Pond Boss Forums INTRO Bob Lusk's blog Headed to Mexico

Catching an early flight later this morning to Laredo, then a hop across the border to check progress on a lake building project with client Rusty Baker. For the last three months two D-8 Caterpillar dozers have been working to build a dam in arid desert brush country just west of the Rio Grande. Rusty has two goals. First, he wants to impound water to irrigate wildlife feed plots during hot, dry Mexican summers. Second, he already has great deer, and would love to have great bass. This lake is designed to be a bass lake which can irrigate downstream fields. We're still not quite sure how much ground it will cover, but it will be at least 150 surface acres, with an average depth approaching 8 feet. Deepest water in the borrow pit will be mid-20's. We estimate the lake can drop as much as 6 feet during dry years, so almost all of our fish habitat is designed to sit in water from five to twelve feet deep. We will have the dozers cut senderos into the brush of the most shallow water, simply because it will cost too much to deepen the edges. Plus, the edges will be moot if the lake drops six feet. So, the inner 75-80 acres are receiving the bulk of our attention. It's a cool project, one with some latitude for creativity.
For you philosophers out there, asking yourselves some of the key questions, keep the following statement in mind.
Mexico doesn't have a first amendment.

Back from Mexico this afternoon. Interesting whirlwind trip. Flew down with Dr. Harry Jacobson, internationally famous wildlife biologist, and Don Foster, a water/irrigation expert. Our mission this trip was to identify where to put fish structure/habitat/cover in the lake bottom, and figure out an irrigation system to water several feed plots.
Pool level of the lake will be at 100 meters above sea level. Freeboard will be another two meters. The lake will cover 150-180 acres (we don't know for sure, yet, because the upper end of the lake has dense brush, too much to walk through with a gps unit. We estimate the lake will fill with spring rains (after it fills for the first time) but will drop approximately six feet yearly. Because of that, we have designed most of the fish habitat at the 98 meter contour. We brought out a surveyor to delineate the 98, then flag it for us. Interesting...at the 98, the lake will only be 65-70 acres. Much of the periphery slopes gently, and we have decided to cut boat lanes through the brush and not spend the money to move much dirt in the shallowest area, because it will be bare for much of the year.
So, the earthmovers, when finished with the dam, will make underwater humps, cuts, creek channels, brush piles and other areas for fish. On the shallowest area on the south side, we have designed a six acre "duck pond." A levee will be built slightly above water line so we can pump water in or out.
Going back in October to check the progress. Will keep you posted.