Lake Level - Crane Day
GSL Slip Renters This is a very tough email for me to write. But I feel I must be honest with you and tell you where we are sitting right now. As you are aware we are not sitting well with our snowpack. As of today, the snowpack for the Great Salt Lake drainage is 80%. January, and February delivered almost no snowpack to the critical areas. The good news is that the snowpack does contain a higher percentage of water than normal. And the other good news is that the lake has already come up nearly a foot since the low of 4193.1 in late November. And there are other factors working in our favor. Ground water is in good shape unlike last year. And the reservoirs are also in better shape than this time last year. Also, as the lake becomes low it also becomes saltier. And that salt tends to want to hold onto water more which could slow summer evaporation. But we are now in a position of being dependent on a very good snowpack for March and April. We are in desperate need of a weather pattern change. Without it the Great Salt Lake Marina is in serious trouble. If this dry pattern continues into March and April we may see the lake drop very near the historic low of 4191.6 sometime in November. Right now the models I have are showing a lake level of 4191.8 to 4192.3 by late October/November (based on a poor snowpack). But there are two large unknown factors that can change this prediction. If we have a cooler wet spring those numbers should rise. If we have a long hot dry summer it could have a detrimental effect on lake levels. Another factor is when the lake actually tops off and begins to drop in elevation. That usually happens in a period of Late April to early June. But on poor snowpack years that can happen as early as mid-March. In the past 12 years the lake has topped of twice in March, four times in April, twice in May, three times in June and once in July. It is time to think seriously about what each of you may need to do. Boats with deeper drafts (5 feet or more) who want to pull out before they become stuck inside the marina might want to consider pulling out between mid-March and mid-May while the water is high enough to get your boats to the crane out area (between J and K dock). Boats with drafts of 4 feet or more should watch the lake level closely and also consider whether they want to risk having their keels in the mud this summer and next winter or whether to pull out by June. Just about everyone who decides to pull out this year will need to use the services of the crane. The area north of B dock that leads to the launch ramp is just over 2 feet deep right now and will be dry by fall. We are working on plans right now regarding slip rates for those that will be stuck in the marina as well as turning areas of the parking lot into unsecured dry storage and what rates that would be. I hope to have that information to you very soon. But we would probably turn a large portion of the south and west parking lot into dry storage for the boats. If you do not have a trailer but would like to pull your boat and store it in the parking lot, now is the time to consider investing in a trailer or boat stands. We do not have stands or trailers available for long-term storage. I will plan to set up a series of crane days this spring to accommodate those that just feel that they need to get out while they still can. The first scheduled crane day is Friday, March 13th at 9am. PLEASE RSVP if you want to use that crane. Crane spots are available by RSVP ONLY as I need to know how big of a crane to hire as well as how long we will need the crane here. Now I do not want to be doom and gloom here. There are many things that can still happen to change our fortunes. We may end up with a very wet spring. It has happened before. Money may become available for dredging. But we are likely not going to know anything about dredging until the legislature ends their current session in about a month. And one caution about dredging too. If money does become available, that money is likely not going to be available until after July. And IF that money does become available we do not know how effective dredging will be. I wish I knew more about the potential for dredging but I just don't. The Great Salt Lake Marina is more than just a marina. It is a close knit community. We have all become friends and family. We have faced tough times lately and managed to hold together as a community. It is important to me to try to maintain that even if faced with the toughest of circumstances. I will do what I can to keep this community close and alive. That might mean road trips, socials, educational seminars, rain dances, whatever it takes until better times return. And history proves that the lake will rise again. Please keep the faith. Dave Dave Shearer Harbor Master Great Salt Lake State Marina Antelope Island State Marina 801-209-9142
