Lower water in lakes?

[Flymph]

Why are the lake levels lower than last year after a good snow pack? I have fished four different lakes and passed by others. All are lower than last year with some lower than I have ever seen them????

 

[Tom Butler]

Might be regional. The lakes in the Tuc have all been high/using the overflows this spring. Hopefully it stays this way for another 6-8 weeks at least.

 

[troutpocket]

I’m not seeing that in the Basin generally.

 

[Buzzy]

I’m not seeing that in the Basin generally.

nor am I

 

[Tombraider]

East lakes drought.

 

[Guy Gregory]

Basin lakes (outside of the CBP) are down as the shallow groundwater table is very low. 3 marginal to poor recharge years. Mountain snowpack is only a peripheral estimate to Basin recharge.

 

[Buzzy]

Basin lakes (outside of the CBP) are down as the shallow groundwater table is very low. 3 marginal to poor recharge years. Mountain snowpack is only a peripheral estimate to Basin recharge.

After I posted that the Basin lakes weren't low I got to thinking about those lakes in the plateau NE of here and just how low they are. I guess we need several heavy snow years with snow that has some moisture in it rather than the power we had. Thanks for this reminder. ;-(

 

[Guy Gregory]

We’re down now to about 2015 levels. We got 20 feet of water table elevation back in 2016 and 2017 thanks to really wet autumns and winters. Late fall and early spring rain really helps, a lot of the time snow just sublimates or runs off. Those chilly, steady, rainy duck days in late October early November are what we need.

 

[iveofione]

Spring rains have been almost absent so far and despite the heavy snow load a lake I fished this week was lower than usual. There is still a patch of snow in my yard so maybe there is more runoff to come but it is getting late. With Arizona and California drying up we have to be grateful for what water we have.