# echo reservoir repairs



## Kingfisher (Jul 25, 2008)

just a little info on what is coming to echo reservoir this year so yall can maximize your recreational endeavors. current work on the dam is focused on the bottom side where they will be excavating some liquifiable materials and replacing it with more stable material. this work will continue for some time. later, after runoff and thru the summer irrigation season, the dam will be drawn down to near empty status and the same procdure will be applied to the upper dam surface, material excavated and replaced with more suitable material. some grouting is also expected to insure less leakage thru and around the dam. what this means is that rockport will be kept at a higher level as well as smith morehouse and to what extent possible, willard bay whereas echo will go to near empty for about 4 to 6 weeks (possibly as long as 8 weeks) in the fall. then during winter will be storing every drop of water that comes down the weeb. they will likely drop rockport to some extent to equalize the reservoirs.

so, plan accordingly. would be a fun time to wander the vast expanse of shorline looking for lost tackle and sunken treasure. might be a great time to do some fishing where they are all concentrated into a very tiny little pond. will be interesting what dwr plans to do with fish limits as i assume that there will be a lot of stress in that little pond for a few month. for ice fishing, count on a pond that is rising substantially thru the winter months with access likely a bit of a problem.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Kingfisher,
thanks for the Echo update.
Will this work have any affect on the water down stream?
I know that the construction at Echo is being blamed for the muddy looking water below the dam, this winter.
Thanks,
Grandpa D.


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## Kingfisher (Jul 25, 2008)

in the short term water quality wont be impacted much. i would assume when then start moving material on the upstream side of the dam there will be a much higher probability of water quality impacts as they will have to have inflow still moving thru the system so next fall would likely have greater impacts possible. much of the time in winter, they shut the outflow below echo off entirely as about 8 second feet leaks thru and around the dam. when combined with other flow sources it forms the flow of the river so, dont know if they are bypassing any flow right now. so there could be some impacts from work on the dam, but i would suspect that the work on the freeway overpass is more likely the culprit.


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## Fleigenbinder (Feb 3, 2010)

Does this mean that for the forseeable future they are just giving up on the fish and aquatic insects downstream? The reason I ask is that the Weber has been reduced to a trickle and I doubt that for the next 3-10 years, there will be very little fishing there.

Please see my new post above.

Thanks

Fliegenbinder


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## Kingfisher (Jul 25, 2008)

not really... echo has always been operated in a pretty consistent manner post irrigation season. so i dont think there will be much long term change in the operation. it remains to be seen how much less water will be leaking thru/around the dam but the material being added is for strength, resistance against liquifaction, not necessarily as a seal. the grout will be a sealant - so there is likely to be some decrease. will be interesting if outflow is increased to offset. cant say about that.


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## Leaky (Sep 11, 2007)

Kingfisher ,
For me, and many others, that's the big question!  Will there be enough/too much water out of Echo in the next long time (yrs.) to assure survival of the prized fish population between Echo and Lost Creek ?   It will almost kill me not to be able to fish that section and accept the loss of habitat and fish. I wonder what Dikker Hill club has to say about this? Probably nothing.


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## Ton_Def (Dec 23, 2008)

Kingfisher said:


> so, plan accordingly. would be a fun time to wander the vast expanse of shorline looking for lost tackle and sunken treasure. might be a great time to do some fishing where they are all concentrated into a very tiny little pond.


You had me at sunken treasure!  It's pretty cool we get some first hand info here, rather than rumors or hearsay. Thanks for the awesome post Kingfisher!


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## Leaky (Sep 11, 2007)

> For me, and many others, that's the big question!  Will there be enough/too much water out of Echo in the next long time (yrs.) to assure survival of the prized fish population between Echo and Lost Creek ?   I


 I would really like a response to this. Maybe no body on the forum knows or has a crystal ball? It's like I can't expect a total knowledge base, but you guys are pretty good!!!! :cry

P.S. Does this need to be submitted to the DWR? Haven't had much luck with that kind of question amongst other questions. Maybe someone else has a better way to ask/source?


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## Daveoutside (Aug 26, 2013)

*From Rockport to Echo Res*

I was wondering if anyone knew how much longer the extremely high water flow from Rockport to Echo will last this (late) summer and early fall? Thank you!

David


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## Kingfisher (Jul 25, 2008)

flows will likely decrease by mid september and then by oct 1 shut down more.


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Thanks for posting this up Kingfisher. Maybe this has been answered in the past but when is the project due to be completed?


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## Kingfisher (Jul 25, 2008)

the dam rehabilitation to current seismic standards has been completed, now they are replacing the overflow structure which will take much of the winter. this should not affect streamflows as the outlet is functional and echo is so low they could put a lot of water in there before hitting the overflow bypass. big hole to fill... currently about 15% of capacity. rockport at 31%.


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