Forums > Areas > Jalisco's Lake Chapala Region

johanson

Oct 3, 2006, 9:33 AM

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Lake level 10-2-06

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58 inches below 2004 high level

The lake is finally high enough for me to measure from a known point at the end of the Ajijic Pier. I will be comparing the water levels to the highest point the water got after the 2003 and 2004 rainy seasons.
By the end of 2004 after two years of great rain the water reach a level approximately 15 feet higher than its lowest in May 2003 before the beginning of the rainy season.

Then we had a very dry 2005 rainy season, and Sunday the water was 58.5 inches lower than its highest point at the end of 2004 and Monday, the day I usually measure the lake level, the water had come up a half inch. I will continue to try to make a measurement each Monday and posting the info here

Sherrill

Oct 5, 2006, 11:01 AM

Post #2 of 18 (1705 views)

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Re: [johanson] Lake level 10-2-06

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Glad you are back and officially monitering lake level. I do a very unscientific measurement by eyeballing how close the lake has come up to clump of reeds in Fed zone in front of our house. Water has wiped out path south of cattails and is lapping at base. Last year at this time plants were in the water. Had surprise heavy rain last night. Am raindancing for more of same.

Musicman

Oct 5, 2006, 11:11 AM

Post #3 of 18 (1702 views)

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Re: [johanson] Lake level 10-2-06

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Does anyone know the actual current, over-all depth of Lake Chapala?

johanson

Oct 5, 2006, 12:52 PM

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Re: [Musicman] Lake level 10-2-06

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You asked if anyone knows the depth of the lake. Probably not. I used to help out teaching English at the office of the Capt. of the Port, or whatever the office is called in Chapala. I asked the head man how deep the lake was. He said he guessed that the deepest spot was maybe 15 meters lower than the water level. This was in about 2001. And if the Port Capt. doesn't know, I wonder if anyone does. Another question that I would like answered is, they talk about the lake having been at only 23% of its capacity in May 2003 and that it is something like 62% capacity today. It seemed to me that about the time the lake level reaches 80% capacity by this burocratic (spelling) method of measuring capacity that the water would be all the way up to the edge of the shoreline and almost lapping into the parking lot at the Ajijic Pier.

By my reckoning, the lake level has been so low for so long that most folks have encroached upon what was under water, and if the lake were to again reach the 100% capacity figure, that many of those properties closest to the lake would be under water. Maybe someone who knows these figures better than I can either substantiate or correct my comments.

mkdutch

Oct 5, 2006, 2:11 PM

Post #5 of 18 (1675 views)

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Re: [johanson] Lake level 10-2-06

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Based on your comments, Pete, it probably is highly unlikely that there is a contour map of the Lake(bottom). Seems odd, that the largest lake in Mexico has not been surveyed in this manner. I've looked and looked for such a map and haven't found one, however. 'Spose it might be possible to create interest in creating such a map, through the auspices of any of the organizations now focusing on the health of Lake Chapala? One would think that if it is ever to be used for recreational purposes, or restored as a fishery such a map would be a necessary management tool...Dutch

Musicman

Oct 6, 2006, 4:35 AM

Post #6 of 18 (1633 views)

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Re: [mkdutch] Lake level 10-2-06

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It won't be a scientific method but when I come to Ajijic next month, I am going to rent a boat, take a 100 foot rope to the middle of the lake and throw the sucker over-board. When the anchor hits bottom I'll mark and measure the rope. At that point, I will know something that not even the Port Master knows. How did I ever survive my three years Lakeside without knowing the depth of the lake? Whew!!! I hate it when that happens.

Mr.Gene

Oct 6, 2006, 7:15 AM

Post #7 of 18 (1616 views)

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Re: [Musicman] Lake level 10-2-06

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It seems to me that the simplest and most accurate way to survey the lake bottom is to have a gringo fisherman nob bring down a depth finder off his bass boat, place it on a rented boat and traverse a grid of the lake.
Mr. Gene

mkdutch

Oct 6, 2006, 7:42 AM

Post #8 of 18 (1611 views)

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Re: [Mr.Gene] Lake level 10-2-06

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...along with a GPS. Actually, that might be a very cost-effective way to do it: Set up a central logging/reporting point at which anyone with any "sounding" of depth along with its' GPS location (and the date, to allow for compensation for changing lake levels) could post at their convenience. The data would be cumulative and over time build an accurate database. It would, at least initially, provide information on the most visited areas of the lake and show where additional soundings needed to be made...Dutch

arbon

Oct 6, 2006, 8:04 AM

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Re: [Mr.Gene] Lake level 10-2-06

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mkdutch

Oct 6, 2006, 8:21 AM

Post #10 of 18 (1600 views)

