Willard Bay Water Dump

[TubeDude]

Saw on TV news some pics of them opening the outflow gates on Willard Bay to dump massive amounts of water directly into the Salt Lake.  Looks like a lot more than is coming in through the baffles at the inlet.  Gotta wonder if that is going to mess up getting Willard filled back up this year.  I know there is still a lot of water to come down from the high country...but hope they don't drain Willard and can't fill it back up.

Here's a link to the article in the Deserted News  LINK TO WILLARD DRAIN

[fast_randy]

Good artical. Thanks Pat. The Bear River has never been this high to my knowledge. Like Forrest reported when he tried to fish it the other day. It is pouring tons of water into GSL also.

[wiperhunter2]

I think it's the practice all water managers do in high snow pack years, trying to judge when is the right time to stop filling up the lakes and dump it until right before they figure that there is just enough left in the snow pack to fill it to the top. With Willard being just a few few from being full, I'm sure that is the plan but the issue as I see it is why not just fill it first, then dump it. Willard isn't like a lot of other lakes, where they have only one outlet, they could just shut off the water coming into Willard at the gates by the baffles instead of running it out the outlet. A lot of fish get flushed out of the lake when they make those decisions, not good IMO.

[TubeDude]

I think it's the practice all water managers do in high snow pack years, trying to judge when is the right time to stop filling up the lakes and dump it until right before they figure that there is just enough left in the snow pack to fill it to the top. With Willard being just a few few from being full, I'm sure that is the plan but the issue as I see it is why not just fill it first, then dump it. Willard isn't like a lot of other lakes, where they have only one outlet, they could just shut off the water coming into Willard at the gates by the baffles instead of running it out the outlet. A lot of fish get flushed out of the lake when they make those decisions, not good IMO.

That was part of my concern.  Most of the fish in Willard are attracted to moving water...either coming in or going out.  Back a few years...when they dumped a lot of water in order to make dike repairs off Freeway Bay...there ended up being a lot of fish in the channel between where the water dumped in and Salt Lake.  The happy harvesters were snagging lots of wipers and walleyes that were bunched up in the main scour hole.  And DWR did nothing to recover those lost fish.

I totally understand the concept of advanced planning and keeping room in the reservoirs for heavy anticipated runoff.  That's what the water managers do.  But, as a fisherperson my concerns are more about what that can do to harm my fishing fun down the line.  Selfish?  Maybe.  I'm a human...last I checked.

[RockyRaab2]

Water managers are concerned only with water. Fish managers only with fish. And goobermint agencies don't talk to one another unless its to warn the other guys off of their turf.

[dubob]

I will only add that there are very few, if any, water bodies in the USA where fish management has a higher priority than water management.  We can't live without water; we can live without fish.  Yeah, I know; that sucks big time.  Life's a beach; then we die.