Preston Area Water Levels

[gstott]

So I moved to Washington about three and a half years ago, but I miss the area and want to move back. I was trying to do that this summer, but the insane housing market caused my plans to fall through. However, things seem to be calming down a little and I’m hoping to make it happen around the first of the year. I’m concerned about the drought and how the reservoirs are doing with it. Anyone have any current report of how they’re doing?  I’d hate to move back only to find they all got drained and I hardly have any fishing options.

[duksnfish]

So I moved to Washington about three and a half years ago, but I miss the area and want to move back. I was trying to do that this summer, but the insane housing market caused my plans to fall through. However, things seem to be calming down a little and I’m hoping to make it happen around the first of the year. I’m concerned about the drought and how the reservoirs are doing with it. Anyone have any current report of how they’re doing?  I’d hate to move back only to find they all got drained and I hardly have any fishing options.

I know that the reservoirs owned n operated by Consolidated Canal Company are basically shut down from very very little water. You cant launch a boat at Glendale but if you can carry a floatable watercraft of any kind and comply with their regs for being on the water, you can get out n fish.  The ramp is the only place you can really get to the water due to the very very soft mud along the banks.

I know there is a Facebook page for those waters owned by Consolidated it is - https://www.facebook.com/FranklinCountyR...e_internal

And here is the link to Twin Lakes - http://twinlakescanalcompany.com/recreation.html

This time of year almost all of the waters around Preston are hard pressed to get much more than a small light weight canoe or float tube on them due to how low they normally are. I would contact the canal companies if you have more questions unless someone has been there recently.  I was going to go 2 weeks ago to Glendale but they shut down end of July to bigger boats as the ramp was high n dry  

Good luck.  I wouldnt count on moving back here just to fish those bodies of water, in most recent years, it's been the same due to high demand for irrigation water and I dont foresee it changing. But, Good luck and hope you get back if that's what you want.

[gstott]

So I moved to Washington about three and a half years ago, but I miss the area and want to move back. I was trying to do that this summer, but the insane housing market caused my plans to fall through. However, things seem to be calming down a little and I’m hoping to make it happen around the first of the year. I’m concerned about the drought and how the reservoirs are doing with it. Anyone have any current report of how they’re doing?  I’d hate to move back only to find they all got drained and I hardly have any fishing options.

I know that the reservoirs owned n operated by Consolidated Canal Company are basically shut down from very very little water. You cant launch a boat at Glendale but if you can carry a floatable watercraft of any kind and comply with their regs for being on the water, you can get out n fish.  The ramp is the only place you can really get to the water due to the very very soft mud along the banks.

I know there is a Facebook page for those waters owned by Consolidated it is - https://www.facebook.com/FranklinCountyR...e_internal

And here is the link to Twin Lakes - http://twinlakescanalcompany.com/recreation.html

This time of year almost all of the waters around Preston are hard pressed to get much more than a small light weight canoe or float tube on them due to how low they normally are. I would contact the canal companies if you have more questions unless someone has been there recently.  I was going to go 2 weeks ago to Glendale but they shut down end of July to bigger boats as the ramp was high n dry  

Good luck.  I wouldnt count on moving back here just to fish those bodies of water, in most recent years, it's been the same due to high demand for irrigation water and I dont foresee it changing. But, Good luck and hope you get back if that's what you want.

I fished those lakes pretty frequently for around ten years before moving here. It seems that the water levels were a bit worse the last couple of summers I was there. It did seem like Consolidated reservoirs didn’t drain as badly as the Twin Lakes ones. I have a float tube and a kayak, so I’m okay lugging my stuff down to the water, it was the norm this time of year. This year I was just worried about fish kill. However, I did talk to Consolidated, and much like Weston Reservoir, they can’t go completely dry because of how the outlet is designed. 

I do miss those little mud puddles though. There are hundreds of lakes to choose from here, but nearly every one is surrounded by houses and many are full of ski boats and jet skis. They also get a lot of fishing pressure and poaching is rampant here. But even worse, I’m always worried about my car getting broken into while I’m out. I’d like to do some night fishing on some of the really clear lakes, but I don’t dare. Which ultimately is the reason I want to leave, the crime is awful and getting worse. I don’t like not feeling safe. Plus my wife misses working for USU, and they miss her, so I think that is what will ultimately bring us back to Cache Valley.

[fast_randy]

So I moved to Washington about three and a half years ago, but I miss the area and want to move back. I was trying to do that this summer, but the insane housing market caused my plans to fall through. However, things seem to be calming down a little and I’m hoping to make it happen around the first of the year. I’m concerned about the drought and how the reservoirs are doing with it. Anyone have any current report of how they’re doing?  I’d hate to move back only to find they all got drained and I hardly have any fishing options.

