Ric:

Thanks for remembering and thinking about my trespasser concerns. I'm not looking forward to that part of having it finished.

I've done a yahoo search for river cane so I could learn more about it. Most of the links I've found so far are about basket making or flutes or blowguns or it being edible so I guess it is versatile. The only really relevant link I've found so far follows.

http://www.tva.gov/river/landandshore/stabilization/plants/river_cane.htm

It certainly appears that it would be thick enough to prevent people from fishing except from a boat. Any downsides? How deep into the water will it grow? How easy is it to control?

A brief update on the lake's status at present...

The water level is probably around 14 feet at the deepest point. It has spread out considerably, but I'm guessing the water volume is still only about 20-25% of full.

Much of the topsoil I still wanted to remove is now under water courtesy of the last major rain. Unless we have really freakish winter weather, I've resigned myself to draining it down to the 10' level or so next summer. This will allow me to complete topsoil removal, the mini-dams, contouring / structure, ensuring 3 foot depths next to shore, etc. Allowing it to fill this winter will result in several positives as I'll be able to see exactly where the water level is and have more time to plan.

Coulda, shoulda, woulda... I did much of this backwards. I should have removed all the trees and topsoil asap. I should have then built the mini-dams. Then had the contractor build the main dam. Next time...

I've learned a lot and the folks on this forum have been wonderful and very helpful... Which reminds me of another coulda, shoulda, woulda... I talked with lakedoctor via phone a couple times. He helped me with some choices at no cost. I appreciate his free assistance, but doing it over, I would ask him to come over and check it out in person if he had time. I'm confident it would have been worth whatever it had cost.

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