Check out our Swim Guide Report to be better informed before your next boating and swimming trip on the lake.  

The map shows the locations and October 2026 test results for our Swim Guide stations. The Green (235 E. coli/100 mL water maximum) and Red (over 235 E. coli/100 mL water) icons are based on the Alabama Department of Environmental Management's water quality criteria for Swimming and Whole Body Water Sports. 

The results are indicative of the water quality at each site on the date and time that they were sampled and do not indicate current water quality conditions. Nonetheless, by also looking at the historical trends in the test results (in the Alabama Water Watch database, also available for each site on our Swim Guide webpage), the information serves as a guide to help avoid unhealthy water quality conditions.

Click here:  https://www.lakewatch.org/Swim-Guide   for additional information including  the dates that the sites were sampled, the most current test results and other information on each site. Get out on the water, be safe, and enjoy our Treasured Lake!

Check out our Swim Guide Report to be better informed before your next boating and swimming trip on the lake.  

The map shows the locations and September 2026 test results for our Swim Guide stations. The Green (235 E. coli/100 mL water maximum) and Red (over 235 E. coli/100 mL water) icons are based on the Alabama Department of Environmental Management's water quality criteria for Swimming and Whole Body Water Sports. 

The results are indicative of the water quality at each site on the date and time that they were sampled and do not indicate current water quality conditions. Nonetheless, by also looking at the historical trends in the test results (in the Alabama Water Watch database, also available for each site on our Swim Guide webpage), the information serves as a guide to help avoid unhealthy water quality conditions.

Click here:  https://www.lakewatch.org/Swim-Guide   for additional information including  the dates that the sites were sampled, the most current test results and other information on each site. Get out on the water, be safe, and enjoy our Treasured Lake!

Check out our Swim Guide Report to be better informed before your next boating and swimming trip on the lake.  

The map shows the locations and August 2026 test results for our Swim Guide stations. The Green (235 E. coli/100 mL water maximum) and Red (over 235 E. coli/100 mL water) icons are based on the Alabama Department of Environmental Management's water quality criteria for Swimming and Whole Body Water Sports. 

The results are indicative of the water quality at each site on the date and time that they were sampled and do not indicate current water quality conditions. Nonetheless, by also looking at the historical trends in the test results (in the Alabama Water Watch database, also available for each site on our Swim Guide webpage), the information serves as a guide to help avoid unhealthy water quality conditions.

Click here:  https://www.lakewatch.org/Swim-Guide   for additional information including  the dates that the sites were sampled, the most current test results and other information on each site. Get out on the water, be safe, and enjoy our Treasured Lake!

by:  Eric Reutebuch, Director, Lake Watch
 Appeared in August 2026 issue of Lake Magazine

Did you know that Alabama ranks number one among all states in the US for aquatic biodiversity? We are truly blessed to live in ‘America’s Amazon!’ Alabama rivers and streams have 340 freshwater fish species, more than any other state ( encyclopediaofalabama.org/fishes-of-alabama)! We also have more freshwater turtle species, more freshwater snail and mussel species, and more crayfish species as well. Who knew?

The Tallapoosa River Basin is home to Lake Martin, which lies in the Middle Tallapoosa River Basin. Lake Wedowee is in the Upper Tallapoosa Basin upstream. Lakes Yates and Thurlow are in the Lower Tallapoosa Basin downstream. The Tallapoosa Basin is a big contributor to our state’s number one status in freshwater fish diversity , home to134 species of fish (tinyurl.com/LMWatershed2012). In fact, we have some species that are only found in the Tallapoosa Basin and nowhere else in the world, four of which are mentioned below!

The rivers and streams of Alabama contain rainbows of color. The stunningly beautiful rainbow darter inhabits waters of north Alabama in the Tennessee Basin.  Closer to home, the waters of the Tallapoosa Basin have their own rainbows. Have you heard of the Tallapoosa Darter (shown, source: htnacifin.com/fish/tallapoosa-darter)? You probably haven’t seen one unless you’ve done a lot of wading and snorkeling in local streams. They are small, only growing to a maximum of around 2.5 inches long (outdooralabama.com/darters/tallapoosa). They spend their lives darting along the stream bottom (thus the name) eating aquatic bugs. What they lack in size, they make up for with their brilliant coloration. They are little swimming rainbows of color, rivaling the beauty of tropical reef fish.

Other beauties in the Tallapoosa Basin include the Tallapoosa Shiner, the Speckled Darter, Lipstick Darter, Longear Sunfish and the Tallapoosa Redeye Bass (shown, source: Drew Morgan). The Tallapoosa Basin is the only place on the globe you’ll find the Lipstick Darter and Tallapoosa Redeye Bass (outdooralabama.com, search Tallapoosa redeye bass) , as well as a not-so-pretty fish, the Tallapoosa Sculpin (tpimediagroup.org/lakemagazine/nature-of-the-lake/tallapoosa-sculpin/article_9d00843c-1bcd-5fa7-9707-0ab29b85fd0b.html).  The Tallapoosa sculpins (shown, source: TPI) are tiny, approximately the same size as the Tallapoosa darter.  They also live on the bottom of rivers and streams, eating aquatic insects, crayfish and other small fish. They are extremely hard to see due to their camouflage coloration.

