Document text
Spring splash: Overnight snow will boost water levels By Sean Wolfe Ashland Daily Tidings Overnight snowfall gave lakes in the area a big wet kiss to wrap up an already wet spring. Despite spring rainfall that topped off city reservoirs and Emigrant Lake, lakes at higher elevations are still recovering from a relatively dry winter. And the word from lake managers is that every drop counts. Water levels at Emigrant Lake are near capacity this spring, giving the Ashland High School crew team (above) plenty of room to row. Emigrant Lake is faring the best of all lakes in and around Ashland. Ashland Daily Tidings/DENISE BARATTA "The last two years, we've been in somewhat of a drought condition," noted Chris Johnston, assistant general manager at Howard Prairie Lake Resort. Unlike Emigrant Lake, which is now releasing water, Howard Prairie is still trying to hit the two-thirds mark. Johnston said the recent snow, which scattered 4 to 8 inches around the lake, will help immensely. "This winter was abnormally nice, and the spring is about average. The lake is filling up well right now. But because we didn't do it over the winter, we're having to do it over the spring," Johnston said. As of this morning, Howard Prairie surpassed last year's high water mark, and is filling at a rate of about 3 inches per day, Johnston said. "That snow will be all gone by noon, and every drop will end up in the lake at this point, because the ground is so saturated. So we're well ahead of the game." Johnston is also bullish on this year's fishing season. Because area wildfires kept some fishermen away from the lake last summer, he expects half the fish caught this summer will be "carryovers" - older and bigger fish that range between 14 to 16 inches. "This year is going to be terrific for fish. Normally, only a third of the fish would be carryovers. But reduced fishing pressure last year means bigger and better fish," Johnston said. The wet spring is also proving beneficial to Hyatt Lake, where wet conditions are filling the lake at the rate of 3 to 4 inches per day. "When the lake thawed in February, we were way down in terms of water, and that made us really nervous," noted Hyatt Lake resort manager Sean Badger. "But in a month's time, the lake came up about 12 feet. We don't know where the water's coming from. We've had snow every day, but a foot of snow only makes an inch of water. It's a mystery, but we'll take it," Badger said. At lower elevations, rains have been more than sufficient to top off Emigrant Lake, according to Jackson County Parks program assistant Randy Hutton. "The problem (with lakes like Hyatt and Howard Prairie) is that there's been no large snow pack at middle elevations. It's been a dry winter, and a wet spring. We've had a lot of rain, and the precipitation this year at lower elevations contributed primarily to fill Emigrant Lake," Hutton said. "We're at 99 percent there, and we're letting a little bit out for flood-control purposes. It laps over the spillway when the wind blows, so it's basically full." High lake levels are also helping to improve camping reservations. Hutton said reservations at Emigrant Lake - on Highway 66 just minutes from downtown Ashland - for Labor Day were already close to full. Badger said that while Hyatt Lake was recovering from windstorms, it hasn't seen a drop in bookings. Johnston noted that Howard Prairie is also getting "above normal" bookings. "People are tired of staying home. They're ready to recreate," Johnston said. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -