With our last water test, I reported 2.25 inches of water in the rain gauge. Since then we have had 5.2 inches in the last 3 days:
1.4 inches on the morning of July 5
3 inches on July 6
0.8 inches on July 7

When we recently restored the lake, the theory was 2 inches of rain on saturated ground in our watershed ( 4 square miles) would fill it up. In May we got approval to close the dam and refill the lake. We immediately moved into a drought….. In July, we got 2 inches of rain on parched ground and not much changed. Then in September, we got 4 inches of rain and the lake finally filled up.

Based on our 2003 experience, enough rain has fallen in the last three days, and under the proper conditions, to completely refill our lake. In reality, most of the new rainwater will probably go over the spillway, but we should get a good dilution of new oxygen-rich rainwater. The first part of that rain probably brought a lot of nasty runoff, but that should be thoroughly diluted now. The strategy for having two forebays on our tributaries is to slow-down the torrent of silt laden “erosion” water after heavy rain. Water that is not moving as fast cannot “hold onto” as much suspended matter, so the silt “falls out” of the stream and fills up the forebays. Forebays are easier and less disruptive to scoop out than the main lake.

We expect rain every day now for for the next 6, and we expect some rain on 7 of the next 10 days. If you live near the lake and you fertilize or treat twice a year, this is NOT the time to do that. If you get light regular treatments, that is probably OK. Since it is supposed to rain in the afternoon, it would be better to apply in the morning and water it fully in. We don’t want any chemicals of any sort: fertilizer, herbicide, or pesticide getting washed into the lake.

Seems like our goose population is very high this year. I counted (& shooed) 37 adult & almost adult sized geese at the beach this morning.