human use. Numerous local and national fishing tournaments are held on the lake annually, the lake has also hosted championship events of the FLW Outdoors Tour and the Bassmaster Classic in 1992, 1993, and 1997. Large numbers of both largemouth and spotted bass inhabit the lake, as well as striped bass, white bass, hybrid bass, crappie, catfish (mostly of the channel variety), bream, drum, carp, and gar. Fish in Logan Martin lake are polluted with, in some cases, substantial amounts of Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), originating from Choccolocco Creek, and ultimately Anniston, Alabama. The pollution culminated with several high-profile class action lawsuits in the early 2000s, one of which was led by attorney Johnnie Cochran. History The Coosa River was long used for steamship navigation as far north as Rome, Georgia. An extensive series of locks allowed passage along shoals and ledges in the river. After steamships were replaced by roads and railroads, the site of proposed Lock 7 was selected for a large dam to provide hydropower, flood control, and recreation. Construction started on the gravity concrete and earth fill dam July 18, 1960 and it was placed in service August 10, 1964. Logan Martin Dam is named after William Logan Martin, Jr., a judge and Attorney General in Alabama in the early 20th century. Economy Logan Martin Lake contributes millions of dollars annually to the communities surrounding the lake in the form of increased property values, expenditures by recreational visitors at local businesses, and low-cost hydropower for the state. Its proximity to the large population center of Birmingham leads to heavy use by recreational boaters during the summer, and it is also used for skiing and swimming.. The vast majority of the boat traffic is between I-20 and Logan Martin Dam, with the traffic increasing in the more open areas surrounding the Logan Martin Dam. References http://www.dailyhome.com/news/2008/dh-localnews-0412-datchison-8d11v3715.htm http://www.clantonadvertiser.com/articles/2008/04/04/sports/a-sports.txt Anniston Star, AL - Apr 20, 2008 External links Hunting, fishing, Outdoor Outdoor Alabama Logan Martin Link General Information Logan Martin Lake Protection Association Logan Martin Information and News Website Alabama Lakes Logan Martin Link Coosa / Warrior Relicensing Project; Initial Information Package for the Logan Martin Development; FERC 2146 Alabama Power Company; Coosa Project Landmarks in Alabama Reservoirs in Alabama Dams in Alabama Alabama Power dams Dams completed in 1964 Bodies of water of Calhoun County, Alabama Bodies of water of St. Clair County, Alabama Bodies of water of Talladega