gouvernail
Super Opinionated and Always Correct
Lake Travis could be a lot more than full by the time we start sailing here next Friday.
Lake Travis is a flood control reservoir first and source of water for a million residents second.
( Irrigation water is third, Electrical generation follows and recreational facility is way down the list at 7.
Today 4 to eight inches of rain have fallen in a large part of our watershed. Another 3 to 8 inches is the current prediction by the National Weather service.
Look at the weather in Austin>>>
http://home.kxan.com/wxtech_surfacewinds_tx.asp
Sign up now!!!>>
http://www.2007mastersna.com/
Annual average rainfall in the basin is only about 10 inches and it is only about 20 inches in the area where the huge rainfall is likely to occur.
This part of Texas is one of the most flash flood prone areas on the planet. There is not a lot of vegetation to soak up the water as it rains, so runoff happens rapidly and often with violence and great loss of property and life.
There are many dry stream beads MOST OF THE TIME where Texas roads have what we call "low water crossings." Usually you can drive across the streams without wetting the underside of your car.
Tonight the TV is filled with reminders to "Turn around! Don't Drown." Many of the low water crossings to the west of Austin are currently death traps with five feet of water running over the road. Tonight, someone in a car will be washed off a central Texas road.
Lake Travis will rise ten to twenty feet this weekend. It is Memorial day and the lakes will be filled with boaters. Austin Yacht Club has its largest regatta scheduled to begin Saturday morning. The lake will rise 5 feet during the day Saturday.
The regatta is called Turnback Canyon. The sailors usually sail a few miles up the lake, moor for the night, party and then sail home.
Yesterday, two of the regatta workers went uo the lake and pounded re-bar stakes into the gently sloping ground next to the shore for use as moorings.
The stakes will be ten to twenty feet below the surface by Saturday evening.
Meanwhile back at Laser sailing...
Lake Travis began today at 673 feet above sea level.
Full is 681
Flooding is anything over 681
The lake is generally closed to sailing when it rises over 695.
Sometimes the Lower Colorado River Authority will let us sail anyway..If we ask just right and tell them how huge the financial impact will be if the lake is closed.
My best guess is only that. The weather approaching our area indicates almost guaranteed flooding. It does not indicate sufficient flooding will occur this weekend to cause the lake to be closed.
If the flooding turns out to be "not all that bad" the GOOD NEWS will be>>>>>.
Lake Travis is a decent sailing lake. When it is flooded it is much bigger and much better for sailing.
Sign up>>>>
http://www.2007mastersna.com/
Lake Travis is a flood control reservoir first and source of water for a million residents second.
( Irrigation water is third, Electrical generation follows and recreational facility is way down the list at 7.
Today 4 to eight inches of rain have fallen in a large part of our watershed. Another 3 to 8 inches is the current prediction by the National Weather service.
Look at the weather in Austin>>>
http://home.kxan.com/wxtech_surfacewinds_tx.asp
Sign up now!!!>>
http://www.2007mastersna.com/
Annual average rainfall in the basin is only about 10 inches and it is only about 20 inches in the area where the huge rainfall is likely to occur.
This part of Texas is one of the most flash flood prone areas on the planet. There is not a lot of vegetation to soak up the water as it rains, so runoff happens rapidly and often with violence and great loss of property and life.
There are many dry stream beads MOST OF THE TIME where Texas roads have what we call "low water crossings." Usually you can drive across the streams without wetting the underside of your car.
Tonight the TV is filled with reminders to "Turn around! Don't Drown." Many of the low water crossings to the west of Austin are currently death traps with five feet of water running over the road. Tonight, someone in a car will be washed off a central Texas road.
Lake Travis will rise ten to twenty feet this weekend. It is Memorial day and the lakes will be filled with boaters. Austin Yacht Club has its largest regatta scheduled to begin Saturday morning. The lake will rise 5 feet during the day Saturday.
The regatta is called Turnback Canyon. The sailors usually sail a few miles up the lake, moor for the night, party and then sail home.
Yesterday, two of the regatta workers went uo the lake and pounded re-bar stakes into the gently sloping ground next to the shore for use as moorings.
The stakes will be ten to twenty feet below the surface by Saturday evening.
Meanwhile back at Laser sailing...
Lake Travis began today at 673 feet above sea level.
Full is 681
Flooding is anything over 681
The lake is generally closed to sailing when it rises over 695.
Sometimes the Lower Colorado River Authority will let us sail anyway..If we ask just right and tell them how huge the financial impact will be if the lake is closed.
My best guess is only that. The weather approaching our area indicates almost guaranteed flooding. It does not indicate sufficient flooding will occur this weekend to cause the lake to be closed.
If the flooding turns out to be "not all that bad" the GOOD NEWS will be>>>>>.
Lake Travis is a decent sailing lake. When it is flooded it is much bigger and much better for sailing.
Sign up>>>>
http://www.2007mastersna.com/