As you can see, there’s a whole lot more to the aquatic community than bass, bluegill, catfish and crappie. The game fish get nearly all of the attention, of course, since they are fun to catch and quite tasty. The biggest game fish that anglers hook in the Tallapoosa Basin lakes are the Saltwater Striped Bass, ranging up to around 50 pounds. They are stocked into the lakes by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources nowadays, whereas they used to have massive runs up the river from the Gulf before the rivers were dammed. These Stripers would be considered minnows compared to the monsters that swam up the rivers beside them in pre-dam days, the Gulf Sturgeons, growing to over 13 feet long and over 300 pounds (shown, caught near Tallassee by Leander Ward in 1933, source: Tallassee Tribune).

This article is just a brief snapshot of the many fishes in the Tallapoosa Basin. For a good overview of aquatic critters in the basin check out the Alabama Extension blog article titled ‘Native Aquatic Species of the Tallapoosa Watershed ‘ at aces.edu, search Tallapoosa aquatic species), a book by Dr. Bill Deutsch, ‘Alabama Rivers: A Celebration And Challenge’ at alabamarocksandrivers.com, and a publication by Alabama Water Watch, ‘Citizen Volunteer Watershed Stewardship of Alabama’s Reservoirs-Special Lakes Worth Protecting, Lake Martin Watershed’ at tinyurl.com/LMWatershed2012.

Consider joining Lake Watch of Lake Martin to help us protect our lake, streams and the Tallapoosa River, and all of the amazing creatures that call this basin home. Go to www.lakewatch.org or scan the QR code and come onboard!

Eric Reutebuch has worked to protect Lake Martin and its watershed since the 1980s.  An Auburn University researcher and former Alabama Water Watch outreach director, he has served as Lake Watch of Lake Martin water monitor, past president and board member since 2015.

Check out our Swim Guide Report to be better informed before your next boating and swimming trip on the lake.  

The map shows the locations and July 2026 test results for our Swim Guide stations. The Green (235 E. coli/100 mL water maximum) and Red (over 235 E. coli/100 mL water) icons are based on the Alabama Department of Environmental Management's water quality criteria for Swimming and Whole Body Water Sports. 

The results are indicative of the water quality at each site on the date and time that they were sampled and do not indicate current water quality conditions. Nonetheless, by also looking at the historical trends in the test results (in the Alabama Water Watch database, also available for each site on our Swim Guide webpage), the information serves as a guide to help avoid unhealthy water quality conditions.

Click here:  https://www.lakewatch.org/Swim-Guide   for additional information including  the dates that the sites were sampled, the most current test results and other information on each site. Get out on the water, be safe, and enjoy our Treasured Lake!

Check out our Swim Guide Report to be better informed before your next boating and swimming trip on the lake.

The map shows the locations and June 2026 test results for our Swim Guide stations. The Green (235 E. coli/100 mL water maximum) and Red (over 235 E. coli/100 mL water) icons are based on the Alabama Department of Environmental Management's water quality criteria for Swimming and Whole Body Water Sports. 

The results are indicative of the water quality at each site on the date and time that they were sampled and do not indicate current water quality conditions. Nonetheless, by also looking at the historical trends in the test results (in the Alabama Water Watch database, also available for each site in our Swim Guide), the information serves as a guide to help avoid unhealthy water quality conditions.

Click here:  https://www.lakewatch.org/Swim-Guide   for the dates that the sites were sampled, the most current test results and more information on each site.

Get out on the water, be safe, and enjoy our Treasured Lake!

Lake Watch gave a presentation on the water quality of Lake Martin and its tributaries at the Alabama Water Watch Annual Meeting on June 6, 2026 in Opelika Alabama. There were 75 folks from around the state in attendance. We greatly appreciated the opportunity to share our Lake Watch monitoring efforts and results with a wider audience. Check out the lake's water quality by clicking on the picture below.

Check out our Swim Guide Report to be better informed before your next boating and swimming trip on the lake.

The map shows the locations and May 2026 test results for our 17 Swim Guide stations. The Green (235 E. coli/100 mL water maximum) and Red (over 235 E. coli/100 mL water) icons are based on the Alabama Department of Environmental Management's water quality criteria for Swimming and Whole Body Water Sports. 

 The results are indicative of the water quality at each site on the date and time that they were sampled and do not indicate current water quality conditions. Nonetheless, by also looking at the historical trends in the test results (also available for each site in our Swim Guide), the information serves as a guide to help avoid unhealthy water quality conditions.

