Date: February 2, 2012 Time in: 4:46PM
Current Temperature: 35F; high hit 49.5F Sunrise: 7:11AM 2-3
Low Temperature: 13.5F Sunset: 5:23PM 2-3
Predicted High Temperature: 43/F; 43/Sa; 46/Su; 48/M; 45/Tu Moon Phase: New 2-21-2012
Current Wind: SE 5 to 10 biggest gust 28mph on 2-1 AM Full Moon on: 2-7-12
Expecting gusts to: SE5/F; SE5/Sa

NOAA Weather Forecast for Eagle Lake
Updated often & things can change
Precipitation since 1-1-08 10/1/2011 2.44"
Barometer: 30.01 up from 29.91
Total snowfall: Since 10-1-11; 15 1/2 inches
Watch for deer on the mountain highways. 
****SPEED LIMIT ON LOCAL HIGHWAYS IS 55 MPH****
IF YOU HAVE TO BE USING 4-WHEEL DRIVE YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS DRIVING 55
Roads drying out and in good shape.  Expect any moist areas to be icy overnight and into the morning as low temps have dropped to 10F 
 
LASSEN COUNTY CLOSED A1 SOUTH TO 36 TO PREVENT PASSAGE.  COSTING SPALDING RESIDENTS 24 MILES ROUND TRIP TO SUSANVILLE NEEDLESSLY.
 
 
USFS Road 21 (A-21 is the county road leading from highway 44 to Westwood) is passable from the lake to 44 but expect conditions to be sloppy and wet. I would not advise travel until it dries out again.  Temps warming up and unless another storm comes thru, this will probably be usable by vehicles again before too long.  Recommend 4x4 but 2x4 made it fine just don't be stupid.  Remember to stay to the right at both Y's; one in Pine Creek Valley coming to the lake.  If not, you end up getting here but you'll be taking the long way. A GPS may not tell you that! There has been quite a bit of traffic on it.
  
A-1 Eagle Lake Road south:   Lassen County Rd department closed this stretch of road for no real reason this year.  I wonder if they (Lassen County) plan on paying Spalding residents the extra gas consumption in light of the fact that there isn't any snow on the road and less than a mile stretch that even has ice on it. Round trip savings is 24 miles per trip.
 
A-1 Eagle Lake Road north: Eagle Lake Road to highway 139 from Spalding the best route at this time.  This route from Spalding to Susanville is 12 miles longer … one way; 24 miles longer for round trip.  45 minutes from Spalding while A-1 takes about 35 minutes unless you are behind a slow vehicle.  This is generally the best route during storms.  It is also the straightest route in ice events.  Sometimes it is worth the extra miles to save time AND it is also the first direction plowed out to highway 139 due to the school bus stopping at Stones.  Spalding residents have to drive their kids to Stones Landing because the school district does not allow the bus to come into Spalding (and 1 kid in Buck's Bay) where most all the kids live. But, note that Lassen County has to issue the order to our driver in Spalding before he can plow the road out to Stones.
 
Highway 139:  Dry and in good shape to Susanville. Any shaded areas can be icy and/or frosty early in the morning.  NOTE: Deer and antelope are prevelent and active at night and early in the morning. Is in good shape.  This is also open range country and the eyes of cattle do not reflect in your headlights like other animals.  They are generally big enough to total your vehicle.  THE SPEED LIMIT IS 55 MPH (this notice provided by request of those who have been cited for speeding…and a heads up for others so it doesn’t happen to you). Cal-Trans maintained and generally in better shape than other roads during winter.

Highway 32: Check CA DOT Road conditions   Watch for pot holes and falling rocks on the roadway.  
 
Highway 36:  Plowed.  Icy on Fredonyer.  Cold temps will keep this stretch of road icy, especially in the mornings.   Check DOT for road conditions.  Speed limit is 55 mph but in winter driving conditions slowing down is best.  
 
Highway 44: Good shape.  Some icy areas where the road never see's the sun...mostly in the morning.  By afternoon it has been in very good shape.  See Road Cameras and check conditions.  Intermittent 55 mph and 65 mph speed zones on this highway. Be sure to keep an eye on the signs. NOTE: 55 mph speed limit controlled by radar for vehicles towing in 65 mph zones. 
 
