Farm Bill

[dennishoddy]

Yes, water is an issue. The Ogallala Aquifer is being depleted in a pretty bad way. Some areas of the Ogallala have already been depleted. The Ogallala is being drawn down by about 2 feet a year, but natural replenishment of the aquifer is only something like 3 inches a year.

Crisis on the High Plains - The Loss of America's Largest Aquifer, the Ogallala

It's been an issue for many years.

 

[dennishoddy]

Dennis likely doesnt know about Lake Optima either...LOL

I've actually toured what of it there is. Small puddle in the middle in wet years, so yes I'm very familiar
with the area.
I'm betting you took your ski boat there for some recreation?

 

[SoonerP226]

I mentioned on here being told of the leak from locals up there and someone here told me that was totally false. Don't remember who it was.

The Corps sold it to the county (I think) and they had to go rip out all the buildings and stuff in the name of "public safety". No matter that it was all there and of no apparent problem for all those years. It used to be an interesting place to visit.

We discussed it here at the time. IIRC, some of the facilities needed repairs and would've needed upgrades to meet modern standards, so someone with some common sense finally decided to pull the plug on that particular boondoggle rather than sinking more taxpayer dollars into it.

 

[Shadowrider]

We discussed it here at the time. IIRC, some of the facilities needed repairs and would've needed upgrades to meet modern standards, so someone with some common sense finally decided to pull the plug on that particular boondoggle rather than sinking more taxpayer dollars into it.

So I did some looking. I can't believe they were actually funding it waaaaaayyyyyyyy past when they should have been. When I was up there all of the buildings, restrooms, camp sites, park benches, grills, signs, streets, parking lots... EVERYTHING was still there. But you never saw another soul. It looked like a post apocalypse scene.

When I first started working up there I was still able to drive the dam road. Last time it was fenced off and I wouldn't have really wanted to drive it anyway. I can see some maintenance on the dam road, but it boggles my mind that they had funds going to the "park". Wonder where it went?

 

[dennishoddy]

So I did some looking. I can't believe they were actually funding it waaaaaayyyyyyyy past when they should have been. When I was up there all of the buildings, restrooms, camp sites, park benches, grills, signs, streets, parking lots... EVERYTHING was still there. But you never saw another soul. It looked like a post apocalypse scene.

When I first started working up there I was still able to drive the dam road. Last time it was fenced off and I wouldn't have really wanted to drive it anyway. I can see some maintenance on the dam road, but it boggles my mind that they had funds going to the "park". Wonder where it went?

There are still Corps of engineer vehicles in the area. We stayed at an RV park in Guymon this spring for a few days. Saw Corps of Engineer vehicles in town and was really surprised that we saw them there. The Corps still maintain a presence from what we were told as congress hasn't defunded it. $30,000 a year of tax dollars are still spent annually to "maintain" it.
It looks pretty much abandoned.

 

[Shadowrider]

There are still Corps of engineer vehicles in the area. We stayed at an RV park in Guymon this spring for a few days. Saw Corps of Engineer vehicles in town and was really surprised that we saw them there. The Corps still maintain a presence from what we were told as congress hasn't defunded it. $30,000 a year of tax dollars are still spent annually to "maintain" it.
It looks pretty much abandoned.

From what I could gather they are still maintaining the dam in working condition. There ain't nothing left other than that. And last time I was there there was much talk and some consternation that the county was going to be owning it all and stuck with it. Guess that never happened.

 

[dennishoddy]

From what I could gather they are still maintaining the dam in working condition. There ain't nothing left other than that. And last time I was there there was much talk and some consternation that the county was going to be owning it all and stuck with it. Guess that never happened.

Not until congress defunds it. Until then the Corps of Engineers will maintain it. The Federal wildlife services and the Okla dept of wildlife share the hunting area responsibilities.

 

[Shadowrider]

Not until congress defunds it. Until then the Corps of Engineers will maintain it. The Federal wildlife services and the Okla dept of wildlife share the hunting area responsibilities.

That's what I thought had happened years ago from the talk in the county courthouse last time I was working there. They were talking like the county was going to get stuck with it because the state didn't want it and the Feds were dumping it because they didn't want it either.

 

[dennishoddy]

That's what I thought had happened years ago from the talk in the county courthouse last time I was working there. They were talking like the county was going to get stuck with it because the state didn't want it and the Feds were dumping it because they didn't want it either.

COE trucks still there this spring. I don't know of another COE lake in the general area they might be taking care of?

 

[Okie4570]

Ft. Supply would probably be the only other COE lake out that way.