First Soaking Rain

Might it be enough to prime the South Pool for flow into the Equalization Channel? 

City Council to Consider TPWD Public Hunting Program

Tuesday's City Council meeting will include a presentation on adopting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Public Hunting Program for the recreational hunting lands at the Twin Buttes Reservoir properties.  The city has long offered public hunting around Twin Buttes.  TPWD's public hunting program currently lists San Angelo State Park.  It comes with an annual fee:

Access is provided by two types of annual permits: the $48 Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permit which allows full privileges including hunting, fishing, camping, hiking and other recreational uses and the $12 Limited Public Use (LPU) Permit which also provides access for all other recreational activities except hunting.

It's not clear how citizens will pay these fees or how funds will be used to improve primitive conditions at Twin Buttes.

Other than closing Twin Buttes for public fireworks the July 4th weekend this is the first recreation item City Council has considered on Twin Buttes since adopting a Master Recreation Plan.  The plan was created in 2012 and officially approved by council in 2013.

Progress has been slow to nonexistent on the City's Lake Nasworthy and Twin Buttes Master Plans.  Only one vendor bid to develop the Mary Lee Park area of Lake Nasworthy and the city rejected that bid as nonconforming.

Most city action at Twin Buttes since 2012 has been installing and removing pumps. My October water bill still has the "pumping fee" despite pumps having been removed in May of 2014.  I guess it's a perpetual fee.

The City recently played catch up by devoting another $4 million to San Angelo's Performing Arts Coalition, a project that has lingered since 2011.  I've long hoped Council would find the Twin Buttes project ripe for a kick start.  That hope will go on longer given Council materials state "there is no financial impact." Thus, staff recommends City Council stick to its miserly history in funding anything non-water at Twin Buttes.

Update 5-15-16:  City Council approved the TPWD Public Hunting Program in an April meeting.

Equalization Channel is Dry

Twin Buttes Equalization Channel is dry.  The South Pool is about a foot lower than a level that would begin sending water to the North Pool.  I paddleboarded at both pools over the weekend.  Light winds provided the right conditions for paddling. 

With summer fading and a chance of rain in the near future the EQ could flow again soon.  Twin Buttes pumps were pulled in May 2014 but the fee remains on citizens' water bills.  Pray for rain.

Lake Ivie Up: Week and Last 90 Days

Lake Ivie rose 15,000 acre feet in the last week.  The rise over the last ninety days is roughly 20,000 acre feet.

These increases relieve pressure for the city to use water in Twin Buttes.

Twin Buttes Up Another Foot

Yet another blessing for San Angelo's best lake for non-motored watercraft!

North Pool Keeps Rising

It was quiet at the North Pool this afternoon.  The water is up a foot from last weekend.  Tomorrow is July 4th.  It will be interesting to see where area citizens fire off their July 4th fireworks with Twin Buttes out of play. 

City Changes Stance on Twin Buttes

Twin Buttes Reservoir’s Marina Park will be open for camping only Friday through Sunday. All other gates leading to the reservoir will be locked.

 The road to Marina Park will be barricaded and manned to screen those entering to ensure they are there to camp and that they do not possess fireworks. Twin Buttes is owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which prohibits the possession or discharge of fireworks on its property.

Camping will also be allowed off of the reservoir’s equalization channel, which connects its north and south pools. Campers must call the San Angelo Police Department’s non-emergency dispatch number, 325-657-4315, to request an officer to unlock the gates and give them access.

Note:  This press release came from Mayor Morrison.  I thank him for his responsiveness.