[Scyry]

Comment period is almost over:

http://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/newsrelease/detail.cfm?RecordID=53827

The Draft Environmental Assessment can be found here:
http://www.usbr.gov/uc/envdocs/ea/pdf/LakeNighthorseDraftEA.pdf

The preferred Plan is pretty bare bones, boat ramp, launch ramp, minimal shore access and a few signs. Ran by the City of Durango. Boating mid May to mid November.

Second Plan has has trails around the entire lake, three camp grounds, swim beach and everything in the preferred Plan.

Third Plan is in between the first two in scale, one campground.

 

[kirbydog]

The bare bones plan would probably result in better fishing-fewer people- less fishing pressure. Don't understand the short season-the lake would be ice free long before May 15 and well after Nov 15.

 

[Dave M]

The bare bones plan would probably result in better fishing-fewer people- less fishing pressure. Don't understand the short season-the lake would be ice free long before May 15 and well after Nov 15.

My guess is the budget to pay someone to do ANS inspections...

 

[DonInDurango]

I won't even get into what a freaking circus that Lake in the recreation plan have been. That lake has been full, stocked, and ready to fish and the various "stakeholders" have been unable to agree on a freaking recreation plan. The boat ramps are in, and I'm not even sure what all else, but it is ready to turn the key and start fishing. My buddy who is director of utilities over here tells me that the size of the trout in that Lake is staggering and it has a healthy population of coke and is well. I've been thinking it probably needs a few Lake trout. And now that I see what they are doing to Rifle Gap, it probably need some walleyes as well.

 

[Dave M]

I won't even get into what a freaking circus that Lake in the recreation plan have been. That lake has been full, stocked, and ready to fish and the various "stakeholders" have been unable to agree on a freaking recreation plan. The boat ramps are in, and I'm not even sure what all else, but it is ready to turn the key and start fishing. My buddy who is director of utilities over here tells me that the size of the trout in that Lake is staggering and it has a healthy population of coke and is well. I've been thinking it probably needs a few Lake trout. And now that I see what they are doing to Rifle Gap, it probably need some walleyes as well.

And pike, smallmouths...

#devilindurango

 

[kirbydog]

"the size of the trout in that lake is staggering". That right there gives you a good idea of what could be accomplished if much tighter limits were imposed-on this lake as well as others. And enforcement to make it happen.

And the idea that the season is cut short because they don't have funds in their budget for an ANS inspector is ridiculous-how much does it cost to put a guy in a shed for a day. I don't know what it is but I do know its laughable that within their budget they can't find money to do that.

Maybe they need to fire the assistant manager in charge of blue eyed, left handed, near sighted people-that would free up some money.

 

[Scyry]

I don't think anything but trout and Kokanee have been stocked in Nighthorse.

http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Commission/2014/June/ITEM18b-PowerPoint-SWRegionUpdate.pdf#search=nighthorse

White suckers made it into Lake Nighthorse --- unfortunately are doing quite well, as shown by recent survey. EIS allowed only for stocking trout. We are working with BOR, USFWS, etc. on Lake Management plan to create a better fishery.

http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Commission/2014/Nov/ITEM9-PowerPoint-SWRegionUpdate.pdf#search=nighthorse

Kokanee work - Fall means lots of work spawning kokanee for aquatic staff
in the southwest region. Spawn take occurs at Blue Mesa Reservoir, the
main spot for egg harvest in the state (2.85 million eggs this year - down);
on the Dolores River above McPhee Reservoir; near the inlet of Vallecito
Reservoir; and this year, for the first time, at Nighthorse Reservoir near
Durango.

From gill net surveys, the Kokes are bigger than the rainbows in Nighthorse. 15" in second year class sounds good to me. Size graph is on Page 14:

http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Research/Aquatic/pdf/Publications/LakeReservoirFoodWebEcolology2014.pdf#search=nighthorse

 

[Bobco]

new lake effect, everything will be hogs for a few years. I remember spinny when it opened, what a hog fest, hate to admitt it but we used to go up and fill cooler with those big ass cutbows, 5-7 lb fish were the norm 8 fish limit back them....enough carnage to make the slayer proud!

 

[IFSHDOU2?]

WHERE exactly is LAKE NIGHTHORSE in relation to Durango?

 

[DonInDurango]

WHERE exactly is LAKE NIGHTHORSE in relation to Durango?

Just above the city, on the south side of 160-550. Literally on the south edge of town. Just zoom in on Durango on Google maps. You can't miss it. Roughly 2.5 miles long if I remember right.

 

[Bobco]

it is a pump lake , they have huge puumps on river south side of Durango, pump water up over ridge to lake, irragation water to the Indians as promised in some long ago treaty.....Senator Ben Nighthorse Campell got it buit...

 

[Scyry]

it is a pump lake , they have huge puumps on river south side of Durango, pump water up over ridge to lake, irragation water to the Indians as promised in some long ago treaty.....Senator Ben Nighthorse Campell got it buit...

The funding started back in the early 80s. Finally design work on the dam started prior to Nighthorse becoming a Senator. Actually, Nighthorse didn't want his name associated with the reservoir. His bloodlines don't tie to the tribes that have a say in the water's use. He pushed for it to be named after a Ute Chief. The dam is named Ridges Basin Dam.

Here's one of the pumps, that top is about 7 feet from the ground.

If I'm remembering correctly, it has been 8 years sionce I've been to the plant, there are 4 large pumps and 4 small pumps. The plant also is setup to pump water into the City of Durango's system, but I don't think the final connection has been made yet.

This is what the reservoir looked like before filling. Took the Shot from the northeast top of the dam looking back up the lake. There are a lot of borrow pits, but most of them are up next to the dam, unlike Chatty.