place are implemented with safety in mind.

An example of enforcing guidelines is making sure that docks do not extend past a certain point, which could cause navigational issues for boats.

Residents with questions or looking for more information about permits concerning construction projects during the drawdowns can visit the shoreline management page at www.alabamapower.com.