88.5 Wfdd - Carolina Curious

Salem Lake in Winston-Salem, N.C. Image courtesy of Cooper Sullivan. Cooper Sullivan/WFDD Since early September, Salem Lake’s water levels have been about 10 feet lower than normal as construction crews are working on the boat ramp and retaining walls. For people, this just means a few months without water activities. But Kernersville native and frequent Salem Lake visitor Elizabeth White wants to know how the construction will impact the surrounding nature life. "I want to know if the draining of Salem Lake, and also the flooding of Salem Creek is having any effect on the biodiversity of the plants and the animals that live in that area. And also what does that mean for our drinking water, since we get our drinking water from Salem Lake as well?" In the 2018 election, Winston-Salem voters approved a bond referendum that allotted $3.7 million toward Salem Lake improvements. And in August 2021, Phase II of these improvements began. The projects planned include renovations of th