The new general for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Atlantic Division made no promises to local leaders Thursday but made a good first impression on his first trip to a basin project since taking over in May.

Brig. Gen. Todd Semonite met privately with corps staff, and LaGrange and Troup County leaders in the city before taking a quick detour to see the lake.

“It was a great day today meeting you and the people of the community,” Semonite told the leaders during public remarks after their talks.

Semonite succeeds Brig. Gen. Joseph Schroedel, whom locals credit with better management of West Point Lake and the Chattahoochee River basin in the last two years. The Atlantic division includes the Mobile, Ala., district office, which manages West Point Lake and other federal lakes in the Chattahoochee River basin.

Since even before the drought that gripped the Southeast and thrust the area into national headlines in 2007, local officials have tried to persuade the corps to manage West Point Lake in a balanced and fair fashion, rather than cutting off the spigot to supply north Georgia or letting open the taps to satisfy interests downriver.

“We have never asked for our lake to be full at the expense of another,” said County Commission Chairman Ricky Wolfe. “It’s refreshing to hear the general talk about ‘adaptive management,’ which we call common sense.”

During the private talks, local leaders laid out their ongoing priorities for the lake, such as a full winter pool to provide for year-round fishing and concerns with the rules the corps uses to manage the lake. They also presented the general with the results of a study of the lake’s economic impact completed two years ago and talked about its congressionally authorized purposes, including recreation. The presentation included most of the recent life of the lake, including photos from the drought.

“I know the history now,” Semonite said.

U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Grantville, arranged the visit with Semonite and was praised by local leaders for his efforts on behalf of the lake.

“I’ve represented this area for five years and one of my main priorities is to do everything I can for this economic engine of this area,” Westmoreland said.

Semonite said he was open to hearing about all the issues and will be back to hear from residents about the lake. The Atlantic division with which he’s charged stretches from North Carolina to Mississippi.

“We will continue to balance all the requests, keeping in mind that Mother Nature does get a vote here,” he said, calling for a balanced approach to basin management.

“We will keep the lake as full as we can,” Semonite said.

Semonite said the water-control plan for the basin, which the corps began revising last year, won’t be slowed down by a federal judge’s ruling that Atlanta can’t use Lake Lanier for drinking water.

“It’s a confusing and sensitive issue, but we will follow the letter of the law and create a plan that the public will be able to see and comment on,” he said. “If anything, this will keep the right emphasis on the water control plan. If (Georgia, Alabama and Florida) come up with their own solution, we will be happy to serve as technical experts.”

Local leaders called the meeting successful. LaGrange Mayor Jeff Lukken called Semonite a “tough, straight talker.”

“He gave us honest answers and that’s all we can ask for,” said state Rep. Randy Nix, R-LaGrange.