As dry an North Texas has been, the Fairfield area has been worse. The IKE eye even skirted that area and they only got 3.5" from it. TXU pumped Trinity water into the lake until about Mid-September. Presumably for budget reason TXU had to cease pumping water until Jan 1. Without enough rain TXU has to buy Trinity River water to hold or raise the lake and also afford the pumping cost to keep the lake high enough for the boat ramps to work.

The heat the power station adds will continue to evaporate water and the lake level will continue to drop. Right now twin axles trailers could still get 2/3 of the bunks wet with one axle hanging over off the concrete edge. Dropping a single axle off the concrete edge might not get back up, if the forward spring bracket drops off and catches on the concrete edge.

For right now boats that can launch can not get past a prop wash produced Berm about 1.5 boat lengths out from the ramp concrete edge. This lake just became unservicable to most of us, because of this berm, unless you like to boat and fish in a 30 ft by 25 ft blow hole.

As of this moment the both ramps are unservicable for all but flat bottoms, tunnels or kayak boats. As of last weekend even the first two scrapped bottom being poled in and out over that prop wash produced berm, that our boats made.

A volunteer effort is being mounted by the Guaranteed Guide Service guys, lead by Coy Vinson. He is seeking a track hoe for dredging the berm out and lining up dump trucks to haul that material out of the park, and looking for qualified equipment operators. Cory just today has gotten TWPD permission to do a volunteer effort dredge, but so far he has been shouldering all the organizational load and was standing ready to afford the diesel fuel cost involved.

If you club is considering fishing Fairfield this winter you are going to need to help get that berm out of the way, and open up the camp ground ramp access. TWPD cannot afford the expenses involved, nor can they find the equipment. If you can offer:
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[*]Track hoe time in the next two weeks that would be of the greatest help, [*]dump trucks, [*]equipment operators, [*]diesel fuel, and [*] a place nearer the park willing to take the dredged material for a haul away distance shorter than 20 miles one way to Streetman.

We have guys sending Diesel fund checks or cash to the park office to help defray Cory's fuel costs. For diesel money checks make the payee "Cory Vinson" C/O Mike Kleinert TWPD Park Manager, Fairfield Lake State State Park, 123 State Park Road 64, Fairfield, Texas 75649

One last proviso October should be our either our first or second wettest month. If this Central east Texas drought continues even removing this berm isn't going to be enough, there is about 1.5 axles depth left to get in at the moment. I like the sign at The Chevron Station "prey for rain and don't complain about the mud if we get some"

Consider this club presidents and schedule planners, ask yourself where else are you going to place your warm water winter time tournaments if that ramp berm is still in our way, and who are you going to espect to dredge it out during full winter weather conditions? So are you going to find a way to help this volunteer dredging?

If you can help in any way I'm sure Cory Vinson will appreciate anything you can contribute, and be sure to thank him if your boats can float past an empty hole this winter where that berm was at the south (old store) ramp. With enough diesel fuel contribution the volunteers are going to also try to dredge the camp ground (norther) ramp that has been so shallow for so many years.

Because Cory is asking for volunteer track hoe time it has to happen when the equipment can be brought together to do the work. Cory said he is thinking timing of about two weeks from today would be a worthy goal for getting this dredging done.

Your help is needed for anything you can contribute to you fishing pleasure this next 10 months. If you can help more directly than fuel contributions call Cory at 469-867-4299. If you cannot spare the funds call him anyway and thank him for taking this mission on.

Question:
Why is no water pumped into the lake anymore?
What can be done to get water pumped into lake?