Highway 395:  Good shape and dry to Reno.  Use caution during times of heavy winds.  HEAVY WINDS CAN CAUSE DELAYS FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. CHECK WIND FORECASTS ON THE NOAA LINK ABOVE WHEN COMING FROM RENO   Remember that deer are prevalent in the Honey Lake Valley not only in summer but it is also their wintering grounds.  The “Locals” name for 395 to Reno is “BLOOD ALLEY”. Drive it often enough and you’ll understand what we mean. This is a prime time as the deer and antelope are moving back to the high country but some generally stay in the area between Susanville and Reno. Be very careful as the deer can run into you, rather than the other way around!
 
Check the road cameras at the links above.
Or check Cal Trans website for updated conditions for any temporary closures due to rock slides or storm events.
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2-2-12
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*****NOTICE*****
BLM CLOSED THE VALVES ON THE BLY TUNNEL ON FEB 2, 2012 AT 11:15AM.
SEE WWW.EAGLELAKEGUARDIANS.ORG BLY TUNNEL DISCUSSION
 
SEND TO: SCSD 502-907 MAHOGANY WAY, SUSANVILLE CA 96130
Spalding Community Services District is in need of a new ambulance for the volunteer fire department. You know, most all the calls that the volunteer fire department responds to are medical emergencies. The only way you are getting to a hospital from Spalding is by air. The south end recreation area is served by ground and has USFS and CDF units during the fire and fishing season. But getting out of Spalding is going to be by air….and there is a small insurance policy available (on scsd website). SCSD purchased an old used ambulance to serve as transport for patients to the airstrip for evacuation. Since, it is claimed this 2 wheel drive ambulance is on its last legs SCSD has put in for a small grant to help cover the cost but still figure they need $50,000. The fund began in 2011 and only $6000 has been raised. Larry Doss, SCSD board director has donated $500 and issued a challenge for property owners to match his donation! You never know when accidents or emergencies happen or they wouldn’t be accidents or emergencies….summer or winter. Most of you spend enough time up here to think about the “what if’s”. Spalding’s volunteer fire department has been making improvements and meeting the needs of the people in general is an inevitable burden in our small community. I only ask that if you can donate a little money to the cause, please do so. SEE ADDRESS AND LINK ABOVE SO THE DISTRICT KNOWS WHERE YOU HEARD ABOUT IT. Okay, that’s it, I just wanted to share some of this info for you before discussing the weather.

2-2-12  The closure of the valves in the Bly Tunnel is a small step in the right direction to preserve Eagle Lake. We will never get back the water that was lost from decades of drainage. It will take years before we see any results. We still need water in a bad way. We can go ahead and panic but it won’t do any good….just keep praying for water now. Unless we see more, we may not see Pine Creek flow this year. The north and middle basins are now pretty much all iced out. The south basin still had some skim ice which the wind too care of this afternoon. We didn’t see any dead fish along Rocky Pt yet and no reports yet from up north. I am hoping that the intermittent nature of the ice sheets this winter helped the lake retain more dissolved oxygen.
 
1-31-12 No weather, no changes. Note: we are updating the Lake Conditions page weekly if not bi-weekly as the ice sheets come and go. I didn’t think we would have so many changes from cold and icy to spring days around 50F. But, they have all had an effect on the water’s surface. The good news is that live fish were rolling in the open water in Buck’s Bay on 1-30 so it is likely, we averted a major fish kill to this point, but there is still plenty of ice covering the shallows of the north and middle basins so we are not out of danger just yet.    

1-25-12 Merrill Creek wasn't flowing on Wednesday but the pools were filling up with snow melt.  Down along Merrill Beach, the snow was melting fast and the water from it was flowing down just about every low spot that allowed it to make a channel.  We will get out later today and check things out down south.  After two overnight temps between 10 and 12 degrees F, I expect to find things slowed down...IE Papoose Creek.  But it has proven to be stubborn when it comes to stopping completely.
 
