Rising lake levels...

[NadMat]

Looks like the winter rain is doing a little bit to help Travis out, we are at 644 rather than 643 1/2, up almost half a foot from a couple of weeks ago. Still a long way to go to see anywhere near full by spring/summer. I am hoping it will fill enough by then that the ramps up near lago vista are back in the water.

My buddy with boat hates putting in or even boating in lower lake basin, unless during week, like me he grew up here off 620 in '70's, and it's kinda hard to get over the weekend crowds there when you grew up with the lake almost to yourselves. I want to get back to boat diving, these long shore walks are wearing out my booties

At least lake will be a little closer new years day when I hope to be diving out there with Mack & Co. from Oak Hill Scuba. Search continues for a ride and a dive buddy for new years day since 4runner down and still no work van, I'll even up the offer from Macks thread to include air and tank as well as park entry, brats & beer, and some cash for gas.

Still cheaper than renting a car for the weekend, which I am liable to do just to go diving if can't get there any other way. If any one is driving down 620 monday and see's a fully geared out guy with cooler by his side standing there thumbin' a ride, have a heart

 

[WesTexDiver]

If I were heading that direction I would stop and give you a ride, but I will probably be sleeping still after the New Years dive at the silo. Maby next year I can swing that way and catch the 11th annual dive. Hope you get a ride and have some fun!

 

[NadMat]

If I were heading that direction I would stop and give you a ride, but I will probably be sleeping still after the New Years dive at the silo. Maby next year I can swing that way and catch the 11th annual dive. Hope you get a ride and have some fun!

Thanks, but my bro' decided he didn't feel like makin' the trip to Ft Worth, so I have his truck to get me out there. Just got back from Mack's shop, he hooked me up with a deal on a hooded vest and booties. Now just need to find a dive buddy out there who will be tolerant of my need to do short first dive to adjust weighting and do preliminary test on my new housing before loading camera into it for second dive to play with new dive light, and of course to take some pics with new camera setup.

Hope you have lots of fun doing dive at the silo, I had thought about trying to get in on that myself, but had too many scheduling conflicts going on. Have a great New Years!

Matt

 

[FIXXERVI6]

I was wondering with all of the snow colorado is getting will that affect the lake levels come summer as travis is fed by the colorado, does anyone have any information on how northern states affect our water here?

 

[Willie]

I was wondering with all of the snow colorado is getting will that affect the lake levels come summer as travis is fed by the colorado, does anyone have any information on how northern states affect our water here?

I doubt it will have much effect. I added the bold italics below.

Willie

http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/us/A0812939.html

Colorado (1 kolur?d'u, –r?d'?, –rä'd? 2 kolur?'du, –rä'du) [key].

1. Great river of the SW United States, 1,450 mi (2,334 km) long, rising in the Rocky Mts. of N Colo., and flowing generally SW through Colo., Utah, Ariz., between Nev. and Ariz., and Ariz. and Calif., then into Mexico, emptying into the Gulf of California; drains c.244,000 sq mi (631,960 sq km). The Gunnison, Green, San Juan, and Little Colorado are the main tributaries in the upper basin of the Colorado; the Gila is the chief tributary of the lower basin. Silt deposited by the Colorado has formed a great delta across the northern part of the Gulf of California, cutting off the head of the gulf; the Salton Sea is a flooded remnant of the severed part. The mouth of the river was seen by Francisco de Ulloa in 1539; the lower part was explored by Hernando de Alarcón in 1540. The river flows through c.1,000 mi (1,610 km) of canyons, including Arizona's Grand Canyon; many national parks, monuments, and recreational areas lie along its banks. The Colorado's waters are used for power and irrigation, especially by means of the Colorado River storage project, the Colorado–Big Thompson project, Hoover Dam, Davis Dam, Imperial Dam, the All-American Canal, Parker Dam, and Glen Canyon Dam. Controversies over water rights on the Colorado have long raged between the United States and Mexico and among the bordering states (it supplies most of S California's water); treaties and compacts regulate the river's use. California and, to a lesser degree, Nevada have in the past drawn more water than they were designated to receive. A new compact in 2003 gave California 14 years to reduce its water usage to its legal limits.

2. River, 894 mi (1,439 km) long, rising in the Llano Estacado, NW Tex., and flowing SE to Matagorda Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico; drains c.41,500 sq mi (107,485 sq km). Destructive floods, which prevented private development of the river for power, led the Texas legislature to set up the Lower, Central, and Upper Colorado River authorities to undertake projects for flood control, power plants, and irrigation. The Lower Colorado River Authority, with federal assistance, has been especially active, building five major dams (Buchanan, Roy Inks, Alvin J. Wirtz, Marble Falls, and Mansfield). These projects have benefited a large part of Texas, including the city of Austin. The scenic section of the river above Austin, which includes the lakes formed by the dams, is called Highland Lakes Country. The Central Colorado River Authority has constructed many small irrigation dams and also has jurisdiction over several city reservoirs. The Upper Colorado River Authority regulates the upper Colorado and the several branches of the Concho, a principal tributary.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2006, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.​

 

[NadMat]

Looks like Travis is up almost half a foot since New years day dive( info from LTTS). I just hope it keeps on comin'.

 

[Debraw]

Troy said something this morning that once all that snow melts we should see more water in Lake Travis. I read what you posted Willie but it just confused me. If Lake Travis is not affected then why does the article talk about flood control including the Mansfield Dam? It seems to me that indicates that we do get water from the Colordao River....

 

[danktex]

1 and 2 from Willie's post are two completely different rivers with the same name. I don't believe there is alot of snow to melt in NW Texas where our Colorado river starts.

 

[richerso]

I copied the following from wikipedia. There's also a nice map on the page as well. Google 'colorado river texas' to get to the correct river.

The map shows our Colorado river as originating just outside of Lubbock. Hence, it better snow a lot in Lubbock for the snow melt to affect Lake Travis.

The Colorado River is the 18th longest river in the United States.[1] and the longest river with both its source and mouth within Texas; however its drainage basin and some of its usually dry tributaries do extend into New Mexico. The 862 mile long river[1] flows generally southeast from Dawson County through Marble Falls, Austin, Bastrop, Smithville, La Grange, Columbus, and Bay City before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico at Matagorda Bay.[2]

 

[Debraw]

Ok I get it, thanks.