Is Somerset Lake Really gone forever?

Feb 2012 Water Level Lowered at Lake Somerset
http://articles.dailyamerican.com/2012-02-10/news/31048701_1_drawdown-dam-water-level

Mar 2011 Lake Somerset's future clouded
http://articles.dailyamerican.com/2011-03-01/news/29154927_1_spillway-somerset-lake-high-hazard

Informational but inconclusive :(

Another article that just makes you depressed:
2011 Survey says big, healthy fish in Somerset County
http://articles.dailyamerican.com/2011-05-14/news/29544636_1_largemouth-bass-trophy-sized-fish-fish-populations

At first they were testing it and now the drawdown is due to the spillway leaking slightly. They lowered it to take any pressure off of it. They had a meeting a few weeks back and was a decent turn out of officials and others who want to raise the funding. It all comes down to raising the funding to fix the spillway. Next time I get an email from the commissioner I will let you know if there was anything positive or negative going on. Its sort of at a standstill now but the potential is definately there if funding is not met.

ORIGINAL: Amygirl

I see it's really drained. Has anyone actually talked to a commissioner? This is so terrible. I just moved here, fell in love with the lake, and now they are getting rid of it? I have many good cat and bass memories here, the fish in the lake are just something else. Does any one know if they are getting moved to the Quem, please don't say they are just going to let them die. I'm so sad and mad about this, does anyone relate? :( I'm moving!

It WAS one of the best lakes in SWPA and I'd say kiss it's azz goodbye...Really sucks since I live 5 minutes away, now I'm looking at 20-60 minute trips away to hook up with decent sized fezh.

You can fesh it whenever it's just dealing with the silt, you'll need waders just to get around trust me.

Hopefully they won't have to drain it all the way. The fish commissioner told me they took another log out of the gates. He said they have to draw it down below the leak in the breast. The commissioner hopes soon so he doesn't lose his view of the lake from the office.

They're buying water at $5 per 1000 gallons. lol

And this is the only state in the U.S. that doesn't tax drillers.

So there's part of your explanation.

I think they should use Tom Corbett's fat head to plug the hole in the dam.

Thanks for all the updates, please keep me posted if anyone hears any more about it.

Lately, I haven't been doing really great. It seems like there is so much more algae since the water is low, and that's been a pain. That makes sense Mountian Man about the silt, was out there this weekend and I heard there was this asian guy out in his waders in the middle of the lake with 13ft poles catching a ton of fish, was that you? lol Well, someone knew what to do anyway. :p I agree I don't want to drive to the Quem to go fishing just for an afternoon, there are no catfish there. And everything sucks more when you don't have a boat. And as for waders I'm only 5ft and really petite, blah I need a kayak.

Exraided- I really hope it doesn't come to that...I'm just going to say my prayers at night for the fish.

Anyone got any more advice on how to fish it being so low right now?

ORIGINAL: Amygirl

Thanks for all the updates, please keep me posted if anyone hears any more about it.

Lately, I haven't been doing really great. It seems like there is so much more algae since the water is low, and that's been a pain. That makes sense Mountian Man about the silt, was out there this weekend and I heard there was this asian guy out in his waders in the middle of the lake with 13ft poles catching a ton of fish, was that you? lol Well, someone knew what to do anyway. :p I agree I don't want to drive to the Quem to go fishing just for an afternoon, there are no catfish there. And everything sucks more when you don't have a boat. And as for waders I'm only 5ft and really petite, blah I need a kayak.

Exraided- I really hope it doesn't come to that...I'm just going to say my prayers at night for the fish.

Anyone got any more advice on how to fish it being so low right now?

I stopped fishing weekends to keepth the secrets secret...jus' sayin.

Oh so you you're the ninja I saw yesterday!

lol, be careful what you wish for! Ima bish! :p .. nah there are, come to Somerset, all the girls fish and hunt here I swears!

If i found a girl that could tie her own slip rig, cast huge bait and land big fish i would buy her a ring that day lol....im moving to somerset, call ur friends up ha

Congrats I'm sure a lot of fish were slain today, you'd swear no one has jobs around here, it's a thursday !

just wait till the water level drops on the ohio river....i could show you what BIG cats are all about.

ORIGINAL: anatikus

just wait till the water level drops on the ohio river....i could show you what BIG cats are all about.

Oh I bet there are some nice ones there, that's pretty far for me though, have you ever fished the Yough? I fished there for trout before, but not sure what all is in there. I love that river, want to get down there sometime, maybe when trout opens and the Clarion, I like that one too :)