1-24-12  PAPOOSE CREEK CUTS LOOSE WITH A DRIBBLE TO THE LAKE!  Warm temps after the storm started melting the snow that fell since Friday.  The ambient temps are supposed to reach the mid 50’s the next two days which will probably cause a rapid melt and a rapid transit to the lake. We want as much as we can get! No fish were sighted and I am not worried about them getting in the creek just yet. This may be a flow of short duration and it is not the tannin rich water that is typical of Papoose Creek when it flows from the springs down. The ground is still relatively frozen so little will sink in. The south end of the lake had more rain that we did up north and probably closer to two inches compared to Spalding’s 1.27 inch total. Merrill Creek and Pine Creek were not flowing. Doubtful if any on highway 139 but they could drain off any local melt in the blink of an eye. This is not anything such as a spring thaw….this storm was the first since Thanksgiving 2011 and it’s been a long dry spell. Our total moisture since Oct 1, 2011 is 2.32 inches in addition to a total of 15 inches of snow freshly measured.
 
EAGLE LAKE ACCESSES, QUAD MAPS AND TOPO MAPS: USFS QUAD MAPS OF OPEN ROADS AROUND THE EAGLE LAKE AREA: The links below go to maps saved from Lassen National Forest website. Any questions you have should be directed to Eagle Lake Ranger Station staff. I am only providing them for quick access for our viewers. More information on road closures in the Forest is available on their website. All these maps have the access roads pretty well lined out for you to access say, Wildcat Point (Pikes Pt Quad and Topo) or the Youth Camp from Gallatin (Gallatin Quad and Topo). On the larger maps, one can enlarge a specific area and crop and print the selected area on regular paper.
 
CHAMPS FLAT QUAD MAP LINK (popular drive to see wildlife; County Road 105 & ends at USFS 21)
 
USFS ROAD CLOSURES ZOOM IN You can also zoom up and crop specific areas of these maps to print. I personally did this myself to use to compare to other maps I had when bumpin’ along the dirt roads & believe it or not, there was some very good information on all these maps. USGS has just about everything you could ever need or want for maps…. Hunters might just benefit very well from downloading some of these maps and satellite images.
 
LNF HAS NEW ROAD MAPS OUT NOW ON THEIR WEBSITE. WE WILL HAVE THE NEW MAPS AVAILABLE FOR YOU ALL NEXT SEASON!
 
USGS TOPO MAPS SURROUNDING EAGLE LAKE: The following maps are from the usgs.gov site and are free for printing.  I simply put them in one location for you.  The following topo maps up to 8mb so dialup users may have difficulty downloading these files to print.  There is a pop up from the map site’s Adobe Reader regarding viewing these maps AND YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO INSTALL ANYTHING TO VIEW THESE IN ADOBE 8.1 OR HIGHER. CLICK NO AND THE MAPS WILL OPEN JUST FINE. Large file size around 8 MB or so for each map.
     
 
ACCESSES:  The jetty and Pikes Point at Eagle Lake Marina. The parking area on Gallatin Road past Camp Ronald McDonald to access the gravel bar south of The Springs. Eagles Nest, The Youth Camp/Biology Station. Between Merrill Camp ground and Christie Day Use Area is the Circus Grounds and between the Day Use and Little Merrill Creek are several rocky points with good structure…all the way to Wildcat Pt are awesome steep ledges. Tubers can easily launch and access some remarkable water if willing to work for it. Wildcat Point is the ONLY access where vehicles can drive closer to the lake. Lake of the Woods (north of Wildcat) is closed to vehicles, but open for walking or horseback after Sept 15.  Further north there are two accesses for Rocky Point which will improve again once fall rolls around. There is one on each side, Bucks Bay and Spalding. There are several accesses in the north basin but generally the area along highway 139 fishes better in times of higher water levels. “Fred’s Road” near Spalding is closed to vehicles but The Strand basically continues but turns to a recently improved graveled road  to the mouth of Pine Creek just west of Spalding’s marina with several turn outs for parking before getting to the end parking area where the Y use to be. All roads along Pine Creek Slough (which is entirely closed to fishing) are closed to vehicular traffic although people have moved rocks to drive quads upstream…LNF is aware of people doing this but they are going to have help getting bigger, heavier rocks dug into the ground to prevent movement this summer.
 
LASSEN COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT BUOY LOCATIONS MAP MOST ALL THE BUOYS HAVE BEEN REMOVED.  PLUG IN THE LISTED GPS LOCATIONS  
 
OUR FREE MAP  Eagle Lake General Store has our Special Edition laminated map for sale for $6.95. Garmin Manufacturing also has our map on their GPS products since 2010. Recently folks have told us our map saved their boat, others claiming it saved their rental boat! I am honored to have received such comments. We’re all about safety and having 50 years on this pond has taught me a few things. I hope my map can give you a speed course in where to watch out for the worst hazards.  During the off season, you can email me personally if you want a special edition map.
 
See Lake Conditions for water temps & Lake elevation by date
See Ramp Conditions for launch ramp info.
See Tips and Tricks for ideas & set ups dialed in for fishing Eagle Lake. Most methods are covered. We make no claims of knowing everything about Eagle Lake, but we do know a lot about catching Eagle Lake trout in their native waters.
 
See our Eagle Lake Fishing Report on “Best Fishing Locations and Depths”
 
PUBLISHERS NOTE: We are not a tourism website. We are independent folks and simply write (blog) about what we do, how we’re all catching fish, and what we see & feel. We are glad our site is popular, but please understand, we don’t update the fishing report if we have not actually been out on the water. We are glad that some of you miss us when other things come up….but we do have life get in the way of fun just like everyone else. If four days go by between updates of the fishing report, we apologize. But, we believe it helps to actually go fishing to update a report. We have no employees, we don’t actively sell advertisements, if you want it, ask about it. If you don’t, we’re not offended if you don’t want your business name in front of our thousands of viewers. We don’t offer guide services or compete in any way with the local fishing guides (we retain a guide license for other purposes which is the oldest guide license of any guide on Eagle Lake). WE make nothing on tackle sales or any other commodity for any financial gain. When referring to Val’s flies & color combinations, it is what to look for and for those who tie their own flies. But, here is what we do do: Besides our detailed fishing and lake reports, we fight for Eagle Lake’s rights which historically has always costly to do in one way or another. Not depending on your money, allows us to say it like it is and not follow the age old game of fabricating our information.   It also allows us to take on the issues that others only complain about but don’t have the wherewithal to follow through to help save Eagle Lake from those sworn to protect her. Eagle Lake is worth more to us than anything or anyone. That said, we chose to save the lake. Plain and simple, one can either be part of the problem, or part of the solution. We chose to be part of the solution, no matter what it takes. One cannot do it any other way…in Lassen County, one has to be direct and to the point. No pussy footing around the issues, just get right down to it and follow through. One problem has always been that no one follows through….but we do and have a proven track record of doing so since 2003.  Now, we have formed a new nonprofit to get everyone involved which will give Eagle Lake her voice and that is through Eagle Lake Guardians. We didn’t want a fancy, friendly title we wanted one that would let the agencies know we mean business. Our members now span 5 states and growing!   So, all in all, Eagle Lake and everything that affects her IS our passion. Teaching others and giving them something to respect her is our profession. Just about everything Eagle Lake is located on our websites (which will be undergoing some changes over winter). All one has to do is look. 
 
Look for some changes, improvements and some new stuff coming for next season! At this time, our dot info site has changed servers. All articles are down at this time, but new revised versions with new information is coming back this winter…bigger, badder and better! Stay tuned.
 
NEWS AND ISSUES OF EAGLE LAKE
 
2-2-12 BLM CLOSES THE VALVES IN THE BLY TUNNEL!!

