Water Levels

[brownieman]

Just curious about others home waters,

I have fished the Current for around 40 years now and every year I think the water flow can't get any lower...wrong! Year after year I see less and less water, what used to be waist deep water is now knee deep. For the last 5 years or so the headwater springs at Montauk put out less cfs and Pigeon Creek, Ashley Creek are just trickles...last I knew of it measured the springs were putting about about 47% of their normal flow.

When we do get good precip. the river rises quickly and falls even quicker...even during the winter months the flow just doesn't sustain itself as it seemed to in past years. It's very disappointing to watch the river decline as it has in recent years. Several small springs on the upper streches that have historically always produced are now dry.

I know there are many variables that contribute to the over-all flow of rivers. I see the same thing occuring on many ozark streams...Sinkin Creek, The Huzzah, The Big and Little Piney, The Meremac...they all just seem to be falling lower as the years pass and the water qaulity is suffering also.

Just curious if others see the same as I do on rivers that you call your home waters?

bm

[jdmidwest]

Its happening all over. One theory is the water table is getting lower. I know there seems to be more gravel in the rivers than when I was a kid. And really, we have less rain too, its been over a month since a good soaking rain here, my ground is pretty dry. Ponds are lower also.

I like to blame deforestation. Cutting trees leaves hillsides open to erosion. The bare ground lets water run off faster and carries soil and gravel away instead of slowing it down and letting it soak in. Riparian areas along streams streams help also, keeping the streams in their courses and slowing runoffs. I am a big believer that you should not cut trees to the edges of streams.

Lots of streams I fish have been affected too, Castor, St. Francois, Big Creek, Big River, Cane Creek, Little Black, Hurricane, Frederick, Saline, Bear Creek, and Little Whitewater.

[cwc87]

My belief is that our water table has been disrupted here in the ozarks by the world's largest lead mines. I know they pump water out of em so they can mine but after their done in an area it fills upwith water. Kinda like an above ground quarry the size of lake of the ozarks may lie under these ozark hills. Some of our finest river headwaters are near these mines. Some say the water is very contaminaed whether from machinery left behind or the left over tailings of lead.

On the other hand our biggest battle should be water retention. After a good ole july gulley washer 2 inch rain in 2 hours most water runs off too fast or some just fill private ponds that have quadrupled the last ten years. So yea brownieman and jdmidwest we have some concerns if you float and fish the jewels of missouri (ozark streams).

[Captain Kirk]

There are a lot of factors that impact water flows. One of the biggest is development. More and more wells being drilled and water pumped out of the aquifers cause the water levels to drop significantly. There is a limited supply and upstream interdiction by towns and cities cause water to drop downstream.

Another huge factor is the farming practices. As farmers put in small dams and terraced the land with govt money, the runoff does not get to the headwaters of the springs. CRP grass and other conservation areas also catch more water before it has a chance to run downstream. I would bet if you looked up stream from those big springs, you would find small dams on every gulley and farm land terraced, etc.

Look on Google Earth and trace up the valleys and see what it looks like.

The western states are seeing this impact really big and the lakes are drying up. One lake I used to fish had a 90% reduction in runoff over 40 yrs with the same rainfalls. So upstream, terracing and farming practice along with flood control dams hold the water up above the lake.

We have basically paid ppl to shut off the water supply. Good and bad. Less flooding, less erosion but less water in the streams.

[brownieman]

You guys all make good points...I believe all these things contribute.

I couldn't agree more CK with things you stated and cwc the mines do pump out an amazing amount of water...whatever the case I don't think my grandkids are going to have much water left when it is their turn...just hate to see it on their behalf.

bm