Quick update from a rising lake

Last weekend was the club championships and spring series regatta; for me it was the 13th and 14th days under sail so far this year. Saturday gave us two races in very light air; Sunday was pleasant with two races in much better breeze. Saturday, the mainsail we were trying wasn't a good fit even after getting some good tips. Sunday, we returned to our previous sail and got better boat speed.

This weekend I'll be running races, and so will be close to a bunch of sailing but not doing much as I work the race committee for our local US Sailing Mallory keelboat eliminations for the Sailing Association of Intermountain Lakes. So far, the weather forecast looks good and most of the elements are in place to run good races. With luck, it'll be very good racing.

At the same time, Gerald is off to a very different competition, traveling with his We the People tema to compete in Arlington, Virginia, and visit Washington, DC. We were up extremely early to wish him luck on his trip because his group met at the airport at 5:00 a.m.

On Wednesday, Carol Anne and I drove up to Heron Lake, where we deposited a couple of cases of fire extinguishers and some books and tools at the marina and talked with the dockmaster. The lake is rising rapidly, with the water about 26 feet deep under the marina and rising at least two feet per week.

Elephant Butte is also on the rise, coming up almost a foot and a half per week as spring ruoff begins to arrive in earnest.

Elephant Butte, Thursday, May 1, 2008, 2100:
4,342.54 feet above benchmark, 538,311 acre feet
up 2.6 inches and 2,968 a.f. in 24 hours, up 7.7 inches and 8,612 a.f. in 71 hours.
1,950 c.f.s. outflow. San Marcial floodway inflow 1,880 cfs (1690-1940)
up 5.6 ft. and 72,758 a.f. since 1200 noon on Feb. 8, 2008

Heron Lake, Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 2300:
7,151.76 ft. elev., 227,067 a.f.
up 4.2"/1,487 a.f. in 24 hours; up 12"/4,157 a.f. in 71 hours
Azotea Tunnel 881 cfs inflow (636-946 cfs)
Willow Creek 881 cfs inflow (613-764 cfs)
up 7.25 feet and 29,669 a.f. since Feb. 8, 2008 at time 1000.