12-27-11 EAGLE LAKE PREVAILS.  STATE WATER RIGHTS SAYS TO BLM "CLOSE THE VALVE ON THE BLY TUNNEL"  SEE GUARDIAN WEBSITE AT www.eaglelakeguardians.org
 
Co-founders of The NEW NON PROFIT for EAGLE LAKE: Eagle Lake Guardians.  EAGLE LAKE GUARDIANS PREVAIL OVER THE BLY TUNNEL VALVE BUT STILL NO ACTION TAKEN.  SEE EAGLE LAKE GUARDIANS WEBSITE HERE! Our members ARE the future of Eagle Lake.  Our objective is the enhance and protect Eagle Lake water level, water quality, heritage trout fishery and avian habitat. We may seek legal advice and legal action to get our lake back in the hands of those who own her….the people. We will not be buying gravel, dredging ramps or using funds for human comforts or buoys…if it affects the tributaries, fish & getting them upstream, birds and the lake….we will be there.  MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION HERE.  $15 per person. January is our date for yearly renewals.
 
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In the past, in the present and in the future we proudly expose pollution and abuse of Eagle Lake by government agencies:  THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF POLLUTION PROBLEMS WE HAVE DISCOVERED IN THE PAST AND IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER HAVE GOTTEN CLEANED OR CEASED THE ACTION THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. WE DID NOT GO LOOKING FOR THESE THINGS, THEY SHOWED UP IN OUR BACK YARD SO TO SPEAK. OUR PERSONAL ETHICS AND MORALS FORCED OUR ACTIONS IN ORDER TO MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES AT HIGH LEVELS OF AUTHORITY. POLLUTION lll IS STILL IN PROGRESS.
 
Pollution or not 1   Revisiting the Past. Creosote and toxic dumping practices of USFS. We proudly took care of some other pollution issues at Eagle Lake…personally, without the assistance of any other local residents who for one reason or another didn’t care about the potential for sewage to enter the lake. From creosote barriers being left by LNF in a watershed so they could leach out the old creosote near the lake only to be burned in place three years later by LNF are no longer here. Now, at least, they are sitting out in Honey Lake Valley, at least they no longer will pollute Eagle Lake. The top dog responsible for it as well as the other pollution problems is no longer working for the USFS!
 
Pollution or not 2 Just what were they putting in the water of Merrill Creek? A change in campground rules were necessary. Despite denial, the changing of the rules where campers dump their dishwater and wash water were needed to prevent soaps and toothpaste residues from entering Merrill Creeks “intermittent springs” from the gravel cisterns at the drinking water faucets. The “intermittent springs” are now at the lowest flows we have seen in years during the summer months and the muddy red water appears to no longer be a problem. Denial was not the best option in this case either. Top dog responsible no longer works for USFS.
 
Pollution or not 3 POLLUTION NOW AND THEN  Personally, I believe that these constitute to some degree, criminal actions by government employees. But, it now appears that Lahontan’s unenforceable “rules” will no longer be challenged by LNF, but the sewage ponds continue to leach into the Merrill Creek watershed until they are damn good and ready to use a newly lined pond. Someone once asked me “just what will get you off the back of LNF?”  My answer is quite transparent; all they have to do is comply and stop polluting…YET, both LNF and Lahontan has allowed the sewage to continue leaking through the holey pond-liners since 2005.  Denial had to be reckoned with and to this day has not been resolved by LNF supervisors or staff, foot dragging is still a problem and work? What is that? LNF hasn’t shown much desire to even partially take care the problem, let alone all of the problems. For having had several years to take care of the problem or at least minimize the sewage leaking capabilities, the stewards of our land have not done a good job at all in protecting Eagle Lake. The photos show the real situation so inaccurate statements were never an option even though it was tried. Our government agencies only took 6 years just to get to this point.  Six years of sewage leakage was allowed to happen to get this systems paperwork (not finished yet) repaired (not started yet) and another year or more (depending on the weather) before sewage might flow into a newly lined sewage pond. I hope those who allowed the system to degrade to what it is now are very happy with their decisions not to do anything about it or chose not to have higher standards not only for the last 5+ years, but considering the damage, several years before that.  Perhaps Eagle Lake Guardians need to present some plaques of our own when “refirement” comes to those who linger on the system sucking the taxpayers dry for little to no physical or mental labor what so ever.   However, I no longer believe that personnel changes are any better than anyone in the job previously, exception of the gross polluter who retired several years ago. (one of our best achievements).  Unfortunately, there are a lot of good people who work in other departments at LNF who do want to take care of the environment and fishery.  Unfortunately, the person(s) in charge sewage system reflect poorly on everyone else who actually work hard for the public. NOTE: some work has begun.
 
