My uncle (James aka JW) & I went to Lake Limestone today (Saturday 20th) to take pics of the low lake level, about 7.12' low currently. NO ramps open.
As of 11:37 PM, currently listed as:
LIMESTONE 363.0' full pool stage----- 355.88' current level 191 cfs releasing
Our first stop was by bottom near dam by the BRA (Brazos River Authority) location (office & work station) at the public park & ramp (CLOSED with yellow flagging across). I was supposed to stop by & say hi to one of the 2 Lake Rangers. He emailed me the day before that they (BRA & Game Wardens) are currently using a tractor to launch their boats on the lake, as even their ramp located at the very Southwest corner by the dam in a little side jut by the dam wall has also been affected by the drought & low level. They had it cut deeper for lower levels if need be. However, nobody had planned on such low levels. They have rocks on the lake bed there, so launching by tractor is fairly stable. Plans are to dredge it out as soon as it dries out a little more, as saturation is still a factor as to that. Currently, the release seems a bit high this past month. Robert explained they are currently releasing thru a 16" ball valve. The release is due to needed water downstream, including not only farmers & ranchers, but also Houston. Limestone and several other lakes are involved, such as Gibbons Creek (I thought I heard it mentioned) & Somerville, to name 2 others. Trying to recall everything discussed, as it has been a very long day. He said he thinks we may even see an 8 to 9' low level before it ends. Also got to meet the other new Lake Ranger, a former Game Warden. It seems Davy is now director & took Dwight's place. I would have to research BRA setup to know the overview of BRA & its branches & sub-branches. Anyway, at the ramp there, dry sand beach goes out some ways, then tapers down fair, some water, then a sand bar ridge justs up a foot to 3 feet high out some way from the pier which is by the boat ramp. Looking up lake, you can see how the boat houses are nowhere near the water & sandy beaches. We headed out from there, as they had to head out, as they received a call.
For those of you who do not know, lakes are maintained for two primary reasons. First, it is a reservoir for water, to distribute (be it for ranchers/farmers, or to sell for water usage). Second for cooling purposes of the electrical Power Plants, if there is one built for use or planned into the original setup of the lake, or perhaps even secondary (as to after the lake came into being). Everything else is considered beneficial, but can not supersede or take precedent over those two. Yes, this includes recreation, which includes fishing & boating pleasures. It is sad, but as Robert put it, would you prefer to have water to drink & electricity for your home, or a place to launch & run your boat? Point well made. Sometimes we forget just how things rate in our existence. Also, we were told that very few boats were out due to the non-existent useable ramps currently. THere are two methods though still available. One is you can still carry a smaller boat out to the water & drop it in. As to bigger boats, you had to be on top of this drought & keep your boat directly in the water tied up & constantly moving it out further as the lake drops so it would not get beached. If worse comes to worse down the road, we may be using my sister's 12' Porta-Bote as she also has the clamp on wheels so you can run it around easily.
Next stop was Running Branch Marina, or perhaps currently Dry Branch Marina, as James & Darrell were trying to smile despite the gloomy current outlook. Currently, basically it is dry at the two forks inside the bridge (LCR #740) at RB. There is a puddle still about a foot or so deep out a bit from the double stage ramp there. I guess that little hole is created by boat motors coming & going as to loading or unloading boats & revving the motors. As to by pier by ramp & fuel tank, from there into that area on up to bridge, is a lot of green grass. At the moment, they had a big trackhoe digging some out of the 2 forks inside the park. It might be about 2 feet deeper in the center but not sure until finished & lake fill up. Then we will know. Sadly, no digging under bridge or beyond that is planned. This is due to limited funds/income due to the drought, as well as to other red tape. Even though part of the like, to dig under a county bridge, it is under the county easement, therefore permission must be obtained thru them. And if you dig it deeper, would it compromise the bridge structure. Oh, now you see what hurdles you can get into. Then once you get past the bridge heading out further, that's another story & then some. If you have been to RB & launched there before, you know the setup. You are in a No Wake Zone, which takes some 15 to 20 minutes to putt-putt thru. Well, we took our cameras & headed out under bridge by foot. Trying to dodge the higher grass & the cracks from the bottom drying out in this heat, we got to the curve, where Running Branch Creek has jutted over from since it has clogged off on the other side a few years back. As you bend left & hit the area that it finally connected water to both sides, we did not see or find the buoy in the taller grass there. We walked a long ways until we got to the old little roofed fishing pier on the left. Its floor level was at about 8' to 9' above our head. We passed one buoy that layed over and was sideways in the sand. Eventually we got to under the powerlines, asaw an old concrete drainage pipe that ended in the water. No telling what is from. And a white PVC pipe, about 3" in diameter that headed across towards what used to be Herman's Hideaway to one side of the dry boat ramp there. Yep, no water even there. We walked further to the first cove on the left. There is a tree stump line that runs across the center of the cove that you can see clearly. One lady in 2004 to 2006, caught an 82 pound Yellow on a trotline here.
