Author Topic: Rathbun Beaches, 2013  (Read 8939 times)

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Offline WetRaider

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Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« on: May 01, 2013, 04:24:56 PM »
Well ... we're gonna play on the grass this year.
Below are photos from my trip out to the campsites today (May 1).  I spent some time visiting with the manager in the Corps of Engineer's building and he says they're regulated right now to only 800 cfs because of conditions downstream.  There's very little hope of having a sandy beach by the first week in June - he says they'd expect to drop about 2 feet by then.  Their max outflow is something like 3600 cfs, and they did that for 72 days straight in 2010, but for now they're stuck at 800. 

Picture 1 shows the campsites on the upper left side, and the submerged beach where we had the initial meet and greet last year.
Pictures 2 & 3 are the beach we spent time at on Saturday ... you can see the restroom and concrete pad on the right where the hamburger grill was set up.
Just for fun, I put up a picture from March of last year of the beach we used on Saturday, compare the two with the discolored line on the rocks as your marker ...

I'll pick up some frisbees, lawn darts, things like that.  The lake is safe to boat - with the exception of submerged timber in the shallows, and some downed timber that has made its way towards the dam face.  Everything is still marked, and I'll bring a contours map. 

If you didn't get wet, you didn't have fun ~ WetRaider

Dan O'Connor
1979 GT 150 / 1976 Mercury 1150

Offline kert0307

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2013, 04:49:26 PM »
Nice, I see Rathbun fluctuates as much as Red Rock does. Maybe we'll get lucky and get a little stretch of beach, we still have a month.

Offline WetRaider

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2013, 04:51:45 PM »
Kert - I think we might, still.  We could always go towards Bridgeview for their beach ... it's the opposite direction from the campsites as the dam beach.  Whatever sand may poke out, it won't be groomed like it was last year.  They'll let the water get to normal pool before those rangers start grooming the beaches.

If you didn't get wet, you didn't have fun ~ WetRaider

Dan O'Connor
1979 GT 150 / 1976 Mercury 1150

Offline dorelse

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2013, 05:55:19 PM »
You can tell is up at the lower 'white' area from last years picture...2 feet isn't gonna get us beach there is it?

Yeah, we'll have to head up the lake this year...something I didn't do last year.  (Though I've been all over that lake other times.)

Should be fun regardless!
1990 Sierra 1700

Offline WetRaider

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2013, 06:31:01 PM »
No, 2 feet won't get us a beach.  For the early arrivals, we can scout for beaches "uphill" ...

Last year's beach was at normal pool - today it was 9 feet higher.  We'd have to drop 6-7 feet in order to have a sandy beach there.

I agree, Doran.  It will be fun.  Advantage:  We'll just about have the lake to ourselves. 
If you didn't get wet, you didn't have fun ~ WetRaider

Dan O'Connor
1979 GT 150 / 1976 Mercury 1150

Offline Burnin Daylight

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2013, 06:53:24 PM »
There is always the anchor and tie the flotilla together.  The lake that I go to every weekend in the summer has no suitable shoreline to park a boat on, so the no wake necks become our handouts.
1981 INTIMIDATOR  "BURNIN DAYLIGHT"
1984 CV23  "HOT KNOTS"

Offline kert0307

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2013, 09:53:09 AM »
I know you've been busy, but have you noticed any beaches starting to poke out of the water?

Offline WetRaider

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2013, 10:40:35 AM »
None.  I was there on Sunday.  Lake elevation is 916 right now ... 12 ft. higher than normal pool.  We can get a couple beaches to start around 910 or so.  Elevation by June should be down to 914/913 unless there's more rain, or unless they can really go apestits on letting water out.
If you didn't get wet, you didn't have fun ~ WetRaider

Dan O'Connor
1979 GT 150 / 1976 Mercury 1150

Offline iowa cv-23

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2013, 10:53:44 AM »
just out of curiosity do you think we'll need to trailer our boats at night or can we leave them in the water on the beach?

Offline 75starflight

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2013, 11:59:37 AM »
just out of curiosity do you think we'll need to trailer our boats at night or can we leave them in the water on the beach?

That question was asked to one of the park employees last year. They highly recommended pulling them out every night. Said there are groups of locals the wander the lake and do damage to boats they find on the water. Also said that if the core decides to let more water out you could end up land locked. 
1975 v-179 starflite

Offline WetRaider

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2013, 12:15:50 PM »
just out of curiosity do you think we'll need to trailer our boats at night or can we leave them in the water on the beach?
Also said that if the core decides to let more water out you could end up land locked. 

I verified this with the Corps of Engineers & they laughed ... said they can't pull water out that quickly.  At 800 c.f.m. discharge, he said it will take 4-5 weeks to drop 2 feet.
If you didn't get wet, you didn't have fun ~ WetRaider

Dan O'Connor
1979 GT 150 / 1976 Mercury 1150

Offline dorelse

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2013, 12:40:56 PM »
I don't remember vandalism being quite a threat either, just that it happened in the past, and could happen again.

I'll be pulling mine out simply since where we launch isn't where we tent, so you'd be leaving your car unattended overnight at the ramp, and honestly, I'd personally be more concerned about that than the boat.

1990 Sierra 1700

Offline Burnin Daylight

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2013, 02:30:58 PM »
There are going to be enough of us to assist each other at the ramp to get all the boats back on the trailers and parked at the camp sites in the evening.
1981 INTIMIDATOR  "BURNIN DAYLIGHT"
1984 CV23  "HOT KNOTS"

Offline 75starflight

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2013, 02:56:49 PM »
There are going to be enough of us to assist each other at the ramp to get all the boats back on the trailers and parked at the camp sites in the evening.

It worked out pretty good last year. The people that had the second person to go and get the vehicle loaded first and then after they were loaded chased vehicles for the rest of the group. BTW there are only two docks to tie off to  while loading or waiting for passengers.
1975 v-179 starflite

Offline WetRaider

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Re: Rathbun Beaches, 2013
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2013, 03:02:07 PM »
When I was out last, the courtesy docks were not yet in the water.  I think they go out just before Memorial Day Weekend.  There is not a lot of dock space, but the ramp is 6-lanes.  We can get a lot done quickly, if we need to ...
If you didn't get wet, you didn't have fun ~ WetRaider

Dan O'Connor
1979 GT 150 / 1976 Mercury 1150