They have issued a salvage order on Condie and Winder. They think they will be empty soon. I assume you can use worms or anything Winder. It seems like it was artificial only there.

[gstott]

So I moved to Washington about three and a half years ago, but I miss the area and want to move back. I was trying to do that this summer, but the insane housing market caused my plans to fall through. However, things seem to be calming down a little and I’m hoping to make it happen around the first of the year. I’m concerned about the drought and how the reservoirs are doing with it. Anyone have any current report of how they’re doing?  I’d hate to move back only to find they all got drained and I hardly have any fishing options.

They have issued a salvage order on Condie and Winder. They think they will be empty soon. I assume you can use worms or anything Winder. It seems like it was artificial only there.

That’s a bummer, but I appreciate the info. I’m sure Twin Lakes Canal Company will use this to push for their Narrows dam again.

[fast_randy]

So I moved to Washington about three and a half years ago, but I miss the area and want to move back. I was trying to do that this summer, but the insane housing market caused my plans to fall through. However, things seem to be calming down a little and I’m hoping to make it happen around the first of the year. I’m concerned about the drought and how the reservoirs are doing with it. Anyone have any current report of how they’re doing?  I’d hate to move back only to find they all got drained and I hardly have any fishing options.

They have issued a salvage order on Condie and Winder. They think they will be empty soon. I assume you can use worms or anything Winder. It seems like it was artificial only there.

I fished Condie a year or two ago for bass; a pretty place with crystal clear water. Huge blue gill would follow every lure back to the boat. 

[font="Open Sans", sans-serif]https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/l...3fdfe.html[/font]

[gstott]

So I moved to Washington about three and a half years ago, but I miss the area and want to move back. I was trying to do that this summer, but the insane housing market caused my plans to fall through. However, things seem to be calming down a little and I’m hoping to make it happen around the first of the year. I’m concerned about the drought and how the reservoirs are doing with it. Anyone have any current report of how they’re doing?  I’d hate to move back only to find they all got drained and I hardly have any fishing options.

They have issued a salvage order on Condie and Winder. They think they will be empty soon. I assume you can use worms or anything Winder. It seems like it was artificial only there.

I fished Condie a year or two ago for bass; a pretty place with crystal clear water. Huge blue gill would follow every lure back to the boat. 

[font="Open Sans", sans-serif]https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/l...3fdfe.html[/font]

Yeah there are some big gills in there. I caught some huge ones on a drop shot there, also caught a 14” perch doing the same. I never caught any bass over the 20” minimum, but lots of healthy 2-3lbers. Winder was one of my favorites. I caught some really nice bass out of there. Sad to see it drawn down again, it’s been hit hard by the drought for several years. I used to love taking a float tube out there, but it looks like Twin Lakes won’t allow any kind of watercraft there anymore, so that one stings a little less than it would have. Still a bummer though

[10_ft_Jon_boat]

Here are a couple of water levels photos taken today, August 31:  The first one is from Glendale taken from the point east of the boat ramp looking west toward the dam.  The person in the photo is the only one I saw fishing there and I didn't get a chance to talk to them.  The second photo was taken at Winder from the north end of the dam looking across to the south.  There is a thick, white layer of dead plant material around the shore (hiding slick mud underneath).  There is also a lot of aquatic plant growth in the water.  The fishermen I talked to at Winder had caught lots of small perch and bluegill but nothing of any size.

[meancuznalfy]

Dam, looks like lots of lakes in the southern part of the state took a hit with the drought this year.

[gstott]

10_ft_Jon_boat


Here are a couple of water levels photos taken today, August 31:  The first one is from Glendale taken from the point east of the boat ramp looking west toward the dam.  The person in the photo is the only one I saw fishing there and I didn't get a chance to talk to them.  The second photo was taken at Winder from the north end of the dam looking across to the south.  There is a thick, white layer of dead plant material around the shore (hiding slick mud underneath).  There is also a lot of aquatic plant growth in the water.  The fishermen I talked to at Winder had caught lots of small perch and bluegill but nothing of any size.


Thanks for the pics. That Winder pic looks familiar. I’ve seen it that low before, but that was in September right before irrigation shuts off. It seems like it was getting to the point where it was getting super low most summers and the fishing was definitely going downhill. Used to be some huge bass in there. I talked to Consolidated, and from the sound of it, their reservoirs can’t go totally dry because of the outlet design. Hopefully their reservoirs don’t have any fish kills. Well, at least Oneida won’t ever go dry. I can always spend my time catching smallmouth and walleye.