Lakes in the Hill Country

[loosebits]

Been looking at Google Maps for lakes in the hill country for an exploratory trip. I figure anything in that area has a pretty decent chance of being diveable. Specifically I'm thinking Inks Lake, Lake LBJ, Lake Buchanan. Anyone ever tried any of these?

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Burnet,+TX&ll=30.731212,-98.364029&spn=0.373433,0.622959&hl=en

 

[Crazyduck]

Hey I would be intrested in helping were ever possible.
Hey, we meet at the Neptune meeting.


If you are going hunting for place I have a nuggets.

1. Randall McNally has a big book of Texas and outlines lots of great places.
2. Next I would examine Hill Country Visitor’s group.
Web- http://www.hill-country-visitor.com
3. Also try Texas Hill Country Magazine- great pictures and little articles plus hints of the neighborhood. Web- http://www.hillcountrymagazine.com
4. I would cross also known Texas state parks- web- http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/
5. My newest tool is goggle earth- it provides interesting interlinking between maps and getting a lay of the land. Listed under Goggle.

Hope that helps.


Have fun, Andrew

 

[-=>Larry<=-]

Been looking at Google Maps for lakes in the hill country for an exploratory trip. I figure anything in that area has a pretty decent chance of being diveable. Specifically I'm thinking Inks Lake, Lake LBJ, Lake Buchanan. Anyone ever tried any of these?

and have done a bit of diving. The water from Buchanon can be cold and the bottom is silty - so it's mediocre at best. Vis, when good is in the 5-8 ft region.

Its a bit fun though - to go for golf balls on hole 6 of the Inks Lake golf course, which goes across a little bay! The old owner allowed it, and I haven't gone since it changed hands - definitely braille diving though.

Isuspect LBJ should be the same - - I might have some hope that Buchanon is closer to Travis in quality though! Good Luck with it!

 

[texdiveguy]

Keep us posted as to your findings.

 

[Geezer]

I've only done Canyon Lake and Lake Travis. I've heard of diving at Medina Lake - haven't heard of any diving elsewhere in the Hill Country (or close to the Hill Country).

 

[Willie]

Specifically I'm thinking Inks Lake

Inks Lake is one of my favorite State Parks. I am new to diving and have never been underwater there. However, when out in canoes, etc it always seemed pretty clear.

I had a friend who did his deep dive training at Inks lake near the dam somewhere back around 1981. All I remember him saying was that it was cold, pretty clear and there were some huge catfish down there.

Please post any recent info you find.

Willie

 

[loosebits]

Well, I'll definitely have to give Inks a try if I can get my buddy to suck-it-the-hell-up. Heading down to Travis this weekend... camping weather

Medina is also on my list.

I'm surprised the others in the area would be so silty. You'd think with the geology in the area, they would all be somewhat Travis like. I need to start auditing some geology courses, mainly so I can find some divable caves down there.. there's got to be some, Google Earth shows too many places named "something Springs". Boil Springs sounded real promising. Anyone know of a class at a DFW college called "Finding underwater caves to dive it"

 

[Crazyduck]

I won't touch telling you know who to suck it up- thats funny.

In Texas there is a direct link between rock bottoms, flow, and depth towards the result of clarity of the water. The colder the better, and regular flow helps also.

Stagnant, muddy water is no good. Thats why springs are so important to smaller sized lakes and moving the water. Also why Travis is so good- they move the water through, rocky bottom, and it is deep. However, stop the flow and heat the water- you get the idea- Yuck.

You might want to look at the Edwards Aqufier- some interesting info there.

Later, Andrew

 

[cyklon_300]

Also why Travis is so good- they move the water through, rocky bottom, and it is deep.

dived to the river channel in Travis?

Altho limestone formation is obviously there, the layer of powder-fine silt overlying it is quite deep, 3-4+' in some places where I've taken measurements. How does the 'rocky bottom' contribute to water clarity under these circumstances?

 

[Crazyduck]

I am not a hydrologist so this just my humble opinion.
Areas that have been damned start to build up sediment and debris in the deeper channels or section of the lake behind the dam. This has become a serious situation at some dams were they are considerably older. To my understanding it is material falling out of solution and also what is collecting on the side walls and sliding down into the lower areas. Without a way to washout these deep channels the sediment will build up.
The geology of the area is a combination of soil and stone and the stone helps to hold the material or soil in place. Unless liquid compaction happens- from earthquakes then all bets are off!

As diving the rive channel- I have not had the opportunity. In my experience everything below 120ft is pretty much the same- cold, dark, and nasty. So my average dives are 110 to 120ft until I reach my limits and then I work my way up enjoying the ride. This year or next I would like to push out the envelope a little more- but, I need a Normoxic Trimix class for that. I can feel the narcosis at 120ft, not bad but I can feel it all the same.

Few people really want to dive below 120ft in Travis were there is no light and it seems to take so much extra effort- now the Flower Gardens are a different story. To my understanding the river channel has been used for Trimix training in the 150ft to 175ft depth?

What is the depth of the River Channel if you swim out from Windy point southwest past Bob Wentz park?

Andrew

dived to the river channel in Travis?

Altho limestone formation is obviously there, the layer of powder-fine silt overlying it is quite deep, 3-4+' in some places where I've taken measurements. How does the 'rocky bottom' contribute to water clarity under these circumstances?