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Re: [arbon] Lake level 10-2-06

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Arbon, this is great - - - where did you find it? And are large copies available? (notebook or larger). Mil Gracias.

mkdutch

Oct 6, 2006, 8:23 AM

Post #11 of 18 (1599 views)

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Re: [arbon] Lake level 10-2-06

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BTW, didn't see a date on the contour map - this would help relating the data to current lake levels.

arbon

Oct 6, 2006, 8:36 AM

Post #12 of 18 (1596 views)

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Re: [mkdutch] Lake level 10-2-06

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The depths shown are those when 1976?

the surface elevation is 1,524 m above sea level AMSL.

http://www.ilec.or.jp/...base/nam/nam-59.html

link edited.

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(This post was edited by arbon on Oct 6, 2006, 9:03 AM)

tonyburton

Oct 6, 2006, 11:22 PM

Post #13 of 18 (1534 views)

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Re: [mkdutch] Lake level 10-2-06

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There are several maps of the floor/depths of Lake Chapala, the earliest dating from the mid nineteenth century. I'm in UK at present, but when I return to my desk in the middle of the month, I'll post more details on where to find them, and/or a scan of one or more. Until then, feel free to speculate! Tony

NEOhio1

Oct 8, 2006, 12:20 PM

Post #14 of 18 (1477 views)

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Lake depth charts - depth finders and GPS

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Well, this is terrific, and near and dear to my heart, to see depth charts of any sort or age.....there is a fellow, Canadian, just moved down in past 4-5 months who is keeping his boat at S&S - he is out frequently, putting in down near San Juan Cosala, and using his depth finder he is having a grand time boating all over the lake.

For the past two years I had been discouraged by others from bringing our boat and yet every trip we see more and more boats around and in the water....and there are two new boat stores in Guadalajara.

A depth charting project sounds definitely doable.

Now to find adequate, fulltime dock space - there is quite abit on the southside on very large estate properties, however, we haven't located anything comparable in the north area.

Any one who knows of possibilities, I would appreciate your sharing the info. Look for us this winter, we just had a trailer built for our girl so she can come retire too....mimosa sunrise cruises and martini sunset cruises...no whiny motor noise but a full-throated, vroom, vroom, vroom..like a real boat should sound...

(This post was edited by NEOhio1 on Oct 8, 2006, 12:24 PM)

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ecollard

Oct 9, 2006, 6:32 AM

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Re: [johanson] Lake level 10-2-06

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Here is an article from the latest PAGINA publication saying that the Solis Dam near Guanajuato is now full, and "they" (the State Water and Sanitation Commission CEAS) will be releasing water soon that is destined for Lake Chapala. The article says that this will be done under the agreement signed in December 2005.

El agua que sobra para nosotros

El Director de Cuencas de la Comisión Estatal de Agua
y Saneamiento (CEAS), Felipe Tito Lugo Arias, informó
que en unos días el Lago de Chapala comenzará a
recibir grandes cantidades de agua provenientes de la
Presa Solís, ubicada en Guanajuato, considerada la más
de la Cuenca del Río Lerma, debido a que ya rebasó los
800 millones de metros cúbicos de almacenamiento y se
abrieron las válvulas para que desfogue agua, lo
significará un aumento en el nivel del embalse, ya que
en el presente temporal ha ganado 47 centímetros. Dijo
que no se trata de un trasvase como los anteriores,
sino de un envío de agua sobrante establecido en el
Acuerdo de la Cuenca Lerma-Chapala, firmado en
diciembre de 2005.
Eileen

jaybear

Oct 9, 2006, 7:23 AM

Post #16 of 18 (1420 views)

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Re: [ecollard] Lake level 10-2-06

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That is good news on the release of water from the dams. I have been looking for that all summer and had just about lost hope.

Thanks for the depth charts! I had heard maximum 15 feet in the deep spots, now I know it is 15 meters, and currently even less than that. Conceptually, it helps me to think of the lake as having more the qualities of a lagoon (Sp. "laguna") than a lake.

--------------
"Don't believe everything you think" - Maxine

JayBear

Mark Landes

Oct 11, 2006, 10:23 PM

Post #17 of 18 (1318 views)

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Re: [jaybear] Lake level 10-2-06

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I'm looking for an abandoned Airstream that I will fix up with pontoons so I can live in a houseboat on the lake.
Mark

Ron Pickering W3FJW

Oct 11, 2006, 10:26 PM

Post #18 of 18 (1317 views)

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Re: [Mark Landes] Lake level 10-2-06

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Good luck on the Airstream. Those things are collector items nowadays.
Getting older and still not down here.