very low water in the reservoirs and lakes.....

centerline

centerline

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Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
it seems like it was just a couple of months ago that some of the sailors in the NE part of the country was wondering if winter would ever end so they could launch and sail.... and now here in the northwestern part of the U.S., anyone that has their boat berthed/moored on the lakes and reservoirs are already having to pull their boats (many never even launched this season) due to the lack of water...
we had a complete lack of a "normal" winter for this area, and its been a hot dry summer....

for the past three years, we have spent our vacation in the san juan islands, washington.... (they still have plenty of water there;))....but this year we have planned to spend some time at lake tahoe, and even though there is plenty of water there by my standards (at 2-3ft low vs. the 40-80ft low in our local reservoirs), the locals there are complaining about the low water conditions.
on google earth it does show they have a lot more beach than usual, but we are going to be there next week for two weeks of sailing and living on the boat and also visiting the local and some more distant attractions by vehicle.....
hopefully the drought wont affect our vacation time too much while we're there.

due to the lack of water in our reservoirs here, when we return we will park the 25 for the season and spend the rest of the year playing on the columbia river, where our 34 is berthed. the river still has some water in it, but at this time, also more sand bars than is normal....

obviously the oceans have as much water as usual, but for those that sail in non-tidal rivers, lakes and reservoirs, how is the boating season progressing in your part of the country?
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Lake Minnetonka is at pool. That's pretty typical.

More importantly Lake Superior is up, 22 inches above LWD which means over a foot above average.

All good here!
 
Scott T-Bird

Scott T-Bird

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Oct 26, 2008
6,432
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Western states are prone to drought and the pressures of growing population will always put pressure on your reservoir levels. The northeastern states are basically a freshwater paradise. We get amazingly consistent rainfall which averages 4 inches per month, month in month out, all year round, year after year. What we call a drought is laughable by the standards of a drought in the west.

Drinking water reservoirs in our state are filled to the brim. Astonishingly, despite a long period of rainy weather and lack of evaporation, Lake Hopatcong is STILL 4 inches below the normal pool level. There is only one reason for it. The bureaucratic skunks of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection have control of the discharge rate and they continue to F with the citizens who desire a normal water level on the lake. Basically, they refuse to allow the lake to fill to a normal level, despite over-abundant water flow rates across the entire state and despite the environmental harm that they promote by keeping water levels artificially low. We are actually suffering flood conditions in many localities around the state. This is the result of a bureaucracy run amok and hopefully people will wake up and understand how abusive the bureaucrats can be, and throw them out.
 
Roadking Larry

Roadking Larry

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Mar 30, 2013
700
Allied Seawind MK II 32' Oologah Lake, Oklahoma
Here in Oklahoma we have an abundance of water in our lakes. We've had record setting rainfall this spring and early Summer. The lake where I have my boat was as much as 20' above normal, down to 10' over normal as of this evening.
Several lakes were so high people couldn't get to their docks and boat ramps and parks were closed.
 
centerline

centerline

.
Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
Scott T-Bird said:
The bureaucratic skunks have control of the discharge rate and they continue to F with the citizens who desire a normal water level on the lake.

they refuse to allow the lake to fill to a normal level, despite over-abundant water flow rates across the entire state and despite the environmental harm that they promote by keeping water levels artificially low.

This is the result of a bureaucracy run amok and hopefully people will wake up and understand how abusive the bureaucrats can be, and throw them out.
Click to expand
Scott,
absolutely.
here in this area, it is the bureaucrats who start the ball rolling by not allowing the reservoirs to fill early in the season, knowing full well its going to be a dry year... then they blame the entire problem on the lack of snow pack and rain...

there is no sound reason for the lower rivers (outflows from the reservoirs) to be running at near flood stage during march, april and may when they know full well they need the water if they have any plan to fill the reservoirs by memorial day... which would allow a strong economy for any activity the revolves or evolves around the water that is held by the reservoir... this water is a valuable commodity/resource while its being held back, AND when it gets released later in the year when its needed.

we all understand the bureaucrats and politicians cant control the rain or snow pack, and subsequently the runoff into the reservoirs, but it would be possible for them to pull their heads out of their a**, and their hands out of each other pockets long enough for them to do the right thing for the country, the people and economy... but not likely.

but no matter the reason, the water levels are low and it affects much more than just our boating opportunities:cry:
 
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C

Chief RA

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Nov 26, 2012
2,315
Catalina 250 Bodega Bay CA
I live 3 miles from back side of Lake Oroville. It now has only 26% of full and down about 250'. The canal providing water down south almost runs over every spring getting all their reservoirs filled. Its a serious situation! Chief
 
centerline

centerline

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Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
Chief RA said:
I live 3 miles from back side of Lake Oroville. It now has only 26% of full and down about 250'. The canal providing water down south almost runs over every spring getting all their reservoirs filled. Its a serious situation! Chief
Click to expand
I just looked at photos of lake oroville... terrible!
its amazing/depressing that as the climate changes in it cycle, which has been going on since the beginning of time, that the people who control the water flows out of the dams, have not learned how, or have no care to conserve, yet they want to dictate to the rest of us that we need to conserve because they have no water left...
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
C

Chief RA

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Nov 26, 2012
2,315
Catalina 250 Bodega Bay CA
I can't believe that article said that 8 Arizona golf courses had to be closed and many more soon! Thats like us sending all this water for S. Calif. golf courses and swimming pools! It drives me crazy! If we send it, for Gods sake don't waste it on such crap!
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
justsomeguy said:
"Caca Grande"? "Los Cojones"? "Assistant State Hydrologist Flo Freeley"?

Did you notice that the post was dated April 1st? ;)
Click to expand
You should know me better that that..... ;^)
 
justsomeguy

justsomeguy

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Feb 20, 2011
8,062
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Jackdaw said:
You should know me better that that..... ;^)
Click to expand
I believe I should. :D

The reservoirs where I used to sail here in AZ are quite low, around 46%, or 50 some-odd feet down from full elevation.
 
All U Get

All U Get

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Oct 2, 2008
3,811
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Our problem started when we cleared forests for farm land. No buffer left for water retention.

All U Get
 
Scott T-Bird

Scott T-Bird

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Oct 26, 2008
6,432
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
You had me going ...

until Los Cojones and Caca Grande. I started looking for The Onion at the title. :D

It may not be so far-fetched. Years ago, The City of Chicago was sued for draining Lake Michigan via their new Sanitary & Shipping Canal which reverses the flow of the Chicago River and links the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River drainage basin. Flow through the canal is regulated by international treaty with Canada.
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Scott T-Bird said:
until Los Cojones and Caca Grande. I started looking for The Onion at the title. :D

It may not be so far-fetched. Years ago, The City of Chicago was sued for draining Lake Michigan via their new Sanitary & Shipping Canal which reverses the flow of the Chicago River and links the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River drainage basin. Flow through the canal is regulated by international treaty with Canada.
Click to expand
While it seems a lot, the actual amount in system-terms is very low. In addition, the Long Lac and Ogoki diversions divert into Lake Superior 2,000 cubic feet per second greater than the amount of water diverted out of Lake Michigan at Chicago. So overall, its a net-add.

Big issue is the carp.
 
C

Chief RA

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Nov 26, 2012
2,315
Catalina 250 Bodega Bay CA
Those carp are scary! If they get into the Great Lakes we are in for serious problems!
Chief
 
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