Lake Nipissing Water Level

[irishfield]

Ontario Power Generation controls all the dams... and tries to guess where they should drain down to in fall/winter to allow for snow melt/rain refill etc.

[JimC]

Ontario Power Generation controls all the dams... and tries to guess where they should drain down to in fall/winter to allow for snow melt/rain refill etc.

 

good to know ... I wasn't really suggesting "blame" needs to be assigned to anyone this year ... perhaps with next to No Snow they had little choice it what we are faced with now.

 

btw, just came across THIS awesome picture, that shows the historical norm water lines, and what might have been perfect spawning bed for Walleye in other years.

Edited May 22, 2010 by JimC

[Jonny]

Ontario Power Generation controls all the dams... and tries to guess where they should drain down to in fall/winter to allow for snow melt/rain refill etc.

 

"Guess" seems to be the operative word here. Judging by how badly they screwed it up, "estimate" would be too kind a word.

[JimC]

Public Works and Government Services Canada just posted the latest water levels, and lower again that a week ago.

 

So in the old vernacular ... Nipissing is down approx. 2 feet, and the French (Dry Pine Bay) down 4.5 feet versus "historical average". I assume they mean 'average at this time of year', or is it?

 

Starting this weekend, my friends and I will be in the area for most of next week, in and around Cache Bay over to Pickerel Rock , The Hardwoods, (Little Oak) and beyond, giving it our all. Wish us luck

Edited May 25, 2010 by JimC

[Raf]

"Guess" seems to be the operative word here. Judging by how badly they screwed it up, "estimate" would be too kind a word.

 

Would you prefer they guessed the other way and your basement is filled with wateR?

[Headhunter]

Guessing wrong is fixable, if wrong is leaving too much water in Nip. Open the dams and the water goes down... guessing wrong and leaving a lake the size of Nip more than two feet down, is grounds for an inquiry in my mind.

I was shocked by all of the land locked docks I saw up there this weekend. I would suspect that many who own there, won't be visiting much this summer as they will have to hire a Sherpa to get their stuff from their boats to their cottages.

The economic impact to the area will be very significant.

HH

[Raf]

HH, an inquiry with mother nature? they drain the lake in the fall to a level that will be 'safe' in the spring given average rain/snow based on years of history. we're nowhere near the point of predicting how wet/dry the winter will be!

 

Guessing wrong is fixable

 

Let's say they guess wrong and we have an unusually wet winter. You open the dams and flood everyone down below? Nip is part of a watershed not the watershed.

 

btw, nip has been lower.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Raf

[Headhunter]

And lack of water in the French has been an on going problem since I can remember, way back to the early 70's.

I won't argue mother nature Raf, but I do think that those who are PAID to be reasonably correct, should do a better job.

Probably asking to much!

HH

[Bernie]

Nipissing may have been lower but definitely not at this time of year Raf.

 

It is a difficult thing to predict. Little or no rain in March and April, and May is continuing the trend.

If we do not get some moisture soon HH will be right about the Sherpas.

[smally21]

so how are we looking after the long weekend? checked all the updated posts but lets here more about lavigne and the west arm!

[Raf]

Nipissing may have been lower but definitely not at this time of year Raf.

 

Not true Bernie. Solid line is this year, top line highest, bottom line lowest, middle median.

 

 

This is from the North Bay wateroffice.ec.gc.ca station.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Raf

[Bernie]

If it ever was that low it had to be some time ago.

Been on the lake all my life and my dad as well.

Neither of us remember it being this low.

Was there a date of when this happened?

[Raf]

i'd have to go through year by year. they've been keeping records since the '30s.

[Raf]

i'd have to go through year by year. they've been keeping records since the '30s.

 

the "low" line represents historical lows.

 

for the period of may 1 to about aug 1, 1999 was the lowest in history. it wasn't much above the historical lows for the remainder of the year.

[JimC]

Historical Lows ? same as 1999? whatever ... what bothers me is that I have been regularly checking this forum (specific to Lake Nipissing) since the Walleye opener, and not hearing much news, or seeing many pictures about 'howz the fishing been' ?

