Lake Mendo 7/21-7/22

Nice report. Were you there to see the ultralight crash land near crappie cove Sunday morning? Plane's seem to love to fall out of the sky when I'm working.

No, I missed that. We were off the water by 10 on Sunday and I didn't even hear one flying around.

Good thing you weren't working at Lake Collins a few weeks ago. My son and I were on the water by the dam when I noticed 4 small Cessna's flying very low. All of the sudden, a 5th plane buzzes right over the dam and drops down into the reservoir. He touched down on the water and proceded to waterski the wheels of his plane the length of the lake    . This was not a water plane! Man that could have been ugly.

Sweet!

Did a little research at work today to give you some perspective on the lake levels at Mendo.  Todays water level is at 730.71 feet...we saw that water level in 2006 on November 2nd.  It really is LOW.

Ok the lake is very low compared to last year. Of course we had floods in early 2006 which pushed those levels up for the entire year. We are about even with this time in 2002 and a little lower than the 2004 levels. No doubt that we would be hurting if it wasn’t for the flow changes implemented in May.

http://www.scwa.ca.gov/documents/LAKELEVELSPROJECTION7-23-07.PDF

Of course we had floods in early 2006 which pushed those levels up for the entire year.

Nope.  The water that runs in until March 1 is dumped.  Mendo is primarily a flood control reservoir.  The floods of 06 happened on 1/1, so that water is released, just slowly.  We need to preserve flood storage capacity in case there is another storm.

We need rain after March 1 to "top it off" 

We are about even with this time in 2002 and a little lower than the 2004 levels.

FYI-these are two of the lowest years on record.  Only 1976/77 beat 2002.  We will likely be lower than 2002 by the end of this year as the inflow is lower.  2002/2004 are used in the projection for a "bad year" frame of reference.

Of course we had floods in early 2006 which pushed those levels up for the entire year.

Nope.  The water that runs in until March 1 is dumped.  Mendo is primarily a flood control reservoir.  The floods of 06 happened on 1/1, so that water is released, just slowly.  We need to preserve flood storage capacity in case there is another storm.

We need rain after March 1 to "top it off" 

We are about even with this time in 2002 and a little lower than the 2004 levels.

FYI-these are two of the lowest years on record.  Only 1976/77 beat 2002.  We will likely be lower than 2002 by the end of this year as the inflow is lower.  2002/2004 are used in the projection for a "bad year" frame of reference.

I just wanted to say thanks again Sean for all of your hard work in getting the flow of Lake Mendo reduced this year!

Long live SCWAFISH!

CHEERS!

I just wanted to say thanks again Sean for all of your hard work in getting the flow of Lake Mendo reduced this year!

+1 

It looks like the lake level, while low, is dropping at a lower rate because of the reduced flows (flatter line on the graph). I wonder if this will make for better fishing this summer as the fish don't have to move as much?

Skunks are the norm for me at Mendo in summer so catching 3 in one weekend is huge for me.

Thanks guys, but getting the flows changed was a massive team effort of which i am only a tiny cog that ends up on tv too much.  I tried plucking a few pics from old documents so you can get a feel for 2002 lake levels and what we are going to be looking at.

Don't expect the fishing to be great, but it could happen.  Do expect zero boat traffic. Do expect the lake to look sad...

Another...

Not PB friendly...

  That's tragic!!! Did the lower levels of water kill any fish?

Nope, no major fish kills.

I can only image how many idiots will be out there in their 4x4's tearin' sh*t up! 

LOTS...it was madness in 2002. 

I can only image how many idiots will be out there in their 4x4's tearin' sh*t up! 

I'm guessing Bob won't be out there.