Utah Lake water level !!

[Therapist]

Okay, this time of year Utah Lake is usually already at it's lowest level of the year, prior to the spring runoff. This year thou, the lake level is up and over the last few weeks I have noticed that they have been dumping a great deal of water, evidenced by the bathtub ring around the lake. It looks like they have lowered the level by about 18-24 inches. Am I dreaming or has anyone else noticed this also. I am wondering if this is why things are so slow out there, the falling water has the fishies all upset and unsettled.

[big_griggs]

They have been pushing allot of water out the jordan river all winter it was only shut down for a couple of weeks in dec I wonder [#000050]deleted[/#000050] they were doing letting so much water down that early? that could be a good reason for the relativatly slow year on the lake. Or could just be sasquach or the chupricabra
[signature]

[CatchinCompany]

Ya they are definitely letting a lot of water out this year I dunno if they thought we were gunna get a lot more water this winter/spring or if it has to do with the work they are doing around saratoga flattening all the reeds around the shore. From last friday they had one gate open half way and this tuesday it was open all the way and water was dumping out.
[signature]

[Kyle_lauchie]

Its obviously a government conspiracy/alien activity.

Wish they wouldnt do that though, the fishing has been a little "fishy" lately.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Last year's record runoff filled Utah Lake to overflowing and it stayed higher than I have seen it for far longer than I have seen it. The abnormally high levels resulted in wave damage to some of the dikes...such as at Lincoln Beach. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There has been quite a bit of water going down the Jordan for some time time now...earlier than usual. But with the recent increases in snowpack they are probably trying to create more capacity in Utah Lake to absorb it when they dump more water out of Deer Creek.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There was a recent post outlining the monitoring system they use to guage water levels and to determine how much water to release in order to maintain the desired levels throughout the year.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]It is no secret that rapidly dropping water levels can have an effect on fish activity. The customary reaction is for fish to pull off their shallow holding areas and wait it out in deeper water until there is some stability. But I also think that the continuous cycle of cold fronts moving through has not helped the situation much.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]March is always an iffy month. It can be good, if Mama Nature mellows out for a few days. But my experience has been that fishing is usually better after about 3 days of calm following the last cold front. Can't remember when we have had 3 days in a row without cold...or wind...or both.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Fishermen are so impatient. They always expect the fish to conform to THEIR expectations. Forget the instinctual cycles of temperatures, hours of daylight, frontal fluctuations, etc. Stupid fish.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[Therapist]

[#0000ff] Stupid fish[/#0000ff]
[#000000]My sentitments exactly. I was wondering if anyone else had noticed this also. I also noticed that the beach area south of Lindon near the new park has been scoured also. Must be the same clean up effort !![/#000000]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I talked to a Sheriff's Dept. officer down there a couple of years ago...about the time they were beginning the cleanup and putting in the county park. He explained that they were going to maintain a program of opening up public access by removing phragmites and reeds from selected areas around the lake. Part of the reason, at the south end of the old Geneva cooling ponds, was to reduce the amount of "questionable" activities that were going on under cover of the brush and reeds. So far it has opened up a lot of new fishing access for the bank tanglers and it definitely looks better. The downside is that it increases foot traffic (and littering).[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Right now there is an effort being made to secure more public access to the west of Lincoln Beach. But the major obstacle seems to be the past problems with vandalism and littering. A few low lifes ruin it for a lot of sincere and conscientious anglers.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[Kyle_lauchie]

Yeah a few months ago someone was down there that burnt a computer....really.....you took it down to the beach to burn it. and then you left it....

When i did alot of catfishing at night last year there were alot of idiots that would come out int he middle of the night. I had a whole crowd come out, probably high school kids. They had no regard for the fact that i was sitting there fishing and literally walked right across my line out in the water.
[signature]

[ripnlip]

I posted a couple times last fall/winter, it might be also due to the work being done at the pump house. the new Dam is installed and all the water is being diverted to the river, not through the gates. With that construction, i am not sure if they are purposely drawing it down or what. but i beleive that project is projected to take a year.
[signature]

[TheCarDoctor]

That just goes to show the Fish aren't the only stupids.
[signature]

[Therapist]

I have never really worried about it, but does anyone know who controls the water in UL. Is it SL Water users or who ??