Eagle Lake is in trouble?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

http://blog.sfgate.com/stienstra/2012/09/11/eagle-lake-native-trout-devastated-by-drawdown/#7296-4

[Troutstalker55B]

Bill,

Thanks for posting that. Tom gets right to the point and exposes the ugly truth. These two pictures say it all;

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i424/moto55b/e21---web.jpg

This is the water level in 1998 near the airport tules, the lake was near full. My friend Jobob is wading out in the picture and is about up to his waist.

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i424/moto55b/eagle-lake-109---web.jpg

Here is the water level at the same spot on the closure of 2011. The lake has dropped 10 feet! The secret bypass valve that was supplying water to a few ranchers was consuming a million gallons a day. It gets even uglier; a certain ranch that has a pay to play pond on it diverts the water from the head waters of pine creek, received water from the bypass flow below the lake, and has cattle tearing up the land and chasing anglers at Lake Davis. Pretty cool huh?

I hope anglers who are as concerned as I am will join the Eagle Lake Gaurdians (http://eaglelakeguardians.org/) and help fight the greed that is trying to wipe out the Eagle Lake Rainbow. The lake is a very special place and so dear to my heart!

Jon.

[loose_shoes]

I was there in September of 2011. The lake was lower than I had ever seen it. This was after at least 2 consecutive good water years! This last year of little water was just another insult to injury.

Whatever the diversions and drawdowns that are happening are just destroying Eagle Lake. From everything I've read about the Eagle Lake politics the corruption and incompetence are legendary.

I second Jon's recommendation about helping out Eagle Lake Guardians.

[Tracy Chimenti]

Very sad. I wouldn't doubt there are seismic issues/fissures, where water is escaping. The eniter area is volcanic. I find it hard to believe that groundwater exploitation is a major reason, but who knows. However, Clear Lake seems to keep it's level throughout the last 10-years and groundwater use is compulsory there as far as I know.

I wish I could go back to the eighties. Eagle was an experience to behold.

Tracy

[Tracy Chimenti]

I hear you Joe, but we need substantive data on these diversions and also need to emphasize that the loss of the lake will destroy local economies and damage others. The place was built on trout fishing.

[Tracy Chimenti]

My apologies, John. I read teh info. Looks pretty solid.

hell, aren't there enough geese already? They're depredating them in some states, as well as CANADA.

[Darian]

Found a file for a management plan for Eagle Lake basin. Check it out at:

http://www.lassenbmos.org/index_htm_files/Eagle%20Lake%20BMO%20Guidance%20Document.pdf

Interesting read and adds perspective to the concerns expressed by Mr. Steinstra.