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View Full Version : Did I Hear Right?? Drain Lake Powell



Not So Fast
04-13-2005, 05:22 PM
I know the tree huggers have been lobbying for this but I NEVER thought it could be. My neighbor said he was watching Dateline or 60 Minutes or Nightline ect. the other nite about this very subject and the gut feeling he got was that it could very well become reality. He said it had to do with finding old indian ruins, towns and stuff like that. Didn't they know what was there before the dam was built? :( Dont they realize the value of that amount of water in times of drought, supposedly they believe that Mead could hold enough water??? Then why is Powell down about 125' and Mead about 80'. My goal in life is to see Lake Powell first hand so please tell me this ain't so. Maybe he was smokin some of that tree stuff, I hope so anyway :mad: NSF

Mandelon
04-13-2005, 05:24 PM
Never gonna happen.

MsDrmr
04-13-2005, 05:26 PM
I have only been to Powell once in my life and aside from a couple other places I have seen it was one of the most beautiful places I have visited. I hope that is not the case.
I suppose it would be sad if there were a city down there and bodies buried, but if that is the case, let them rest, why go thorugh the cost of draining, moving and refilling the thing??? I know Indian burials are sacred land, but can they legally do that?

INSman
04-13-2005, 05:54 PM
I doubt it will happen as well, especially since there are some estimates that the snow pack this year could possibly yield upwards of 30' or more of water level. :idea:
I just got into a new houseboat timeshare last year and had an incredible 10 days and can't wait till the trip back again this year in August !! :D

DEEZ NUTTS
04-13-2005, 05:59 PM
Millions of $$$ being spent by the tribe on an new marina. Dont think the hippies are gonna over rule the Navajo Nation.

INSman
04-13-2005, 06:02 PM
Millions of $$$ being spent by the tribe on an new marina. Dont think the hippies are gonna over rule the Navajo Nation.
Yeah, I forgot about that one (Antelope Point), very very nice !!!

Mardonzi
04-13-2005, 06:52 PM
Drain the Lake??? Ain't gonna happen in our grandchildrens lifetime. There has been so much speculation on it and it is all unfounded.
The Treehuggers use so many different approaches and not one of them hold water. They have used the archeological pretense. Granted when the dam was built, enviromental impact assessments weren't a reality like they are now. Fortunately, the govt is smart enough to realize that if they drain the lake, it won't be like it was prior to filling in 1,000 years.
Another strike against the enviro-weenies is the fact that the power generation from the dam is a clean product. No smoke, no radiation, just electricity. The Govt sells this to the Western Power Co-op which generates revenue. The construction cost of the dam was paid off quite a few years ago so it is a definate money maker. Another item for thought is the coal fired power plant (Navajo Generation Station). This is a "clean" plant and is the 7th largest power producer in the United States. The water necessary to operate this plant and it's scrubbers comes from Lake Powell. Take away the water, and you have lost a healthy chunk of the Western U.S.'s Power generation capacity (Brown Outs 'R' Us).
The Enviros have also used the approach that the dam is unstable due to the water eroding (sp) the bedrock that the dam is set in. The B.O.R. has gone so far as to do engineering studies and assessments on the location for a new dam, just in case this ever becomes a reality. The location for this is approximately 1/2 mile downriver from the existing dam (this information was given to me by a friend that works for the Bureau).
And now for the Best News Of All!!!! As of the 9th of April, they have reduced outflow to minimum requirements and the LAKE IS COMING UP!!!

DEEZ NUTTS
04-13-2005, 06:53 PM
hey deez the gas pumps are open, is the store open yet?
What are you already running low on ice? I dont know about the store. Mardonzi??

Mardonzi
04-13-2005, 07:00 PM
Mary will find out tomorrow. The pisser is that launching is done there only by Antelope Point Staff and is pricy,, $46 to launch and retrieve your boat (see link)http://www.azmarinas.com/AntelopePoint/launchramp.asp

DEEZ NUTTS
04-13-2005, 07:06 PM
But if you launch at Antelope you miss out on one of Powells best features. The structural integrity test.
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/830108_0872_Small_.JPG

Mardonzi
04-13-2005, 07:14 PM
Hell, we run little boats through there all the time with no issue what so ever...
Deez, if you feel intimidated by that little stretch of canyon, I would be more than happy to take you out and tutor you on the finer points of inland waterway navigation and operation for your watercraft.......

DEEZ NUTTS
04-13-2005, 07:20 PM
Thats a good one Don! I'm gonna have to run that for a while.

DEEZ NUTTS
04-13-2005, 07:27 PM
IN front of the boat in the pic is a bouy marking the end of a wakeless zone. After that those cliff walls trap all the boat wakes and wind chop in. Add a tour boat with a 6' roller to the mix and it is on. You better like it rough.

Mardonzi
04-13-2005, 07:36 PM
well, I guess you might not have too much problem navagating,, kind of hard to get up on a plane with just a couple of oars....

Squirtin Thunder
04-13-2005, 07:40 PM
All I know is the river is up all day and higher than I have seen and they are dumping at max level right now !!!

Mardonzi
04-13-2005, 07:42 PM
All I know is the river is up all day and higher than I have seen and they are dumping at max level right now !!!
They quit dumping here on the 9th,,
14,000 CFS (cubic feet per second, not chicken fried steak TnB) Inflow
7,000 CFS outflow

Perfect Mixer
04-13-2005, 08:02 PM
I think that I'm with everyone here is saying that they are happy that the lake levels are rising! I was probably one of a few happy boaters to see so much rain this winter in Southern CA. I just was hoping that the snow pack would hold. Looks like we're in for a good summer!

