Drawdown almost there . . .maybe

Lake D’Arbonne is now about five feet below pool stage, 75.3 feet as of 3:45 p.m. today, Thursday, Oct. 6.

The drawdown started Sept. 6 and the lake was at 80.6 feet,slightly above pool stage (80.0 feet).

Five feet below pool was the original level the lake was supposed to be dropped to. However, there is “talk” about extending the drawdown to possibly six feet and through the middle of December. Some folks who I respect think that’s not a bad idea. But I gotta tell you, I’m not so sure. In an event of this magnitude that affects so many people and the area economy, changing plans mid-stream may not be best.

I know you can’t please everybody. But nothing we do will totally kill all the vegetation unless we drain the lake and spray it with Roundup (glad I don’t have to apply to the DEQ for that permit). Besides the overall public use of the lake, we also have a couple of really big events coming to this lake early in 2017. Visitors will start coming in right around New Years to spend money and check things out. That’s important to our economy and our lake. Just as we “hope” that the drawdown will kill vegetation, we also have to “hope” that we get enough December and early January rains to fill the lake back up and let it settle down before the fish spawn.

Just for officil clarification, this is the official, orginal plan, as announced in a news release from the LDWF on August 8, 2016: “The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has announced a drawdown for Bayou D’Arbonne Lake in Union Parish.  The drawdown is scheduled to begin on September 6th and continue through November 15th, 2016.  The lake will be lowered to a level of 5 feet below pool stage at a rate of approximately 4 inches per day.”

I’m all for keeping aquatic vegetation manageable and giving folks time to work on boat docks, piers, etc. and clean up around their lake lots. But I also rely on this guiding principle: Plan what you are going to do. Tell people what you are going to do. Then do what you said you were going to do.  I know, that’s pretty old fashioned these days, huh?

You need to let the Lake Commission know how YOU feel. They say you either get a seat at the table, or you end up on the menu….  The Commission will take everything into consideration and make a decision with the LDWF and the LDOTD accordingly.

Meanwhile, here’s a look at the lake chart: