A Visit to Prettyboy Reservoir
on Tuesday March 10, 2015 found the Boat Launch Closed. The Reservoir was pretty much frozen over. About the only unfrozen areas we observed were feed points from local streams and discharge around and over the Prettyboy Dam!
A view from the local Boat Launch shows the frozen reservoir. What is does not show are the sounds of Crows from various trees around the area. The pavement and grassy areas of the Boat Launch area were still 85% snow covered. Rain sprinkles were beginning to fall as a rain storm was approaching.
Spillover at the Dam was going at full throttle! The many steps down to the lower level were snow and ice covered!
Like other areas, the Roads in and around the Reservoir have taken a hard beating this winter!
On Wednesday March 18, 2015 evidence of significant thawing was observed. The Parking area at the boat launch was snow and ice free. Likewise some unfrozen water was beginning to show. See the last image below. Unfrozen areas around the dam had expanded significantly over the past 8 days!
On Tuesday March 30, 2015 the boat dock was observed to be operational with two boats out on the reservoir! Ice on reservoir is gone!