I had lost 3 throwlines here about 3 years back when the lake was low & jumped up. I tried to find them, but never could. Well, I found one only. James spotted my quart concrete weight. You must understand that due to the heat & humidity, we were drowning in sweat, so we got smart & instead of hauling our "finds" all the way back, we left them in a pile at a given location. So when the lake gets up, we can retrieve our "cache". Unless of course, someone else may retrieve them before then. Time will tell. James decided that the walkabout was enough for him & it was time to head back. The water was in a little jut out about 1/3rd out, maybe 6" deep. I walked a bit further, around the rest of that cove & out just a bit. I could see that the water level had not quite receded to the bird nest tree that has the most nests in it. Looking out at the newly uncovered forest, I knew that if I could somehow get the Porta-Bote out here, it would do well to plot out paths for future trotlines, in order to miss possible stump hang-ups. Then it was time to head back. How far out was it until we hit water? I would say about a mile (if not, at least 3/4 mile). Another thought was I wonder how far some of the Yellows have wandered off or relocated to. And when or how soon will they return, once water levels rise back, at least to 3' or 4' low, if not full level. Probably where "the Giant" was last hitting the lines, it was still about 6' or 8' and that was at about 3' to 4' low. So now it is estimated at being a foot or 2 deep now, no more than 3'. While it is possible it might come into 3' waters, it won't or can't stay there, or risk severe sunburn.
Got back & ate an early lunch at the grill there at RB. Yes, the grill is still cooking up good food. Ronnie came in & we were talking about the lake level. He said to go up to Old Union, turn right. This heads back to the main lake & has a bridge that crosses at about a third up at the top of the lake. Then turn left on Guy Bond Road & head up-lake if we really wanted to see how shallow it was up at the north end. Shortly after eating, we left to our next spot for pics. We took a few pics of Running Branch Creek on our way out to FM 947.
However, due to time, we only crossed the bridge to take pics. Then crossed back & took final pics. We also noticed how low it was near the public ramp there, which was one of the last 2 available until the lake level got even lower. Lake Limestone Marina was the other which also is no longer workable.
We had planned to also go up beyond the top of Lake Limestone to a family place we called Water Lake. It is the old river bed that we used to have many July 4th Trips when I was a kid & teenager. JW said it had finally became part of Limestone. The last time I saw it in the mid-80s, I had seen the lake just below as there was a hill next to it that you could see some ways out. However, our time was getting limited, as we had to be back in time to go to my granddaughter's 4th Birthday Party at Chuck E. Cheese. We did run up to Box Church for a few final memory pics, as my uncle & Mom were raised there.
Oh, some may think now is the time to get your 4-wheeler out & do some beach running. You might want to rethink that thru a bit. It is illegal to do that, except in certain cases such as a rancher. It could cost you a ticket (fine). We were told that usually they gave a warning first, unless there was a reason to warrant someone who had done so excessively.
Also, recently they stated in the news weather, that we are already over the La Nina of late 2010/early 2011. We were now in the drier summer. But sadly, we have had major high pressure ridges which have cut our chances of rain. But La Nina may kick off once again this fall. So it may not be over.
Sorry, no fish report in this one. But JW found a website that might contain Lake Limestone fishing reports/updates.
<
http://www.fishingnotes.com/lakeinfo.php?id=29146>
im sure the lake dropped another foot while you were typing... 