http://droughtreporter.unl.edu/

v 2.4.3.0

Submerged hazards, due to low water levels, were unmarked in Eastman Lake in Madera County. Recent rain brought the lake up to 469.14 feet in elevation and 8 percent of capacity. The boat ramp at Hensley Lake also in Madera County remained unusable to large boats, although smaller vessels could be launched from the shore. Precipitation brought the level of Hensley Lake up to 447.89 feet and a capacity of 5 percent. All boat ramps were closed at Lake Success in Tulare County, due to low lake levels. The water level continued its decline to 575.70 in elevation and 4 percent of capacity. The drought has caused fishing interest at McClure Reservoir to wane, and the Barrett Cove North Ramp remained the only one open. The water level fell 7 feet to an elevation of 606.77 feet and was at 9 percent of capacity. A 5.5-mile stretch of the Merced River in Snelling continued to be closed to fishing, due to low water levels. Some boat ramps at the Pine Flat Reservoir were closed, due to low water levels. Rain brought the lake level up one foot to 720.50 in elevation and a capacity of 11 percent. Few fishermen were willing to launch their boats at Bass Lake with the water being so shallow at 47 percent of capacity. Drought has really taken a toll on Edison, Florence and Mammoth Pool with the lakes at 4, 4 and 9 percent of capacity, respectively. Boat launching was very difficult at Wishon and Courtright lakes, due to low water levels. Fresno Bee (Calif.), Nov. 5, 2014 Drought has lowered lake levels and reduced recreational opportunities in California. Low lake levels at Hensley Lake in Madera County, made boat ramps unusable, meaning all vessels must be launched by hand. The lake was at 448.02 feet in elevation and at 6 percent of capacity. At Eastman Lake underwater hazards near the water’s surface posed dangers to boaters. Eastman was at 469.27 feet in elevation and at 8 percent of capacity. A temporary dock was launched on Lake Isabella near Wofford Heights in the North Fork. Inflows from the upper river were very low at 90 cubic feet per second. Care should be used when launching from boat ramps in the South Fork and near the dam. The lake level receded slightly to 2,531.40 feet in elevation and 9 percent of capacity. Lake Kaweah in Tulare County was at 592.82 feet in elevation and 9 percent of capacity. Boaters at Lake Success in Tulare County must exercise caution when putting a boat in at the ramp on the Rocky Hill side. The lake slipped to 577.26 feet in elevation and 4 percent of capacity. The North ramp at Barrett Cove was the only useable boat ramp at Lake McClure in Mariposa County and should stay open through mid-October. Drought and the low water level resulted in the closing of the South ramp and the marinas at Barrett Cove and McClure Point. A-1 Bait was selling all plastic worms at a 30 percent discount, due to the drought. McClure Lake fell to 622.92 feet in elevation and was at 11 percent of capacity. A 5.5 mile length of the Merced River in Snelling was closing to angling, due to the low water. Some of the boat ramps at Pine Flat Reservoir in Fresno County were inaccessible while the reservoir was at 720.63 feet in elevation and at 11 percent of capacity. In the lower Kings River in Fresno County, the Fresno Fly Fishers urged club members to avoid angling there until further notice due to the low water levels. The October club meeting was moved to the South Fork of the Kings River at Cedar Grove. With low water levels in the river as releases were reduced to a minimum from Pine Flat Reservoir, water temperatures were high, resulting in special regulations in the Kings River above and below the Pine Flat Dam. As San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay in Merced County become increasingly depleted, users of the launch ramp at Dinosaur Point are warned to use it at their own risk. The Basalt Ramp was recommended as a safer alternative. The San Luis Reservoir was at 22 percent of capacity. The ramp and courtesy dock at Bass Lake in Madera County were barely in the water as drought draws the lake level down. Bass Lake was at 48 percent of capacity. Edison, Florence and Mammoth Pool in Fresno and Madera counties fell to 4 percent, 5 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Low water was problematic at Lakes Santa Margarita and San Antonio. Only kayaks, canoes and inflatables were useable at Lake San Antonio, where the capacity was 4 percent. Lake Nacimiento was at 716.05 feet in elevation and 17 percent of capacity. Fresno Bee (Calif.), Oct. 14, 2014