H20skier
04-14-2005, 05:05 AM
All I know is the river is up all day and higher than I have seen and they are dumping at max level right now !!!
That is true, but be careful. Have seen several good size logs floating by the last few days down here by Needles.

MsDrmr
04-14-2005, 05:11 AM
I think that I'm with everyone here is saying that they are happy that the lake levels are rising! I was probably one of a few happy boaters to see so much rain this winter in Southern CA. I just was hoping that the snow pack would hold. Looks like we're in for a good summer!
I am not even a boater really and I am happy to have seen all the rain and snow this year.

Essex502
04-14-2005, 06:04 AM
Don't be so sure that it wont happen...remember mufflers on boats? Closing desert to off-roading?
Be active now and work to prevent this. The Sierra Club and other "tree huggers" are well organized and well funded. They have political clout. We need to fight this now before the momentum gathers. If you all sit back and say "Ain't gonna' happen in my lifetime..." it just might or in your children's lifetime.
See these links:
http://www.lakepowell.net/
http://www.lakepowell.org/why.htm
http://www.riverlakes.com/drainpowell.htm
http://www.drainit.org/campaigns/drought/
http://www2.kenyon.edu/Projects/Dams/glp04smi.html
http://www.lakepowell.net/myths.html

Ion
04-14-2005, 07:18 AM
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/520/830108_0872_Small_.JPG
Is that a smokestack I see in the upper right corner of the pic? If so, what is it?

Mardonzi
04-14-2005, 07:21 AM
Essex does have a good point. We do all need to be as active as we can to ensure that our voices and opinions are heard. This goes for any issue that impacts our lives.
Here is an interesting read on this also...
http://www.lakepowell.net/
There are several Pro-use organizations out there. Below are a couple of links for these. Granted, it seems like the off road organizations outnumber the boating and water use organizations but aren't we all working towards the same end result? Responsible use of our public areas?
http://www.sharetrails.org/index.cfm?page=45
Being informed is always a good thing. Make sure that the organizations you are supporting have your interests in mind.

Moe_Havi
04-14-2005, 07:24 AM
power plant

AzLakeLizard
04-14-2005, 07:33 AM
Is that a smokestack I see in the upper right corner of the pic? If so, what is it?
NGS (Navajo Generating Station) / SRP
Coal power Plant

Mardonzi
04-14-2005, 07:36 AM
Is that a smokestack I see in the upper right corner of the pic? If so, what is it?
That is the Navajo Generation Station. It's the coal fired power plant that I was talking about in an earlier post.

It's Only Money
04-14-2005, 07:53 AM
As with getting married:
SPEAK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE!
Getting involved and being proactive with this issue is a great point.

COELIMINATOR
04-14-2005, 08:08 AM
Projected inflow shows Powell to raise at least 30' this year. The snow in the mountains around us is way above average. The water content is way above average as well. The talk is now on floods when the snow melts. If it gets hot and we get storms it could be intersting.
Sam

franky
04-14-2005, 08:16 AM
Is that a smokestack I see in the upper right corner of the pic? If so, what is it?
The stacks are the Navajo Generating Station.
It would be impossible to completely "drain the lake" because the intake tubes are something like 320 feet above the bottom of the lake. They could continue to lower the levels to that point eliminating many of the outstreched fingers. To drain it completely, they woud have to destroy the dam and how do you do that in a friendly way?

AzLakeLizard
04-14-2005, 09:14 AM
I love being out on Lake Powell.. the sites you see just cruising around are so amazing!
NEVER get tired of it!
So yes! We get involved with "Save the Lake" issues. :D

DeepVee
04-14-2005, 11:21 AM
Deez,
My co-worker and his wife drove by your house the other day. I guess your Formula was outside in the driveway and the comment from the guy’s wife was, "man I wouldn't want to live next to that guy." Of course she's a real estate agent. :crossx:
Nice to see they finally shut the spicket on Powell. Freakin let Mead go down for a while.

DEEZ NUTTS
04-14-2005, 08:12 PM
Deez,
My co-worker and his wife drove by your house the other day. I guess your Formula was outside in the driveway and the comment from the guy’s wife was, "man I wouldn't want to live next to that guy." Of course she's a real estate agent. :crossx:
Classic. :hammer2:

RidinRed
04-14-2005, 11:04 PM
Nice to see they finally shut the spicket on Powell. Freakin let Mead go down for a while.
Mead is done 61 +- feet, was at - 83 last summer.

GHTRIM
04-15-2005, 03:57 AM
Is that a smokestack I see in the upper right corner of the pic? If so, what is it?
Yea, Must be another example of a Coal burning power plant in AZ or NV supplying power to California so they can have clean air. :confused: :hammer2: :eek:

GHTRIM
04-15-2005, 04:01 AM
Nice to see they finally shut the spicket on Powell. Freakin let Mead go down for a while.[/QUOTE]
WTF?? Powell, Mead and Mojave are all suffering. Not like Powell is the only lake suffering. :argue: :hammerhea

Ion
04-15-2005, 06:40 AM
That is the Navajo Generation Station. It's the coal fired power plant that I was talking about in an earlier post.
Thanks to you and all others who answered my question, confirming my suspicion. I'll bet that plume of smoke makes for some "interesting" sunsets. Would hate to be downwind on the river from that!
I remember as a kid, when the family would go to the Warren or Indiana Dunes, along Lake Michigan, not being able to go into the water because it contained visible polllution spewing from the powerplants north of the beaches. Hopefully progress has prevented this from happening at this plant?

Mardonzi
04-15-2005, 07:02 AM
Most of what you are seeing there is the steam plume from the water injection and the scrubbers. The plant is a "clean" plant and puts out very little emissions.