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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -- Lake Levels Still Low, Dam Project Update -- GTAA Christmas for Kids -- Hunting & Fishing Report -- Tenkiller Events -- Water Watchers Report -- Burn Ban Continues at Tenkiller and Entire State Greetings from Lake Tenkiller, Lots of things are happening in the Lake Tenkiller area, and we would like to share a little of it with you. Thanks so much for being one of the 800+ subscribers! We Love Lake Tenkiller!
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John Ellis, president of the association, wrote Edmondson that the association "applauds your efforts to ensure that this generation and those to come may enjoy the beauty of Tenkiller Lake and the many benefits of our scenic rivers." The suit alleges violations of state and federal law through runoff caused by improper land application and storage of poultry litter. Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe contends Oklahoma is trying to impose water quality standards that could harm the state's $2 billion poultry industry. Lake Levels Still Low, Dam Project Update ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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Attorney General Drew Edmondson released a letter Tuesday in which the Greater Tenkiller Area Association's board praised his efforts to protect state waters from poultry pollution. |
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feet for the completion of the spillway. We would have started this about the first of November but we were already below that level. The current plans are for the lake to be held at 9 feet below normal for the spillway work. Therefore if we receive sufficient rain and inflow to bring the lake up, the level will increase about 2.5 feet and we will try to hold it there until the construction is complete. As I understand it the contractor will soon begin the final excavation and upon completion of that and some associated work we should be ready for the lake to begin the return to normal level. This should occur with the spring rains. With a normal spring we should be back to normal well before summer The dropping pool level continues to cause problems with boat ramps. More of them are becoming unusable as the lake drops. Safety should be used when launching and boating on the lake due to the many safety hazards that now exist due to the low lake level. The other side to this is that we have been able to take advantage of the low lake levels and make some much needed repairs to many of the boat ramps around the lake. Additionally our Construction Division has a contract ready to award for boat ramp rehabilitation work and road improvements at Chicken Creek South. As soon as the budget appropriation for FY 06 is received, they plan to award this contract.
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Every year, the Greater Tenkiller Area Association (GTAA ) and Tenkiller Area Community Organization (TACO) sponsor a Christmas for Kids campaign. We take donations from people who want to provide toys and clothing for underprivileged children for Christmas. We work with a grade school in the Tenkiller area to get the names and ages of children who are needy and find out exactly what they need. Then, with this information, volunteers go to Wal- Mart to buy toys and clothing for these children. Last year TACO and GTAA together raised over $2000 for this campaign and with your help hope to do even better this year. TACO will purchase and deliver the items to the parents of the children. |
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Many of you last year donated $100 each and we put that money to good use. Any amount will help, however. There were more than 100 children in 35 different families who were needy last year, and we expect about that many this year, too. Please send your checks to: GTAA Christmas for Kids, PO Box 10-K, Cookson, OK 74427 Pictured is Tenkiller Women's Club Treasurer Terri Ussery handing a check to GTAA Executive Director Don Nowlin for $150 from Tenkiller Women's Club for the GTAA Christmas for Kids campaign (first donation for the season)
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Greenleaf: Elevation 1 ft. below normal and clear. Largemouth bass fair deep diving lures along brush structure and creek channels. Channel catfish fair on bottom with cut bait. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around fishing docks. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, state game warden stationed in Muskogee County. Webbers Falls: Elevation 2 ft. below normal and murky. Largemouth bass fair on jig and pig combos along rip rap. Channel catfish good around brush structure and at bridges on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County. Waterfowl Report
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The Corp Reports: The current level is 620.51. This is about 11.5 feet below the normal pool level of 632.00. This is not of our design. The schedule called for the lake to be brought down 9 |
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Got a Tenkiller Fishing or Hunting Picture? e mail it to me george@tenkillerproperty.com Pictured is our 2005 office Christmas photo. Nope, we are not quite part of the "wildlife" of the area, but sometimes it may seem that way! Merry Christmas! |
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Compiled by Pam Wemhaner-- Holiday Festivities abound around Lake Tenkiller. Thanksgiving is over, the turkey and dressing leftovers are gone, the mad holiday shopping rush of the day after Thanksgiving is done, now it is time to start the Christmas parades and other events of the season. Gore |
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Decorate your home to the hilt and get your application turned into the Armstrong Bank in Gore or to the Municipal Building by Dec 5th. One $100.00 grand prize will be announced on the day of the parade, December 10th. Vian Tahlequah
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The Tenkiller Water Watchers have all successfully been re-certified to conduct their volunteer water sampling and analysis program on the lake. This is an annual requirement to meet EPA data quality requirements. |
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The surface water temperature has dropped significantly and is now around 60 degrees at the lower end of the lake. The thermocline is all but gone and there is sufficient oxygen to sustain fish in all but the deepest portions of the lake. This is a normal seasonal change that occurs when the surface water temperature drops to near or below that of the deeper water. The cooling causes the surface water to become more dense than the deeper water. As a result the surface water, which is laden with oxygen, sinks toward the bottom of the lake, carrying the oxygen with it. This phenomenon is referred to as "lake turnover". Sand bass fishing has slowed some from the really hot fishing in late September and October. The sandies were "schooling" heavily in the late evening around Skunk Island and were easy to catch. Now the best bet is fishing for crappies over brush piles and under the docks that are over at least 20 feet of water. Burn Ban Continues at Tenkiller and Entire State ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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Extended dry conditions and high winds have increased the fire danger in all Oklahoma counties. Dry vegetation will ignite easily and burn with surprising intensity. Oklahoma is again facing low rainfall, high temperatures, drying winds and increasing fire activity. It is unreasonable to presume that those affected by a ban on outdoor burning can proceed without extraordinary fire prevention measures in place. If the activity cannot be safely conducted in such a way as to eliminate the risk of accidental wildfire or to provide for immediate suppression of any accidental fire, the activity should be delayed until more favorable conditions exist. |
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Outdoor grilling or charcoaling is not prohibited under this proclamation, however, caution should be used and glowing embers should not be dumped onto grassy areas. Campfires are not prohibited under this proclamation as long as attended and a noncombustible ring with a five-foot clearance to wildland fuels is present. However, any fire resulting from the use of a campfire, grilling, or smoking is still an illegal fire. |