~ B. Everett Jordan Lake ~
Drought, August 2002
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This day was our anniversary, 2002, but was also at the worst of the drought of the summer of 2002. The entire lake region was devastated, as the lake level dropped more than 5 feet over the course of the season. Boating on the lake was dangerous with such low water levels. Remembering this is a man-made lake less than 25 years old, there is plenty of stuff hiding under the surface of the water to reach up and bite ya if you aren't extremely careful. Though the pictures I took are not nearly as graphically clear as being there in person, it is possible to have an idea of just how low the water got. |
The flower in the photo above is my anniversary bouquet! Yes, my husband was going to pick the flowers for me, but I told him no, I'd rather take a picture of them and leave them growing on the lake bank.
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This next picture (right) shows a sandy bank where the water should be. At "full pool" the lake level should be up to where you can see the beginning of grass growing, at the very top of the sandy area...
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At left we have the rocky bank of Robeson Creek, a somewhat better graphic of the low water level. The water should rise to cover the entire area that is light colored in this photograph. Or in other words, the water is supposed to be lapping at just below the tree line... |
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The image at right is extremely graphic of the low water level. All the brown, sandy area you see between the water and the tree line in this image is supposed to be under water. We were some of the fortunate few, having such a great knowledge of the lake itself, knowing shallow areas, areas full of underwater tree skeletons and other hazards meant when we were on the lake during the drought we basically had the lake to ourselves. Nothing like a bit of privacy while boating, is there? |
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The end of another beautiful day on the
lake.
What an anniversary!