 

My buddies and I have been coming up to Nipissing for the last 14 years for a week in late May / early June, so that includes 1999. We are back again in 4 more sleeps. I don't have a good recollection of how we did that prior low-water year, but I think it was pretty poor.

 

Please throw us a bone or two ... eg. We fished around the Hardwoods for two days and caught one perch

 

or "We limited in 15" Walleye before Breakfast"

 

Is it that Dead in NW Arm of Lake Nipissing this year? Should we plan to bring full meals for six days, or maybe hope for ONE lousy feed of Pickerel for the five of us? Please ... throw me a bone ... anyone?

[Guest nuker]

i was just there from wednesday to monday. fished thursday to sunday. between 2 boats, 4 guys, we got 2 walleye. some perch and small mouths.

 

we were staying at cosy cove cottages. i could not put my boat in the water there. had to go to waltonian. every time we headed out, we had to walk the boat out, push over sand bars, etc... to get to water deep enough.

 

we fished structure around deep bay, J5 buoy, flats way out in front of waltonian, and the area around the north bay water tower. basically, we followed the boats. nothing. fished in waters from 7 to 30 feet. i didn't even see fish on my sonar.

 

used worms, minnows, plastics. jigged, trolled, bottom bounced.

 

in the image, the bottom left shows the concrete that is the end of the launch ramp.

Edited May 26, 2010 by nuker

[wankerjohn123]

i was just there from wednesday to monday. fished thursday to sunday. between 2 boats, 4 guys, we got 2 walleye. some perch and small mouths.

 

we were staying at cosy cove cottages. i could not put my boat in the water there. had to go to waltonian. every time we headed out, we had to walk the boat out, push over sand bars, etc... to get to water deep enough.

 

we fished structure around deep bay, J5 buoy, flats way out in front of waltonian, and the area around the north bay water tower. basically, we followed the boats. nothing. fished in waters from 7 to 30 feet. i didn't even see fish on my sonar.

 

used worms, minnows, plastics. jigged, trolled, bottom bounced.

 

in the image, the bottom left shows the concrete that is the end of the launch ramp.

 

Man... that water is low.

Stayed there a few years back.

Staying at Promised Land Camp this year near Wayde's Landing.

Did you happen to look down towards Hunter's Bay South Shore area?

[lew]

Thanks for that picture nuker, it really put's the low water levels in perspective.

 

I'll be on the West Arm for a week in July and then another week in August, but unless things change big time, it looks like I may be bringing an air mattress rather than my boat.

[Nipfisher]

It may be a bit of a drive but will save you alot of hassle. Regardless of where you are staying trailer your boat to a government dock. The ones at Sturgeon Falls, Calander Bay and North Bay marina are all in good shape for launching. Water is still crazy low but the launches are deep enough to get in and out quick. North Bay Marina will cost you $7-$10 but the others are free.

[Jonny]

Would you prefer they guessed the other way and your basement is filled with wateR?

 

I would prefer that they check the snow accumulation during the winter and adjust the draw-down accordingly.

 

The level falls during the whole of the time the ice is on the lake. When they can see, part way through the winter, that even with a March storm or two the run-off will be way less than normal, they should be adjusting the draw-down accordingly.

[Bernie]

The history on the water level must be skewed in some manner.

If the level was any lower than it is now I would not have been able to use my boat or even park it in the boathouse.

Certainly would remember that.

[BITEME]

My buddy just sent me this he is around Lavainge he say they figure lavainge will be a mud flat by August

[Rich Clemens]

I'd really like to see what Lakair looks like about now.

Seeing as a bunch of us will be there in a few short weeks.

[zman]

Well everyone I was just up on lake nipissing fishing and I was staying at my moms cottage in lavigne, I would have to say the water is low but the fishing was really good, I caught lats of walleye and about 40 pike between 4 guys, the biggest pike was about 9lbs , the biggest walleye was 6.2lbs with lots of 3,4, and 5, water temp was 67 and most of the fish were not in the usual spots, I just looked for some fresh green weeds and pulled them out of there. water is really low for sure but the fish are all ther just gotta work a little harder, to find them

 

I will post some picures tomorrow. all in all I was impressed with the fishing, drove by Lakair and it looks pretty good.

[danbouck]

Should I bring my tinny to Lakair?