ROANOKE, Va., August 15, 2025 – Appalachian Power (APCo) wants boaters, kayakers, tubers and other recreational users downstream of Leesville Dam to know water levels on the Roanoke River could rise rapidly starting on Sunday, August 17, and possibly fluctuate through the early part of next week.
The National Weather Service is forecasting high temperatures over the next week, and PJM, the independent regional transmission organization that manages the electric grid in 13 states, has notified APCo that it may need to increase power generation at its hydroelectric plants to maintain the reliability of the regional electric grid if called upon to do so.
Water levels below Leesville Dam could increase as much as eight feet over seven hours. Those considering recreating on the rivers should monitor AEP’s website for additional information and follow the Smith Mountain Project Facebook pages for updates.
Leesville Dam, with a generating capacity of 50 megawatts, is part of the Smith Mountain Project, a 636-megawatt pumped storage hydroelectric facility on the Roanoke River.