January 2016 Update:


Below is the data on pumping and water releases for January of 2016.


Evaporation for January = 2.51 inches or about 5,697 acre-feet.


Rainfall Recorded at the SRA for January = 0.68 inches.



Water Released Downstream for Communities by the SRA for January = 190.3 acre-feet or 62,009,521 gallons, which is the equivalent of about 0.08 inches taken off the lake's surface.


Water Pumped by Dallas for January = 5,654.6 acre-feet or 1,842,559,326 gallons or about 2.50 inches removed from the lake's surface. This represents about 4.3% of the 131,000 acre-feet that Dallas is entitled to take for the year.


Water Released Downstream by the SRA through the Flood Gates when the lake was Overfull from Rain in early January = 38,898 acre-feet or 12,674,967,757 gallons. This is the equivalent of 1.43 feet or 17.1 inches of water off the surface of the lake that had to be dumped downstream.


So, the total amount of water that left Lake Fork in January was 22.2 inches off the surface of the lake or 1.85 feet or about 50,440.6 acre-feet. Dumping that water downstream this time of the year is really painful as we all know it will probably be needed in mid-summer, but of course the SRA must keep the water from getting to much above full pool.


Steve Chick

Also on Feb 16th the Lake Fork Sportsman's Assoc and TPWD will hold a "State of the Lake" info meeting starting at 6:30 PM at the Emory Center on SH 19 near Sidekicks. The public is invited and questions will be answered. I don't know if the SRA or Dallas Water Utilites will be there.
Bruce

Can you post the results of the meeting for those that can't make it? What is the "state" of Chaney creek? Have they found any of the giant salvinia in any other parts of the lake?

I imagine that is what there report will tell.

If I get to it I will.

I was at Fork on Jan 31 and Chaney Branch is still closed. The boat ramp is closed and the whole creek is buoyed off out near the mouth. In addition, while fishing the back of a nearby creek, I ran across and patch of unusual weed/grass growth that was about 15 feet across. Since I had not seen it anywhere else on the lake I took a picture, recorded gps coords and reported it to TPWD on their website. In less than 48 hours I got an email back telling me it was not the giant salvinia, but another type of invasive species and thanking me for my input. TPWD reviews every lake and public park pond at least every 4 years looking at not just fish populations but vegetation growth as well. I encourage you to report unusual growths not just in lake fork but other lakes we visit as our photos are not simply filed away and never looked at.