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I was discussing this topic with a friend a couple days ago and was having trouble recalling the "facts" regarding the dike repairs at Willard. As I recall, they have completed a "temporary" fix that should allow them the fill the pond to about 60% (that's like 6' avg depth on the east side and 16' avg depth on the west side) if they have the sufficient run-off.
Has anyone heard anything more recent or definitive?
I also remember hearing some bad news about several other potential problem spots along the east dike. Something about the original "foundation" geology in that area wasn't capable of sustaining the long term hydraulic requirements that this reservoir puts out??
anything??
anyone??
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Last i heard(take it or leave it) was they will not put anymore water in than was there in june of this last year.[unsure]
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That's enough water, my last package in the freezer of Walleye from Willard was caught 24 June. I started fishing Starvation more after that.
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This is straight out of the Hydrologic Outlook that was put out today. Sorry man.
RESERVOIRS
STORAGE IN 41 OF UTAH`S KEY IRRIGATION RESERVOIRS IS AT 52% OF CAPACITY...DOWN 15% FROM JANUARY 1 OF LAST YEAR. RESERVOIRS ACROSS THE STATE DECLINED SUBSTANTIALLY THIS PAST YEAR DUE TO A VERY LONG...HOT AND DRY SUMMER PERIOD. THERE ARE SOME RESERVOIRS SUCH AS WILLARD BAY...SCOFIELD AND THE ENTERPRISE RESERVOIRS THAT HAVE FILL RESTRICTIONS THAT WILL LIMIT OVERALL WATER SUPPLIES IN THOSE AREAS.
[url "http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/getprod.php?wfo=slc&sid=slc&pil=esf"]http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/getprod.php?wfo=slc&sid=slc&pil=esf[/url]
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I didn't fish WB much last year. Does anybody have a feel for any winter kill due to the low water levels? Any firm idea as to how high they will fill it?
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Single main, no kicker. 
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[cool][#0000ff]Not much danger of winter kill. Plenty of water and the ice is never more than about a foot thick...nor does it stay on the lake more than a couple of months. Furthermore, there is a constant flow of oxygenated water coming into the lake, even during the winter.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]From everything I have heard, there is still a healthy population of gizzard shad, so the wipers and walleyes have plenty to eat. And, during the lower water, the food fishes are crowded into a smaller area for the dining convenience of the predators.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The maximum high water level...until they get it fixed...is no higher than the base of the dike. That is about 3 feet higher than current level. It will be enough to launch most fishing boats, but you will still have to watch the props around the edges of the marina channel coming and going. The highest water will only last until about June. Then it will start dropping as water users suck it out of the lake for irrigation. By the time we are usually chasing wiper boils, the lake will be low and muddy from wind, and the boils will not be anything like in the past, during higher and cleaner waters.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In short, there will still be fishing available, but not the wide open wiper action of years past.[/#0000ff]
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If there is as much water as last year I thought the wiper boil fishing was pretty good. Heres to the same amount!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I remember reading a post that as they were draining down Willard last year there were a number of wipers that were drained out also. I am wondering if that is going to be a problem again this year and if so, can they do anything about it?
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[cool][#0000ff]Whenever they open the outlet to drain water from Willard there is a fish loss. The wire grate over the top is to keep brush from going down the hole, but is not wide enough to stop fish from going out. There are also wide open holes below that any fish in Willard can go through.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In the attached pics you can see the current pulling around the outlet as it is drained. Just about all the fish in Willard respond to current and will swim in close to check it out. SLURP.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As you can see in the one picture, the water pours down into a channel that goes out into the marshes and Salt Lake. Fish that go out the drain will live for a while in the channel...until they are snagged by the happy harvesters or disappear into the brackish water below. And, when the flow shots off, the fish are goners.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]"THEY" (DWR) apparently choose to do nothing about it. When told of a huge school of wipers and walleyes observed in the pool below the outflow, they did not take any measures to save the fish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]My guess is that there will be a major runoff into Willard this year. But, because of the ongoing repairs...and the need to keep the water level low and stabilized...the drain outflow will be left open so that all water coming in will flow right back out again once the level reaches the drain opening.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]After the runoff ends, and no more water can go out the drain, the water level will drop dramatically during the summer as it is sucked out the pumps at the end of the channel at the south marina...for the water users. Hopefully there will be enough water to allow launching from both marinas well into the prime summer wiper fishing season. But, just like last year, it will become tricky and dangerous to launch larger boats anytime after about the end of August...or maybe sooner.[/#0000ff]
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Nope. It is a federal project and there engineers say it has to be so damn low.
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[cool][#0000ff]I am sure that the BIG reason why DWR does not do anything to recover the lost fish is because of the accessiblity...or lack of same. No way to get a small boat or netting gear down there to do the job.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Gotta be fair. You can't perform miracles when you can't set up the stage right.[/#0000ff]
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] I hate to see this resource lost like that.
]. Na, that would never happen, that would cost too much money[
]. WH2