Tributary control basin!!

[fat fanny]

My frequent lake Berlin resivoir is known as the worst job to have if your a Commander for the Army Corp of Engineers.All I can say is "I can see why" You drain the lake at the end of July consistanly killing the boating season let alone the damage you do to the shore line and it's surrounding buisnesses. This year I haven't been in the water one time the lake has been completley empty and now you have drained it's nieboring lake West Branch Resivoir so that put's an end to a boating season that never even started for me. I will not travel 100 miles to boat on the Ohio river so I guess I will put my rig away for the season after today's announcment the all ramps will be closed to the above mentioned lakes for the remainder of the season.
I can't see how they can not moderate the flow of water to maintain the Ohio River to acceptable levels and still maintain these tributaries. I also learned today that one of the marinas was freaking out and the owner was on the local news begging customers to come remove thier rigs from the marina and collect thier refunds for the season he claimed he may end up bankrupt after 30 plus yrs, of buissness. This is a shame to say the least but the big water must flow!

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

My frequent lake Berlin resivoir is known as the worst job to have if your a Commander for the Army Corp of Engineers.All I can say is "I can see why" You drain the lake at the end of July consistanly killing the boating season let alone the damage you do to the shore line and it's surrounding buisnesses. This year I haven't been in the water one time the lake has been completley empty and now you have drained it's nieboring lake West Branch Resivoir so that put's an end to a boating season that never even started for me. I will not travel 100 miles to boat on the Ohio river so I guess I will put my rig away for the season after today's announcment the all ramps will be closed to the above mentioned lakes for the remainder of the season.
I can't see how they can not moderate the flow of water to maintain the Ohio River to acceptable levels and still maintain these tributaries. I also learned today that one of the marinas was freaking out and the owner was on the local news begging customers to come remove thier rigs from the marina and collect thier refunds for the season he claimed he may end up bankrupt after 30 plus yrs, of buissness. This is a shame to say the least but the big water must flow!

If my memory serves me right, i was there one time and in my opinion it's one of the worst lakes i have ever been on. Crowded no boating facilities, rude boaters terrible parking etc etc .Now this is years ago. Don't know if it's changed.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

Drought leaves Northeast Ohio reservoirs suffering from depleted levels:

Outdoors Notebook Published: Thursday, July 19, 2012, 11:37 PM *** Updated: Thursday, July 19, 2012, 11:51 PM By D'Arcy Egan, The Plain Dealer

Lake levels continue to fall at Mosquito, West Branch and Berlin reservoirs and could plummet to historic lows if Northeast Ohio doesn't get a gully washer of a rainstorm soon.

The problem isn't just the summer drought, said Dan Jones, public-affairs chief for the Pittsburgh District office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the reservoirs. The lack of water was first fueled by a mild winter with little snow and compounded by a dearth of spring rains.
"We look for the snowmelt and spring rains to help our reservoirs get up to full summer pool," Jones said. "That didn't happen this year. And we have to keep releasing water to avoid fish kills downstream of the lakes and provide a water supply for downstream communities."

Berlin Reservoir is 16 feet below summer pool, while West Branch Reservoir is down 14 feet. Mosquito Reservoir levels may seem very low, but the shallow lake is down only 6 feet, while Lake Milton is off by 4 feet.

The low levels add up to dangers for boaters, mediocre fishing and a warning for swimmers.
"We've already had drownings at Mosquito and Berlin," Jones said. "People try to swim to new islands or sandbars created by the low water that are significantly farther out than they appear to be. It's a type of attractive hazard."

The corps' mission with the multipurpose reservoirs is to reduce flood damage and supply water. Recreation is a bonus. The reservoirs weren't designed for fishing, boating or swimming.

For daily lake levels, visit www.lrp.usace.army.mil.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

Don't feel bad Lake Erie is down this year early

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

Yeah, the drought is kicking everybody's butt this year.

Our food crops don't look to sporty, but the cotton isn't doing too bad... looks like we might be eating cotton seed cakes later this year.

Our power company has cut back on drawing water for power generation and it has helped a lot, but our water quality isn't that good... and people are still swimming in it eeeewwwwwww!

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

...I will not travel 100 miles to boat on the Ohio river...

That's too bad, you're missing out.

And Bubba, one HUGE "Right On Man!" to you. These reservoirs are NOT there for recreation. The fact that they get any use that way is just a LUXURY. Dingbat quotes it from the Corps of Engineers, too.