Thanks Dave - but everyone please remember we are still working very hard on the dredging situation - please please please write those letters, convincing the legislators to provide funding is our best option. I think a Rain Dance Social may be in order :o) Janet Robins The Safety Consortium 400 W. Lawndale Dr. Salt Lake City, UT 84115 Phone: 801-746-2462 Fax: 801-803-6266 From: GSL-Marina [mailto:gsl-marina-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Dave Shearer Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2015 12:26 PM To: gsl-marina@mailman.xmission.com Subject: [GSL-Marina] Lake Level - Crane Day GSL Slip Renters This is a very tough email for me to write. But I feel I must be honest with you and tell you where we are sitting right now. As you are aware we are not sitting well with our snowpack. As of today, the snowpack for the Great Salt Lake drainage is 80%. January, and February delivered almost no snowpack to the critical areas. The good news is that the snowpack does contain a higher percentage of water than normal. And the other good news is that the lake has already come up nearly a foot since the low of 4193.1 in late November. And there are other factors working in our favor. Ground water is in good shape unlike last year. And the reservoirs are also in better shape than this time last year. Also, as the lake becomes low it also becomes saltier. And that salt tends to want to hold onto water more which could slow summer evaporation. But we are now in a position of being dependent on a very good snowpack for March and April. We are in desperate need of a weather pattern change. Without it the Great Salt Lake Marina is in serious trouble. If this dry pattern continues into March and April we may see the lake drop very near the historic low of 4191.6 sometime in November. Right now the models I have are showing a lake level of 4191.8 to 4192.3 by late October/November (based on a poor snowpack). But there are two large unknown factors that can change this prediction. If we have a cooler wet spring those numbers should rise. If we have a long hot dry summer it could have a detrimental effect on lake levels. Another factor is when the lake actually tops off and begins to drop in elevation. That usually happens in a period of Late April to early June. But on poor snowpack years that can happen as early as mid-March. In the past 12 years the lake has topped of twice in March, four times in April, twice in May, three times in June and once in July. It is time to think seriously about what each of you may need to do. Boats with deeper drafts (5 feet or more) who want to pull out before they become stuck inside the marina might want to consider pulling out between mid-March and mid-May while the water is high enough to get your boats to the crane out area (between J and K dock). Boats with drafts of 4 feet or more should watch the lake level closely and also consider whether they want to risk having their keels in the mud this summer and next winter or whether to pull out by June. Just about everyone who decides to pull out this year will need to use the services of the crane. The area north of B dock that leads to the launch ramp is just over 2 feet deep right now and will be dry by fall. We are working on plans right now regarding slip rates for those that will be stuck in the marina as well as turning areas of the parking lot into unsecured dry storage and what rates that would be. I hope to have that information to you very soon. But we would probably turn a large portion of the south and west parking lot into dry storage for the boats. If you do not have a trailer but would like to pull your boat and store it in the parking lot, now is the time to consider investing in a trailer or boat stands. We do not have stands or trailers available for long-term storage. I will plan to set up a series of crane days this spring to accommodate those that just feel that they need to get out while they still can. The first scheduled crane day is Friday, March 13th at 9am. PLEASE RSVP if you want to use that crane. Crane spots are available by RSVP ONLY as I need to know how big of a crane to hire as well as how long we will need the crane here. Now I do not want to be doom and gloom here. There are many things that can still happen to change our fortunes. We may end up with a very wet spring. It has happened before. Money may become available for dredging. But we are likely not going to know anything about dredging until the legislature ends their current session in about a month. And one caution about dredging too. If money does become available, that money is likely not going to be available until after July. And IF that money does become available we do not know how effective dredging will be. I wish I knew more about the potential for dredging but I just don't. The Great Salt Lake Marina is more than just a marina. It is a close knit community. We have all become friends and family. We have faced tough times lately and managed to hold together as a community. It is important to me to try to maintain that even if faced with the toughest of circumstances. I will do what I can to keep this community close and alive. That might mean road trips, socials, educational seminars, rain dances, whatever it takes until better times return. And history proves that the lake will rise again. Please keep the faith. Dave Dave Shearer Harbor Master Great Salt Lake State Marina Antelope Island State Marina 801-209-9142 [skull and crossbones]
participants (2)
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Dave Shearer -
Janet Robins