07-02-2009, 11:10 AM
PERRYVILLE - The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will begin a drawdown of Harris Brake Lake on Aug. 1. To keep adjacent landowners informed, the AGFC will be holding a public meeting to discuss management actions and answer questions concerning the drawdown. The meeting will be held July 9 at 6 p.m. in the Perryville High School cafeteria.
The lake will be drawn down seven feet below normal pool to elevation 273 feet. The drawdown will be in effect until Dec. 14, 2009. At that time the gate will be closed and the lake allowed to refill. Refilling will be totally dependent on rainfall.
This drawdown is intended to allow lakefront landowners an opportunity to make repairs on their piers and boathouses, according to Lake Manager Matt Horton. "Some of the structures on the lake are in advanced states of disrepair. The AGFC will be notifying owners of repairs to be made, structures to be removed and structures encroaching on the easement around the lake owned by the Commission that must also be removed," he explained.
All piers and boathouses must be permitted. Other AGFC projects include repairing the boat ramp at the dam, cleaning out the spillway to promote better flood relief when the lake gets inundated with heavy rains, and marking boat trails with a universal system throughout the lake. All stumps also will be cleared from the boat trails.
This will be an excellent opportunity for landowners to create fish attracting structures, such as brush piles, around their fishing piers and shoreline, Horton says. "We encourage landowners to take this opportunity to make any shoreline improvements such as armoring of eroded banks or planting trees and shrubs, especially water tolerant species. However, no changes in the configuration of the shoreline will be allowed," he says. "Any shoreline stabilization work or pier and boathouse construction requires a permit attained from the AGFC," Horton added.
In addition to cleaning up structures on the lake, a shoreline clean-up will be organized to help improve the appearance of the area.
For answers to specific questions or concerns about the drawdown or advice on shoreline improvements, call the Mayflower Fisheries Office. Interested parties can call Tom Bly (District 10 Fisheries Supervisor), Matt Schroeder (District 10 Fisheries Biologist), or Matt Horton (District 10 Lake Manager) at (501) 470-3309.
The lake will be drawn down seven feet below normal pool to elevation 273 feet. The drawdown will be in effect until Dec. 14, 2009. At that time the gate will be closed and the lake allowed to refill. Refilling will be totally dependent on rainfall.
This drawdown is intended to allow lakefront landowners an opportunity to make repairs on their piers and boathouses, according to Lake Manager Matt Horton. "Some of the structures on the lake are in advanced states of disrepair. The AGFC will be notifying owners of repairs to be made, structures to be removed and structures encroaching on the easement around the lake owned by the Commission that must also be removed," he explained.
All piers and boathouses must be permitted. Other AGFC projects include repairing the boat ramp at the dam, cleaning out the spillway to promote better flood relief when the lake gets inundated with heavy rains, and marking boat trails with a universal system throughout the lake. All stumps also will be cleared from the boat trails.
This will be an excellent opportunity for landowners to create fish attracting structures, such as brush piles, around their fishing piers and shoreline, Horton says. "We encourage landowners to take this opportunity to make any shoreline improvements such as armoring of eroded banks or planting trees and shrubs, especially water tolerant species. However, no changes in the configuration of the shoreline will be allowed," he says. "Any shoreline stabilization work or pier and boathouse construction requires a permit attained from the AGFC," Horton added.
In addition to cleaning up structures on the lake, a shoreline clean-up will be organized to help improve the appearance of the area.
For answers to specific questions or concerns about the drawdown or advice on shoreline improvements, call the Mayflower Fisheries Office. Interested parties can call Tom Bly (District 10 Fisheries Supervisor), Matt Schroeder (District 10 Fisheries Biologist), or Matt Horton (District 10 Lake Manager) at (501) 470-3309.