Lake Amistad

[k-valve]

I'm looking for a little information on Lake Amistad. We are looking for different sections of the lake to teach technical classes.

We need info on the following:

1. Where are the deepest parts of the lake. It's supposed to reach 220' at full pool, but where??

2. Where are your preferred campgrounds and other facilities?

3. What are your favorite places to dive on the lake? Please supply depths, vis and temps if you have any of that info...especially depths.

4. Best places to rent a pontoon boat.

5. Any other facilities or local info we need to know about? Places to eat...where to get a good fill...etc.

Thanks!!!!

 

[PeppermintPaddi]

does this help?

Scuba Equipment, Dive Shop, Del Rio, Lake Amistad, Scuba Diving Information, Air, Tanks, Gear, Rentals, Scuba Tank Inspections - Welcome

Hmmm..do we need some hydrilla in Travis?
During the past five years, there has been a rapid expansion of Hydrilla in Lake Amistad. This underwater vegetation grows thick in the summer, and dies back to the lake floor during the winter. As far as I could tell, it can grow up to about 35 or 40 ft.. It grows from a clump on the floor and expands upward and outward to the surface. This is good for divers! The result of the Hydrilla in the lake is very clear water around these beds. The beds allow sediment to fall to the bottom and stay there. Wave action does not stir up sediment from the bottom, as it remains calm below the beds. Hydrilla also provides oxygen to the water and creates an ideal environment for fish. Before the development of these Hydrilla beds, visibility dropped to 5 ft. or less during the summer. Now you can enjoy 20 ft. of visibility in the middle of summer with a water temperature of 80 degrees!

 

[FIXXERVI6]

There are some lakes in Arkansas that are suppose to be deeper than 200, I beleive DeGray is one.

I've been pretty deep in Ouchita but I dont' think it goes below 140 - 150 just a guess bassed on a topo I saw of the area, I it 120's there.

 

[texdiveguy]

John, what courses are you intending on instructing....that may help in lake selection. I am guessing with recent droughts all Tx. waterways are down.....even a few in Ok. and Ark., Mo..

 

[amascuba]

Broken Bow is supposed to be 200+ in some places, I believe. I know that doesn't answer your question, but others are throwing lake suggestions out there.

 

[k-valve]

John, what courses are you intending on instructing....that may help in lake selection. I am guessing with recent droughts all Tx. waterways are down.....even a few in Ok. and Ark., Mo..

We will be looking for places to do introductory technical instruction with depth requirements of 165'. That's going to be hard to find at Travis right now since it's down 28'. We're also looking for someplace relatively close to do Adv. TMx with a minimum depth of 220'.

Amistad is supposed to be 220' deep, so as long as it is at full pool we should be able to use it. The viz is supposed to be decent and it's only about a 4.5 hour drive from Austin. That's why we're focusing on Amistad, but if there is something else out there I'm all ears.

BTW, Amistad is fed from different sources than most of our TX lakes. Full pool for the lake is 1117'. Right now it's at 1119' and they are releasing around 1300 cubic feet per second still. It's a little bit of an anomaly compared to our other lakes.

 

[amascuba]

Rock Lake is on private property and is 285' at 4600ft above sea-level.

 

[texdiveguy]

We will be looking for places to do introductory technical instruction with depth requirements of 165'. That's going to be hard to find at Travis right now since it's down 28'. We're also looking for someplace relatively close to do Adv. TMx with a minimum depth of 220'.

Amistad is supposed to be 220' deep, so as long as it is at full pool we should be able to use it. The viz is supposed to be decent and it's only about a 4.5 hour drive from Austin. That's why we're focusing on Amistad, but if there is something else out there I'm all ears.

BTW, Amistad is fed from different sources than most of our TX lakes. Full pool for the lake is 1117'. Right now it's at 1119' and they are releasing around 1300 cubic feet per second still. It's a little bit of an anomaly compared to our other lakes.

Sounds like a good opt. then Lake Amistad.....I had forgotten about its water source.....thanks for the update. This might be the idea location for Intro. Class. There are several other deeper locations for hypoxic training that would assure deep conditions (salt water-boat-trip). Broken Bow is 200ffw at a specific location only. The Intro depth is not an issue at many Tx. locations for the most part on a typical year.

 

[Joe-Diver]

There's a pretty wicked cave down there.....

 

[k-valve]

Rock Lake is on private property and is 285' at 4600ft above sea-level.

Isn't Rock Lake in New Mexico? How far do you think that is from Austin in hours? That's a perfect depth, but it might not be any closer than 40 fathom Grotto in FL if it's the same place I'm thinking of.