Lake Casitas, California Drought Problem

[Brooke cusick]

Does anybody know what will happen to the fish if our lake (lake Casitas) if it dries up due to a drought?  They can't just let the fish die.;(  Does anybody have a solution to this issue?  Thank you

[Bluebasser86]

I don't know about California, but we've had lakes dry up or drained so they could work on the dam here in Kansas. When they do that, they have what they call a "Fish Salvage". Basically, they allow people to keep as many fish as they want and allowed to use most any means to do so, cast netting and seining being the most popular but people also snag for them and noodle also. Once the water is mostly gone, they just walk around and pick up the fish that are left. Moving the fish from one body of water to another is too risky due to potentially moving diseases or Aquatic Nuisance Species like zebra or Quagga mussels. 

[burrows]

A lot of the lakes ponds or reservoirs in California that dried up the fish died off there was no fish salvage that I'm aware of.  Most people don't realize that drought is still a major problem in California.

[blckshirt98]

You're not allowed to transport fish in CA from one body of water or another.  Unless your local County Park/Water Agency can work something out to transport fish, they're pretty much going to just let them die.  I believe many years ago when they had to drain one of the reservoirs here in Santa Clara County they were able to move fish to another reservoir, but there's another reservoir that needs to be drained for dam retrofitting and moving fish is out of the question.  They're instead considering leaving a small section of reservoir filled with water to hold some fish.

[WRB]

The DFW can move fish around and do it now and then. For example they stocked Castiac with bass from Van Norman when the dam was condemned and lake drained after the '71 Sylmar earthquake. 

Casitas is about 1/2 full in water capicity now and the water remaining is in the deeper main lake basin, Coyote creek and Aries creek arms are still over 150' deep....long way to go before it becomes a problem for the fish. I believe boat launching may be a problem by the end of next summer if the crazy local environmentalists continue to protest any new launch site construction.

Tom

 

[Brooke cusick]

I know the lake drops another 65 feet past the docks at coyote ramp.   The lake is at 36% I would think they should at least prepare for a back up plan considering it will be completely dry in 21/2 years at this rate .  I have been fishing at this lake since I was 5 and respected and cared about the fish, catching them  and releasing so they can continue to grow.  I just want to help, if I can do anything to protect them from what could come.  we are in a stage 3 drought and no one really talks about how to fix this problem.  I still see water flowing in gutters and people washing cars and kids playing in water toys.     Save water peeps  before it really becomes a problem.

[WRB]

Study "Mega Drougts in California" and pray we arn't beginning another 150 years with less than 4" annual rain fall.

The current drought is only one factor causing the lake levels to drop radically. Without the Robles diversion dam above the lake on the Ventura River diverting runoff into Casitas, the local watershed is insufficient to refill the lake under normal seasonal rain fall. We need a very wet cycle to have any hope of returning Casitas to it's full pool.

The problem is compounded by environmental impact that prevents Ventura River water going to Casitas during Steelhead spawning season or any other time that reduces River water flow to maintain the steelhead population. I have fished Casitas since 1958 and have never known of steelhead population existed in the Ventura River system or ever read of anyone ever catching a steelhead in the Ventura area the past 75 years!

Tom

[blckshirt98]

For the record all of us here in Northern California hate people in Southern California for not conserving water and sucking up all of the water from the Delta.  

[WRB]

2 hours ago, blckshirt98 said:

For the record all of us here in Northern California hate people in Southern California for not conserving water and sucking up all of the water from the Delta.  

Research the Rasnik family, they own most of the water rights in NorCal and Central Cal.

Do you know that only 12% of the water is used by SoCal residents!

Keep on topic, Casitas doesn't get 1 drop of NoCal water.

Tom

[Caliyak]

Is the lake part of the army corp of engineers? if so, go meet with them. Some of the staff are approachable.  

[WRB]

14 hours ago, Caliyak said:

Is the lake part of the army corp of engineers? if so, go meet with them. Some of the staff are approachable.  

Casitas is owned and operated by a local Casitas Municiple water district.

Tom

[Caliyak]

3 hours ago, WRB said:

Casitas is owned and operated by a local Casitas Municiple water district.

Tom

OK, so Brooke should go and speak to these folks or look them up and attend a hearing or meeting. 

[burrows]

California is looking pretty gloom when it comes to water. At least central and Southern California is, with a La Niña predicted for this year we won't see much rain.

[Brooke cusick]

On 11/16/2016 at 2:39 PM, Caliyak said:

OK, so Brooke should go and speak to these folks or look them up and attend a hearing or meeting. 

Caliyak,

thank you! i will look into that.  

[WRB]

Brooke, there is a local angler, Kelly Ripa,  that knows the water boards folks and you may want to contact him, if you haven't already. Kelly was very active trying to convince the board to listen to anglers needs.

Tom

 

[Gundog]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Brooke, there is a local angler, Kelly Ripa,  that knows the water boards folks and you may want to contact him, 

Tom

 

Didn't he work with Michael Strahan? 

[WRB]

1 minute ago, Gundog said:

Didn't he work with Michael Strahan? 

That would be Kelly Ripa the actress in New York!

Tom

[Gundog]

28 minutes ago, WRB said:

That would be Kelly Ripa the actress in New York!

Tom

Sorry I get those 2 confused.  

[Caliyak]

On 11/17/2016 at 4:59 AM, Cheesefrank said:

California is looking pretty gloom when it comes to water. At least central and Southern California is, with a La Niña predicted for this year we won't see much rain.

The aqueduct does great year round. the Bakersfield and north guys are pulling out 10+ cats and some big stripers. the duct is something special.