Lake conditions and NMSC updates

1. Lake conditions

The lake is 49% full with most of the marina in about 19 feet of water (elevation of 7144.29 feet with 196,496 acre feet of water, 9 feet below last summer's highest level of about 7153.41', 234,174 acre feet). Next spring the lake will probably go down to about 149,000 acre feet with most of the marina in 5 about feet of water (but more depth if some spring runoff reaches the marina before all the "old" water is removed).

With 50% of normal San Juan-Chama runoff water in 2006, the lake would come up to about where it is now, with 19 or 20 feet of water in the marina cove; sufficient for good sailing and for keelboat use of the boat ramp from May 1 to at least mid-September. Some improvements to marina access would be needed. However, in the spring of 2007 the bed of the marina cove would be about 8 feet higher than the lake and the lake would need to receive at least half of a normal year's runoff in 2007 before the marina could re-open (unless the marina is moved in the fall of 2006).

With 75%, the cove would have about 25 feet of depth, about halfway between today's level and 2005's high point; plenty for a full season of sailing. However, the floor of the marina cove could wind up about a foot higher than the lake in the spring of 2007 and the lake would need to get at least a quarter of a normal year's runoff in 2007 before the marina could re-open (unless the marina had been moved to deep water). At the moment, receiving around 75% of the "firm yield" seems plausible.

With 105%, the marina would be immune from grounding in the spring of 2007. Please keep up your snow dances. Pat


2. Board folks,

We should be getting the last bits of information from ShoreMaster soon and be ready to send them the 10% deposit check, signed contract and form, and (slightly amended) drawing. Roger Squires has been doing a good job of getting our questions answered.

It's probably about time for a general e-mail to announce news about A dock and the lake, encourage renewals, and recruit volunteers for projects, dockmasters for hire, etc.

Also, if any of the officers and other board members have "pet" projects they'd like to supervise or things they want to happen in 2006, that would be very good for us to all know. For example, I know that Eddie plans to work on marketing and p.r. for the club and marina and is also interested in getting some youth sailors to the lake.

Also, Roger could probably do a paper (papyrus, hard copy) Spinnaker Sheet in February to spread the news and encourage folks to pay for slips and memberships and update/send us their e-mail addresses.

Roger, I'll try to get you some more specific ideas about the club budget.

Rich will likely want to send out renewal forms for memberships and slips to reflect the availability of the new A dock. I'd also like to sneak in a survey form for members to complete if they wish.