Lake McQueeney

I don't know if it will help or not but I just sent an e-mail to Judge Ables in Kerrville who is the presiding judge on this lake issue. In the e-mail I stated I was a tax payer of this area and I fished the lakes that would be affected if the water was lowered. I also state that I could not fish McQueeney because it is a "private" lake and the land owners around it were adamant about keeping it that way. I stated that if any of my tax money was to be spent in repairing the damns that it is only fair that public access be provided for all those who wanted to use this lakes.

So all that feel the same take a minute or two and send an e-mail to him to let him know how you feel. It may not be just local taxes that pay for these repairs in that they may use some state money also so you could be affected as well. It may not do any good but if you don't try you can only blame yourself.

Don’t matter they are going to drain it in a year and you can float down the river.

From what I hear, from people that know him, he’s not much of a friendly person. Think I’d just leave well enough alone and not contact him. But if he does respond, please do tell what he says.

More than likely he isn't interested in anything anyone says outside of what is presented by those parties involved, and will make a decision based on what facts both sides present.
My bet is he meets them somewhere in the middle.
I don't see any judge sticking his neck out on this especially when there isn't funding for any of the repair work in the foreseeable future.

How could public access be given? Every square inch of the land that touches the river/lake is privately owned. I don't see one single property owner standing up saying they would be willing to give up their land to allow public access. I would not be willing to do so and can't expect anyone else to do it. There is no solution unless someone wants to give up their lakefront property or wishes to grant access out of the goodness of their heart. Anyone can use the lake if they have legal access to the water like IH 35 or IH 10. Unfortunately, no highway crosses McQueeny.

How was this allowed to happen? There should have been a permanent, public ramp from Day 1. This appears to be a situation that has been swept under the rug year after year. Someone please tell me of any other public lake in Texas that doesn't have a public ramp.

All they have to do is to in large or install another ramp at the Ski Lodge. There is also an on the water boat dock storage where a ramp could be installed. If need be one of them could even be used to collect a launching fee which I would have not problem paying.

If these are privately owned, like I imagine they are; the GBRA would have to buy one of them. That is, if whoever owns them, wants to sell.

If the Ski Lodge charged $500 a day to use their ramp then McQueeney could be known as a Public Lake.

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GBRA owns plenty of access to build a ramp.

Lake Gonzales (H-4) has a private fee ramp.

A public ramp is one that is open for anyone to use, fee or no fee. A private ramp is not a public ramp. There are all kinds of private ramps. My BIL lives in a subdivision in Mont Belvieu. That subdivision has its own ramp where homeowners are given a key to the gate. There are clubs that have private access ramps. That ski club is an example. Some companies own bodies of water that are private. Entergy owns Lewis Creek Reservoir in Willis. It is completely fenced off.

If GBRA owns plenty of property to build a public access ramp, they haven't cared enough to build one in the past and I sure as heck don't think they are too concerned with building one right now. GBRA has been sliding through without doing a dang thing for years. They are probably hoping they can keep it up.

Only thing about H-4's "public" ramp, the owner can lock the gate whenever he wants.

GBRA built a new ramp on Lake Wood about a year before the dam broke. But you are correct, GBRA has not lived up to their charter, only the good old boys club.

Used to fish McQueeny in the late 90's when the two ramps were open at the RV campground. Went back sometime in the mid 00's and it was closed and had new construction... sad day, caught my PB there.