Low Grants

[kenonstott]

John and I were talking to a local about how bad the fishing was and why Grants is so low. Maybe the bad fishing is why we had room to sail this Memorial Day weekend. He says the water is free, or really reduced cost, to the farmers until June 1 encouraging them to pull water out of the lake. After that they have to pay so they may slow down. With low temps and late runoff there just hasn't been as much going in as coming out. This would seem to encourage water waste but it is their lake, not ours. Anyways, short reach or not, it was a blast Saturday. I still think it is at least as wide as the Hatch if you typically sail on the Washington side where the swell is.

[RickHeninger]

Ken, I agree on the reach. I've never had a complaint on the reach at Grant's. It's a jibe fest... The shrinkage of the size of the lake is indirectly proportional to the shrinkage that'll occur when the rest of that cold water comes down the mountain. It has been a late thaw this year, and there may be a chance for it to raise a bit again before it goes down. Got up at 5:30 this morning (memorial day) to see if it was doable, but, looks like thunderheads @@(*#&! I'm going back to bed! Good to have you back in full gear!

[Carl Christensen]

didn't think about the financial structure that might influence the water levels at grants. interesting. looking forward to a bit more, not that I mind the reach but because the air flow smooths out when it doesn't have to drop down so far over the walls to reach the water surface. maybe the rain will hasten runoff.

[Mike Egan]

This weekend I enjoied a dirt bike ride all thru the mountains behind grantsville. VERY LITTLE SNOW UP THERE. I have a feeling that there is no way that the lake is going to fill up this year. What a downer. There are pipes all over those mountains to route water to ? Some new pipes some old, some large 10 to 12 inches some smaller 4 inches rode about 70 miles and every river or stream crossing was dry except for one. Maybe Utah Wind Riders can start buying up water shares?

[Carl Christensen]

yeah, then sell the water. we don't want to keep it, just ride on it a little before it gets to its end user.

[RickHeninger]

A couple of years ago, I was talking with the guys that works at Grantsville. He mentioned that they have talked about building a 2nd reservoir above grantsville Res. Don't know what that means... I think it was because they usually fill up the lake early on and the rest goes to waste. So it's strange that they're letting the farmers have free reign right now if it's not even full.

I spoke with Grantsville Irrigation Co. today which is the company who owns the water rights at Grantsville. They allow the "Use it or Lose it" Policy (stopped as of may 23rd) as they call it, in the spring. But usually not for this long, so that, in their words, "they don't waste any water when the major runoff happens." She mentioned all their theories on ground seepage etc. and evaporation and that they've got their program tailored to preserve water. Ok!? ... I told her that there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of snow up in the Oquirrhs... But they still seem to think that more runoff is going to come down because of the cold that has lasted through may. I would agree somewhat, but I don't see all that much snow up there either.

[Carl Christensen]

let's hope it's still coming then. crossing my fingers.

[Sarah Ranes]

I talked to one of the guys that I works with me here at the Water Dept, who knows alot about water. He ended up camping at Grants last weekend, I guess he saw us all sailing Sat morning. Any way he and his buds had their quad wheelers and went all over in the mountains, and said he thought that there was a lot of run off to come. He said that Grants water officials,? had offered farmers more water this year, and longer, because of the expectation of more run off. I hope he's right.

He also said that DC will stay very low, due to a valve at the damn, that still needs to be replaced, to meet federal regulations....bummer!

[JimSouthwick]

Very interesting, Sarah! The fact that DC is going to stay low would appear to be a "good news, bad news" situation - bad news for poleboarders, good news for the darksiders.

[Kenny]

Jim,

I agree that is good news for the darksiders, DC is a very difficult place to launch a kite when the water is high. Jim, you have that place dialed in. Care to give us a forecast for Saturday, 5/31? Looks like a mild south flow is forecasted right now, so I am thinking it might be a good afternoon at DC.

Kenny

[bordy]

YEA LOW DC WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO.

Come on poleboarders the higher water only adds about a hundered yards to your reach.....

While the low water means there is more darksiders around to keep you company. And entertain you with crashes.

If only we could control the gust.....

[JimSouthwick]

Kenny,

I leave the forecasting to Craig. I just watch the trees outside my window and head down to the lake when they start shaking.

[Sarah Ranes]

Hey Bordy, I find all U Dark Siders very entertaining! I'm hoping that along with low water....less powered boats, that's what we all can hope for...... we'll see. happy wind riding SR