E-mail this article to a friend | Printer friendly format | Submit A Comment

- The Madera Tribune

Both the high water and low water boat ramps are comletely out of the water at Hemsley Lake. The continued drought had drawn the lake down to only 5,500 acre feet of water. At full pool the lake holds 90,000 acre feet. Last year at this time, the lake was at 10,000 acre feet.

Photo by: Wendy Alexander

Hensley Lake continues to dry up. Irrigation is taking 90 cubic feet per second out of the lake and the Fresno River, which supplies water to the lake, is dry. The boat ramps will stay closed until the rains begin in the fall and start to refill the lake. The lake has been steadily losing water for the past six years.

Photo by: Wendy Alexander

Low water level closes boat ramps at lake

Are you thinking about taking your boat or jet skis out this weekend - don't go to Hensley Lake.

The launch facilities at Hensley are high and dry, a result of the continuing drought problem.

Richard Grahlman, manager at Hensley lake said, "At full pool this lake can hold 90,000 acre feet of water. During the summer, what we call 'recreational pool,' we are normally at 40,000 acre feet. This year the lake has dropped to 5,500 acre feet and it's still dropping. Last year at this time the lake was at 10,000 acre feet."

The boat ramps are currently two to three feet out of the water.

"We normally get 12 to 15 inches of rain each year but this year we got 8 inches," said Grahlman. "This has really hurt the lake."

Hensley is releasing 90 cubic feet of water per second, not counting the amount of water lost to evaporation. Most of the water is being used for irrigation. The only inflow to the lake comes from the Fresno river, which is dry.

The ramps will remain closed until the rains begin refill the lake.

For the past six years, Hensley has been gradually reduced due to the drought the West has been experiencing. Each summer the lake has been lower than the previous year.

"We wanted to get the word out so people won't be bringing up their boats and jet skis only find they can't launch them," said Grahlman.

There some good things about the low water situation. If you are an angler now is the time to walk around the lake and locate some of the best fishing locations. Using a digital camera and even a GPS system can be beneficial.

For the lake management, it also helps when it comes to developing new fish habitat and cleanup work.

The Boy Scouts perform habitat development work at Hensley and other lakes. On Sept. 18, they will hold their annual Public Lands Cleanup Day. Several groups for fishing clubs to volunteers will clean up around the lake. The lower water level will allow them to clean deeper than before.

Even thought the boat ramps are closed, you can fish from shore and the campgrounds are open.