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History of Lake Bistineau drawdowns
1966 - The gates were opened following Labor Day. This was the 1st
drawdown
since the lake level had been established at 141 ft. MSL in 1951. This was also
the first of five consecutive drawdowns planned by the newly formed Lake
Commission. The drawdowns were intended to control the ever growing problem
with aquatic growth that made the lake almost impassable. The gates remained
open until early Jan '67.
1967 - Again the gates were opened following Labor Day thru early Jan '68.
1968 - Gates were opened Labor Day thru Jan '69.
1969 - Gates were once again opened following Labor Day thru Jan '69 but
unrest was growing among the commercial camp owners.
1970 - Commercial camp owners filed suit to stop the drawdown stating that
it was harming the lake as well as their businesses. An injunction was
issued by the court but later lifted and the gates were again opened
following Labor Day thru Jan '71.
1971 - Even though the original plans of the now abolished Lake Commission
was for a 5 year drawdown, the LWLF were given responsibility for the
aquatic weed control and for the 6 th consecutive year the gates were opened
following Labor Day thru Jan '72.
1975 - After 4 years without a drawdown the LWLF were once again made
plans
to lower the lake but were met with sabotage. Someone attempting to block
the drawdown took a cutting torch to the gate screws, but damage was
repaired and the gates were opened on schedule.
1980 - Aquatic weed growth was causing significant problems to fisherman
and camp owners thus prompting the LWLF to again open the gates following
Labor Day thru Jan '81.
1983 - Aquatic weeds were so bad that the LWLF were once again forced to
lower the lake and the gates were once again opened following Labor Day thru
Jan '84. Due to the record cold winter of '83, this drawdown quickly
evolved into one of the most significant attempts yet by the LWLF to control
the aquatic weed problem, as large areas of the exposed weeds were subjected
to record breaking sub-freezing temperatures.
1996 - Following the successful drawdown of '83 the lake was in fairly good
shape as regards to floating weeds. But, in 1995, colonies and matted
fringes of the dreaded hydrilla plant were discovered throughout the lower
seven
miles of the lake and a drawdown began on Labor Day. However, due to
excessive rains the lake level failed to drop significantly. Even with the
gates open, the water level was near flood stage in Feb '97, when the gates
were being closed. The fast flowing current created by the excessive rains
is believed to have flushed out most of the hydrilla plants.
2000 - The gates
were opened in September 2000 and the lake bottom and the pesty weeds were
expected to be exposed to the winter elements, but unfortunately January's
record cold temperatures and significant accumulations of ice and snow were
preceded by record rainfalls in Nov and Dec. Even though the gates remained wide
open, the lake was at or near flood stage during the entire month of
January 2001. This marked the second consecutive and unsuccessful attempt
to expose the lake bottom to freezing temperatures..the other being in
"96/'97.
The following article was prepared by GREGG TRUSTY of the Bossier
Press-Tribune on 7 August 2000
LAKE BISTINEAU The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is
planning to draw down Lake Bistineau for the 11th time since 1966.
James Seales, district one fisheries supervisor, said Friday afternoon the
department will draw down the lake seven feet ³right after Labor Day, and
running through the end of January.²
The fisheries biologist said the drawdown is necessary for aquatic
vegetation control and fisheries habitat improvement.
³Thereıs an awful lot of organic matter built up on the bottom of the lake,²
Seales said. ³Drawing it down and drying it out will allow aerobic
decomposition to occur, which should help solidify the lake bottom.²
Seales said he was talking about ³all that muck² on the bottom of the lake.
³I welcome a drawdown,² Lake Bistineau resident Joe D. Hinton said. ³Not
only from the biologist's concerns for improving fish habitat, but it will
provide lake residents the opportunity for much needed clean-up and repairs
around boathouses and piers.²
Hinton said there has been speculation of work being done on the Bistineau
dam when the lake was drawn down. Work on the dam would be done by the
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.
³The last I heard out of DOTD,² Seales said, ³was they were not going to
need a drawdown to work on the dam. Whether theyıre doing any work or
not,
I donıt know.²
According to published accounts, the drawdown in 1966 was the first after
the lakeıs level was standardized in 1951. Since 1966, Bistineau
drawdowns
have been the subject of controversy, court actions and criminal activity.
The 1966 drawdown was slated as the first of five planned by the then-Lake
Commission. The annual drawdowns were intended then, also, to control
vegetation that was making the lake almost impassable.
The gates at the lakeıs dam would be opened following Labor Day annually
through 1971, one year longer than the original plan.
The Lake Commission had been abolished, and the Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries was given responsibility for aquatic weed control before Labor Day
of 1971.
Commercial camp owners filed suit to stop the 1970 drawdown, but a
court-ordered injunction was lifted prior to Labor Day.
The next drawdown announcement, in 1975, was met with sabotage. Someone
tried to block the drawdown by taking a cutting torch to the gate screws.
The damage, however, was repaired, and the gates were opened after Labor Day
as scheduled.