 

[Stevens520]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

I read somewhere that when the reservoirs were built they had to sign an agreement to maintain the Mahoning river to a certain level; however when when Milton was built, the agreement was to maintain a certain pool level. That's why Milton is the least effected by the weather this year; been out there a few times this summer, and it hasn't been that bad at all. The Ohio river isn't that far away from Alliance; takes me roughly an hour to get there from Youngstown, same distance roughly to Erie.

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

Thanx Dingbat for the link lake Milton what a toilet every low life imaginable can be found there! A guy I work with said if that lake is down 4' thier using a magnifying glass and onr of the littles rulers!! it's completely full.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

... The Ohio river isn't that far away from Alliance...

41 miles to East Liverpool. So, 82 round trip.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

41 miles to East Liverpool. So, 82 round trip.

That's pretty close by my standards. My closest point of entry is 47 miles (55 minutes) away. "Home Port" is 62 miles (1 hr. -15 minutes) and my favorite fishing hole is 100 miles (2 hrs.) from my front door.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

That's pretty close by my standards. My closest point of entry is 47 miles (55 minutes) away. "Home Port" is 62 miles (1 hr. -15 minutes) and my favorite fishing hole is 100 miles (2 hrs.) from my front door.

Yeah, I guess it's all a matter of perspective. I wouldn't go that far to boat in the Ohio River. But my sister has all the way from Medina to ELO which is 103 miles one way.

 

[Stevens520]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

Yeah, I guess it's all a matter of perspective. I wouldn't go that far to boat in the Ohio River. But my sister has all the way from Medina to ELO which is 103 miles one way.

Yep, mostly a matter of perspective. We used to tow our boat from Akron up to Catawba which is a pretty good hike. Personally, I find the smaller lakes that are mentioned about as restrictive as a very snug fitting pair of tighty whities But they are great for shaking down your boat before heading to the bigger water since they are close.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

These reservoirs are NOT there for recreation. The fact that they get any use that way is just a LUXURY.

That doesn't mean it doesn't suck for the boaters in the area. My lake of choice is a flood control reservoir. If it rains too much down stream we'll be up 10 feet in no time. Ramps underwater, logs everywhere, shore erosion...and the opposite is true in a drought.

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

I totaly agree the river isn't that far but for a rig that hasn't had it's shake down cruise yet that is just not gonna happen and packing 4 people in the seat of my standard size pick up just doesn't appeal to me for that long of a trip. I guess my main beef is that these so called experts can't balance the flow of the tributaries leading to these resivoirs to maintain thier pool levels is just beyond comprehension for instance if it rains for at least 2 hrs the mahoning river flows under a bridge that crosses rt 62 between Alliance and Salem it will almost crest the road level (8') that part of the mahoning is 20 plus miles south of Berlin and Deercreek resivoir (Alliances water supply which is full by the way) how in the world can't this level be depleated completely over that distance and not be used to maintain the following basins levels and still keep other up stream and downstream under control it just seems to me they have not put any effort into comming to a solution.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

I guess my main beef is that these so called experts can't balance the flow of the tributaries leading to these resivoirs to maintain thier pool levels is just beyond comprehension for instance if it rains for at least 2 hrs the mahoning river flows under a bridge that crosses rt 62 between Alliance and Salem it will almost crest the road level (8') that part of the mahoning is 20 plus miles south of Berlin and Deercreek resivoir (Alliances water supply which is full by the way) how in the world can't this level be depleated completely over that distance and not be used to maintain the following basins levels and still keep other up stream and downstream under control it just seems to me they have not put any effort into comming to a solution.

Compared to the surface area of the lakes, that water passing under Rt. 62 from an afternoon thunderstorm is just barely rough to muddy the waters of the reservoirs let alone raise them. On top of that you have evaporation to contend with. The large surfaces areas of the basin only amplifers the effects.

As noted on the new releases from the Corp, the basins are not managed for recreation so they are not going to put any effort into it beyond the stated purpose of flood control and water supply.

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

Dingbat I do agree with that statement but The effects of no recreation on the lakes and or resivoirs puts a strain on the locals that own the marinas,marine repair and sales shops and bait&tackle shops. I just think a little more effort and time investment would go a long way. Also if I'm not mistaken milton does'nt supply anything as far as water to any treatment plant all thier surrounding communities are supllied by Meandor resivoir. But I do thank you for your input and information I guess I will be a dry IBoater this year.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

You know it's a SEVERE drought, right? Maybe that's why Milton is down, it's not raining enough?

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

...

Right or wrong (mostly wrong) the majority of people don't own boats...

That's funny right there!

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Tributary control basin!!

Oh I did, and it's still funny. I agree, everyone who doesn't own a boat is wrong. And the ones that think boating is for rich people, they're funny too. Sad and wrong, but funny.