Lake Hartwell, 19 feet down and falling

[Rich Stern]

Sad, sad, sad. This picture is from my dock:

 

[Mike L.]

You've got to be kidding Rich!



I thought after last years droughts down south that all was now well!

 

[Rich Stern]

Mike, there are two components to our drought in the local, Corps managed lakes:



1) It hasn't rained enough in the last two years.



2) There is an "on/off" spigot that is controlled by the government.



Right now, we have more problems with #2 than #1.



Tropical storm Faye dropped 6" of wet stuff on us in September. The outflows from the dam were enormous. We (the folks who are concered with Lake Hartwell) were less than happy to see all of that water being let go. Couple of weeks ago, it rained a solid 2" in twenty four hours. Again, barely a rise in lake levels, and huge outflows from the dam.



Ten days ago, I stood out in the rain, in a heavy downpour most of the day, while hunting deer, about 200 yards from the lake. Army Corps of Engineers report for rainfall received that day in the lake? 0.01". Uh, yeah, right. If I complain that the data is wrong, I'm sure they'll tell me I was standing in the wrong place.



There are real droughts, and there are man-made droughts. We had a real drought. I suspect we currently have a man-made drought. What the motive is, I don't know. Maybe the local colonel has his eye on some retirement property and wants to see land prices depressed a little more before he orders the spigot turned off.

 

[Berry Lindley]

There has been no generation at Old Hickory dam near Nashville since June. Though the water is not down like it is on Hartwell, our fishing goes as does the water flow, so this is the second year in a row of what I consider substandard fishing for here (it isn't awful but should be better). I understand we are going to have to go to the TN River again this winter for any good sauger fishing.

 

[mike mcmenamin]

Rich:

We had the same trouble up here in Pa. at one of the local lakes. Used the Endangered Species Act to stop discharge from the lake. Check the internet for endangered species and see if you have any around your lake. The tree huggers have been using the act for years to stop all sorts of projects. You can use it also. I'm also sure that there is a lawyer that will get involved if you look at the internet.





Mike

P.S. Don't forget to get pictures of the structure be fore the lake fills up.

 

[mike mcmenamin]

Rich:

Send me your e-Mail address. I found a site for you.





Mike

 

[Rich Stern]

Mike, unfortunately, the endangered species act is one of the things used to keep the water flowing. Mussels. Apparently, they have more rights to the water than people. Last time I checked, the IRS doesn't get tax revenue from Mussels. But, hey, even Polar Bears are endangered, when they aren't in any danger, so who knows which end is up.



Click on the "M" next to my name for my email address. Thanks.

 

[TrepMan]

Rich - Beka is looking at a good barging in the lake/mountain property area, i'll take her 15% below market rate!!! lol

 

[Rich Stern]

Trep, there are bargains to be had.



Early this year, three new lake houses about two miles from us were put on auction. Decent lot sizes, nice size, modern homes, walk out basements. Fairly weak water (way back in a cove), so they had already been dry for a while. They were built a couple of years ago when the market peaked. They were originally priced in the $450K range. The bank stopped teh auction after the first home went for under $200K. That was five months ago, before the SHTF. There are bargains now, there will be bigger bargains later. Keep your powder dry, and jump on it when you see a can't miss deal. We bought under the same circumstances back in 2002. Severe low water levels. Our cabin value soared for five years afterwards. Obviously, in this market, it's weakened again, but we aren't going anywhere. Certainly not by boat, anyway.



Welcome home. Looking forward to fishing with you one of these days.

 

[Bill McElroy]

Looks like Obama has already started to spread your wealth!!:blink:

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Dang Rich, if I were a homeowner on the lake I sure would be getting to the bottom of why the level has been kept artificially low. We have some problems around me also. We have an 800 acre lake that was/is some of the best fishing in the area. TM only. There are record size bass swimming in that lake!! There was a launch, the only launch, where the owner had a dispute with the State about improvements that were made and were supposed to be reimbursed and were not, so he shut down. Then along came 9-11 and after that they built a Robert Trent Jones golf course surrounded by multi-million dollar homes on one side of the lake. Guess what, the city, using 9-11 security as an excuse, has kept the lake closed ever since. In reality it's the homeowners that got it done. I hooked the biggest bass of my life in that lake and my boat partner "dropped" it while landing. We estimated it to be 14lbs, he tried to belly grab it and knocked it off the hook. I want back in there so bad........but the local police patrol it on the water and they cut no slack.



TOXIC

 

[Texas Transplant]

Sure a sad sight. To add to what Rich has said, one of the big problems for Hartwell is that the next lake on the river is Lake Russell, run by the Corps of Engineers. It is a 'constant level lake' - never varies more than 5'. Therefore, both Hartwell (above Russell) and Clarks Hill (below Russell) are subject to great flucations.



I'm certainly not sure of all the reasons 'why', but that's at least part of the story. Here in E. Texas, the drought ended in January 2007, and we've had good to great water levels since then.



Hang in there Rich.



Tex

 

[Jimmy Easterling]

Directly down stream from Hartwell is Clark's Hill(Thurmond Lake) and it is down 16+ feet. I used to fish the Savannah River below Clark's Hill but can't now because they are holding all the water on these two lakes. I fished Clark's Hill this past weekend with the "Take the Troops Fishing" and found very few docks in the water to fish around, mush less under. The saying "We all live down stream" is certainly true in this case. But I am not a home owner on any of this water, I just try to fish it.

 

[dreaminbig]

Toxic, I assume you are talking about Lake Manassas. I fished it several years back and caught numerous bass in my only trip there over 4lbs.

 

[Jim in VA]

I guessed Lake Manassas as well. Seems the golfing contingent and the residents are keeping those "nasty fishermen" away from "their" lake.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

You are both right. Lake Manassas it is. I even know a LEO in Manassas and he can't help me get on the lake. It has been closed for over 10 years. It has some incredible bass in it!!



TOXIC

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Hey - We are trying to keep those darn Northern Virginians away from our Nuclear Power Plant! LOL

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Ok, Lake Hartwell??? Is that on the Georgia - South Carolina border?? Ok Rich, are there any on-line real estate brokers I can visit?



Uncle Billy

 

[Dan J.]

Sorry to see it, but the USACE is the main reason Hartwell and Lanier have become the deserts that they are now. I bought my first lake house on Lanier in 2001 at the previous lowest water level. I paid almost 40% below market and they brought the lake up to full pool within a few months. We maintained full pool for 5+ years with very minor fluctuations (+/-) in the lake level. I sold it in 1/06 when we bought new on the south end of the lake and within a couple months the level started dropping past normal amounts of decrease again. We are now at such a deficit that the available N GA (and ATL metro) drinking water future is in serious jeopardy. Let's hear it for more govt. control. :wacko: