Lewis & clark lake and the yankton dam

[WALLEYE DREW]

The folks that run the dams are down in Omaha,NE. Army Corps. They are saying that they need to get rid of at least 10 foot of water through out the whole system. They said there going to release more water from all the dams on the Missouri river ,at least January 2011. Then based on the water levels again, and anticipate the snow fall in the Wyoming and Montana mountains. they may leave the gates open til at leastl next Summer
The high fast water is already having a devastating effect on the upper end of Lewis and Clark. It ripping through some of the old islands up stream and filling the top end of the lake in
Theres is no channel on the Nebraska side any more. A few years ago they built a sand island for the turns and clovers . It is now connected to shore by sand bar. While they were making the bird islands. they dredged a new channel up the river . Gone!! Theres more and more mud and sand islands showing up every day. By the time they drop the river and lake Lewis and Clark upper end will not be anything ore then a 5 in deep mud hole.
Do not get me wrong we all know these dams on the river was built for flood control. And the army corp are doing a great job of this. It just to bad we have to loose more fish able water to siltation.
I my self would rather lose fishable water, then see flooding and losses of life and property down streem.

Drew, any time the Army Corp of Engineers touches anything they screw it up. Just take a look at what they did to the upper Mississippi Wildlife Refuge throughout Minnesota Wisconsin and Iowa. Their only mission is to maintain channel levels for commercial traffic. They are now extending the breakwalls on the locks so the tow companies can increase the number of barges they push through.

[WALLEYE DREW]

I have to thank the corps . They the ones who planed and made these lake and wild life areas. On the Missouri river. They were made for #1 flood control. #2 keep the barges in water in the summer.. #3 generate electricty . These things make are lifes better and safer.
Then thanks to the army corps & d.n.r. of each respective state along the newly formed lakes. They did a great job of stocking and putting boat docks and camp grounds,trails, food plots (for the wild life)in . So the public can use the for hunting ,fishing camping.boating are just a few things

[Morton]

In "normal" years the upper end of L&C is affected most by the Nibrara as far as silt deposits are concerned.
The upper end has been a problem for years and there was some discussion of flushing L&C as the whole lake is filling in.

There was 60FOW in a spot I used to fish and now it is only 44 to 48 feet deep. I still fish the area but the structure has changed quite a bit.

I am disheartened by the deterierated conditions of the lake but that is the lesser of the evils as you have mentioned.

I would guess the winter months for water release is a wise choice since the Corps is running about as much as they can without back flowing the Jim river in vermillion. I have seen lots of damage north due to the Jim flooding.

I have not looked up the AC's plan but I suspect we will not see 1200 CFS this winter .... Might make for an outstanding winter opportunity catching walleyes below the gates.

Morton

[WALLEYE DREW]

I to have watched for many a year the siltation of the upper end of the lake. As I said earler. The three river above the lake are running clean.. The bird island the government built are stopping the fast water coming into the lake.as a result the lake is really silting this year.
As far as flushing the lake like you say. There doing that now.
The super fast current come right down the river past the standing bear bridge. Is doing nothing but ripping and tearing the islands out and depositing the sand and silt in the upper end of the main lake.
Gee the current up by santee this spring was going about 3 miles a hour last year about this time it was 3 .25gps speed .last week at santee it was over 7 gps. And it is going to get faster. I do not think the flushing is working.

The core did nothing for oahe except mess it up. They have no clue and most of the stuff that was done the state did. They are lucky the precip came the way it did. Now they will take credit for all the good fishing.

[WALLEYE DREW]

If I remember right . All this area you talking about was waste land . Only hill country and a wild shallow muddy Missouri river running . Only rough fish in it.
Then the corps and the state made this lake.. The corp take care of this now and the state manage the fishery. Wow. The state and or the corp . Do not have to let people on the fun or fishing or any other sports. But they do . Now you cry about it. Not right.

When there is only one usable dock for miles because we have to keep giving water to the southern states for the bs barges they dont even need to keep running is very poor management. If it was not for mother nature and a few govenors getting together it would have turned back to a muddy river. The state manages the fishery and if not for the shad getting in that would have been gone to. It was my tax dollars used to make this so i should be ables to use it. Maybe should thank the guys that were there 60 years ago but not the idoits running it today

[go ranger]

Originally Posted by coe

When there is only one usable dock for miles because we have to keep giving water to the southern states for the bs barges they dont even need to keep running is very poor management. If it was not for mother nature and a few govenors getting together it would have turned back to a muddy river. The state manages the fishery and if not for the shad getting in that would have been gone to. It was my tax dollars used to make this so i should be ables to use it. Maybe should thank the guys that were there 60 years ago but not the idoits running it today

Very true. Let's not forget the absurd amount of money the COE spent to 'build' the sandbars for the endangered birds. That's a great idea until they have to raise the water levels, which wash away their precious sandbars and our tax dollars! Anyone that pays taxes should be furious with the way the COE has spent millions.

Ya dont even get me started on the piping plover. Ya lets build sand bars when the river is at an all time low. That worked out good