Get out on the water, be safe, and enjoy our Treasured Lake!

The Newsletter of Lake Watch of Lake Martin
Editor:  Eric Reutebuch
No. 60, Jan 2026

Letter from the President - Bill Butler

Greetings Lake Watchers, 

Good news! For a limited time only, you are being offered a very special opportunity: the opportunity to get more involved in Lake Watch of Lake Martin.  We are interested in compiling a database identifying the special skills and talents that our members offer. If you have any specific training or skills, whether it be as a scientist, teacher, lawyer, engineer, accountant, writer, web designer or anything else that you think might be of service to Lake Watch, and you are willing to share those skills, please drop an email to info@lakewatch.com with your contact and other information. We promise not to overdo it, but Lake Watch has a wide range of very knowledgeable people, and it seems that we could be utilizing our members more than we are.  Oh, and by the way, one of our first needs is someone who knows how to compile a database.  

By:  Bill Butler, Lake Watch President
Appeared in Lake Magazine, January 2026 Edition

Happy New Year!  I have a resolution suggestion.  Resolve to get your septic tank cleaned on a regular basis.  While a growing number of lake residents are on a municipal or community system and do not have this worry, the large majority of lake residents still rely on a septic system for their sewage disposal.  A properly maintained system does a great job in treating waste, but a neglected one can be a very dangerous source of pollution to our treasured Alabama Lake.

 Septic systems have come a long way since being just a large concrete tank set in the ground with a gravity overflow to some gravel-lined trenches.  Modern systems will have multiple chambers, often with an aeration chamber, to improve treatment efficiency.  The waste may then flow to a holding tank before being pumped to field lines for final treatment as it is absorbed into the soil.  Whatever type of system you have, it requires periodic maintenance.

Proper maintenance starts with familiarizing yourself with your system.  If you bought an existing house, you may have minimal information on the septic system.  Your local county health department maintains permit records, which will show the location and design of your system.  These records are generally not online at this point, so obtaining a copy of the permit requires an office visit.

The most important maintenance is to have the accumulated solids pumped out of the tank as needed.  How often this should be done depends on factors such as the size of the system and amount of usage, but general recommendation is to have the system pumped every three to five years.  If the tank is not pumped regularly to remove accumulated solids, the tank will be washed out into the drainfield, which can clog the pipes, requiring an expensive repair job.

Allowing the drainfield to be flooded by excess flow or effluent can also cause problems.  If you rent your house out to large groups, or if you’re expecting a lot of family and friends for several days, a recommended practice is to have one or more of your tanks pumped ahead of time.  Doing so will provide your system with some excess capacity to handle the increased flow and avoid drainage to your field lines.

 Another maintenance item is the effluent filter on the outflow pipe from the septic tank.  Basic septic tanks installed after around 2006 are required by the Alabama’s Department of Public Health regulations to have a filter to keep solids from reaching the field lines.  The filter should be cleaned at a minimum whenever the tank is pumped, sometimes more frequently; however, not all systems have filters.  If you have an aeration tank after your septic tank, there is probably no need for a filter.

Another important matter is to pay attention to what you put into your septic systems.  The ADPH and the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service both have excellent publications online with maintenance tips and long lists of what not to put into the system.  Newsflash; flushable wipes should not be flushed!  Why manufacturers are allowed to label them this way is a mystery.  Also, disposing of coffee grounds in the sink is like pouring dirt into your system.

Minimize the use of a garbage disposal.  It is estimated such use increases the volume of solids entering a system by about 50 percent, requiring more frequent pumping.  Most of what goes down a garbage disposal can be composted instead.

A sailor friend has a sign in his boat that reads, “Do not put anything in the toilet you did not eat.”  Hmmm… Perhaps a little extreme for home use, but you get the point.

Septic systems are designed and permitted based on the number of bedrooms in a home, not the occupancy.  A growing area of concern is homes with modest capacity, possibly with outdated septic systems, rented out to large groups of people for weeks at a time.  While Lake Watch does not believe septic systems impacting the lake are a widespread problem at this point, we have responded to a few complaints from residents this past year that appeared to involve discharges from overloaded systems.

One of Lake Watch’s priorities for the coming year is to learn as much as we can about the threats posed by inadequate or poorly maintained septic systems and to advocate with our public officials on the site and local levels to strengthen permitting and maintenance requirements. 

Please consider joining us at Lake Watch.  Just scan the QR code  or go to LakeWatch.org.    Also, check the website for information on our annual meeting, scheduled for February 22, 2026, at New Water Farms.  There will be free food.  Guests and members are welcome.

Bill Butler is a retired attorney, long-time resident of Lake Martin and President of Lake Watch of Lake Martin after drawing the short straw.