The lake was drawn down in 1980 and again in 1983, when record cold
temperatures accounted for the most significant vegetation control in the
series of drawdowns.
Another drawdown wasnıt needed until 1996.
³Water Hyacinth and Alligator Weed are two of the emergent types that are
most obvious to the people who use the lake,² Seales said of the troublesome
vegetation. ³There are also quite a few submerged weeds in the lake that
are causing problems.²
Seales said the drawdown is intended to control vegetation through drying,
³and hopefully get a hard freeze on it in January.²
He said the department is also hoping to improve ³the bottom substrate
through drying, and decomposition of the organic material on the bottom.
This will also release nutrients back into the lake.²
Hinton applauds the drawdown. ³Lake Bistineau is one of the most beautiful
lakes in Northwest Louisiana,² he said, ³and any improvements in fishing,
boating and housekeeping will benefit everyone.²
But, there is still a faint scent of controversy in the air.
³Furthermore,² Hinton said, ³I am a strong advocate of the (Wildlife and
Fisheries) biologists determining the lake's maintenance without outside
political influence.²
2000 DRAWDOWN 5 September - 29 January
5 Sept 2000- Gates were opened today by DOTD workers to begin a scheduled
five month drawdown. Unofficial
reports from the DOTD and LaWildlife&Fisheries persons on hand at the
spillway were that after the lake level had dropped to the planned 7 foot drop,
efforts would be made by DOTD to remove the abundance of debris that has
accumulated in the gate openings. Several large logs are lodged in and around
the gates obstructing flow and operation of the gates.
click on picture to enlarge
The following projection for 2000 levels was based on actual data from
the 1983 drawdown with all (12) gates open and "close to normal"
rainfall. As noted below the graph, adjustments were made to the gates during
the 2000 drawdown, altering the drop rates. These adjustments were made by
DOTD in efforts to achieve the 3 to 4 inch per day drop rate recommended by LW&F
Officials, concerned that too rapid a drop could possibly strand some fish.
Notes :
Preceding the 2000 Drawdown, the lake's watershed recorded the driest August
ever.
5 Sept 2000, 11 gates were opened (one was stuck closed).
6 Sept, Some gates were closed and Only 6 gates remained open.
7 Sept, 8 gates were open.
8 Sept, 10 gates were open.
20 Sept, all gates were closed temporarly to assist the search efforts
for a fisherman feared drowned when his boat capsized on Loggy Bayou.
21 Sept, 10 gates were reopened.
24 Sept, 1"to2" rainfall
6 Oct, 3"+ rainfall
18 Oct, In accordance to data provided by the U.S. Geological
Survey, the Lake level reached the precise target of 134 ft at 9:00
PM this date.
The following chart reports lake levels during entire drawdown period of 9/5/00
thru 1/29/01.
Time - Date
- Stage
With the Drawdown period(5Sept-5 Feb) over, I will begin posting the daily
lake elevation on another page. Click here on Lake
Level 2001.
Latest posting : 31 Jan 01
2-3 Nov-Widespread rain fell over the entire 1443 sq. mile drainage
area.
8 Nov - More heavy rains fell over area..
23-24 Nov - Heavy rains over entire area.
30 Nov-Recent rumors of closing the gates because of excessive rains are
unfounded as per the La Wildlife & Fisheries Office. It rained for 19
days in November.
Following the heavy rains in Nov., the gates were subsequently raised to
"fully open", however, additional heavy rains in Dec. brought
the lake levels up even more. Note that on 28 Dec. the level was higher than on
5 Sept., the day the gates were opened, (and climbing!).
EXPOSED BOTTOM SURFACE AREA
One of the main reasons for the drawdown was to expose bottom surface
area to freezing temperatures in hopes of killing off unwanted vegetation.
However, with the excessive rainfall during November and December, the
exposed bottom surface area is much less than desired. Because of several
inquiries, asking just how much bottom area is exposed to the recent freezing
temps, I am providing the following close approximation of the
bottom surface exposed at given lake levels:
Lake
Level
Bottom surface exposed % targeted exposure
141 ft.
(full)
0
acres
0 %
140
ft.
1,000
acres
10 %
139
ft.
2,000
acres
20 %
138
ft.
3,000
acres
30 %
137
ft.
5,000
acres
50 %
136
ft.
6,500
acres
65 %
135
ft.
8,000
acres
80 %
134 ft.
(target)
10,000
acres 100 %
133
ft.
12,000
acres
132
ft.
14,000
acres
131
ft.
16,000
acres
130 ft.
(empty)
17,500
acres
WHAT IF ?
When the record rainfalls began in early Nov. 2000 Lake Bistineau
was empty and less than 60 days later, with the gates still wide open, the lake
was in flood stage, overflowing the top of the spillway. So here's the big
question; "What if the gates had not been open and the lake empty when the
record rainfalls came?". The following chart depicts the answer and
indicates that lake levels would have surpassed the all time record flood level
of 1991.