It is what it is. All I do is photograph the evidence. The more time that the leaking ponds leak, the greater risk potential for contaminating the lake and ground water…at the largest most improved RV compliant campground at Eagle Lake. NOTE: 122 to 132 holes detected in each sewage pond including primary sides have already done their damage to the ground water and if we see heavy rains wash that down from the headwaters (springs) that are adjacent to the sewage site), we could see some more nasty stuff in Merrill Creek
 
6-3-11 Recent communications from Lahontan indicate that the plan submitted by LNF is inadequate and doesn’t comply with several conditions.   Lahontan has everything laid out that LNF has to do to comply, I am not quite sure now if some of these educated people are ignorant or just illiterate? Don’t you find it interesting that these 5 & 6 figure salaries can’t devise a sewage plan to treat the waste of the visitors, let alone comply with the law?  Finally after a plethora of failure upon failure, LNF staff came up with an “acceptable” scheduling plan….but don’t count on construction starting anytime soon…LNF doesn’t have to follow the same rules as everyone else around the lake.  However, the contractors are now here and starting to do some preliminary work before the campgrounds close up for the season.
 
11-10-11 LNF still having problems clarifying how they plan on testing and drilling their monitoring wells. I have a feeling that they don’t want to know just how affected the ground water in that location is. Lahontan has lined it out in great detail, as LNF doesn’t seem to get it right or understand the gravity of their situation. 
 
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2011 Water Quality Tests from CDFG
 
 
THE “REEL” WEATHER
2-2-12
 
We actually saw a brief but wet snow flurry yesterday afternoon which left behind nearly ¼ inch of water! I would like to see several feet of snow with that kind of water in it!! Our high temp hit 45F and our low temp hit 15 on Tuesday and the heavy winds came up overnight with gusts to 28 mph.

Unfortunately, we don’t have much of a stormy week predicted but I can’t say that it hasn’t been pleasant. 
 
Friday is predicted to be sunny with a high temp around 43F, low at 15F but I expect to see single digits if it remains clear overnight. Winds expected from the southeast around 5 mph.
 
Saturday: Mostly sunny with a high of 43, low at 19. East wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, high 46F.
Monday Mostly sunny, high at 44
Tuesday we may have a slight chance of seeing a little more moisture….then again, maybe not. 
 
We need moisture in a bad way.  We are hoping that the moisture is simply a couple months behind, like every season this last year.  We won't be going into panic mode until late Feb to early March.  By April, we will have to face the facts…and we’ll have quite a few of those by then…everything else will be a bonus.  So keep your rain dancin' shoes by the door...we're gonna need 'em.  Just stay positive a while longer. We have also been known to have a  "Miracle March" roll through so it isn’t over just yet.  Even if we can recover what we lost last season to evaporation we will barely squeak thru the season in Spalding for launching.  
 
Mother Nature is only half our problem, the other half of the problems are political by nature and we can fix that.  Eagle Lake Guardians is not a political nonprofit, however some of the problems we have to fix are.   If we were to be classified as a generic group, I would say we would be considered an environmental group .... after all, our goal is Eagle Lake's environment now isn't it? 
 
ALL EAGLE LAKE, ALL THE TIME
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Copyright Registered 2004-2012 by the author, Valerie Aubrey. The website’s http://www.eaglelakefishing.net/ and http://www.eaglelakefishing.info/, All old and new Maps, Articles and Photographs contained therein are copyright protected and are published exclusively on the Internet by the author and may not be copied, displayed, reproduced or published in any other form without the express written permission of the author who reserves all rights. Viewers may print for personal use. Commercial use of any map or story is strictly prohibited without permission. Any “free Map” from our websites must be a permitted copy for commercial redistribution. Material supplied by others is the copyrighted property of the respective authors. Re-use of any articles, maps and photographs on Eagle Lake Fishing Information and Network without written permission by the author(s) for any purpose is strictly prohibited.
2012-02-02

 

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