Launch conditions @ Cap

[TommyP]

Was told by the City that they will stop drafting El Cap today. No more water will be taken at least for now. As the lake level settles they will bring in the dozers to grade the shore to improve the launch conditions( within the next week or so).

TommyP

[Mcfish]

The City told you....and they have never lied to us! I'll be NOT holding my breath! Hope you're right though! I remember when they said they'd repair the Hodges dam...nope, then they said they'd replace the dam...nope! Same with the El Cap dam..nope! Billions of gallons of water have been sent to the ocean because of the City's incompetence. What about the dams at Murray and Morena?? We were told by the City that the San V dam was built to hold emergency water for the city...the lake is at 50% now! What is the emergency that they are draining the lake for...the incompetence of the leaders of this City?

[Dfishin]

Ouch! But true.

[JWall]

Whats left to take?

[Bigbertha]

So sad after record rain years only a couple years ago ,the lake are this low! Driving by and watching the water flow to ocean from el cap was maddening!

[TommyP]

I would only encourage angry anglers to email Joe Little from NDC 7 for that piece he did on TV concerning ALL the water storage SD has......what BS.
[email protected]

TommyP

[Sammy]

They are talking about a Super El Neno setting up for this year so, expect more water going to the ocean. Funny they did repair the dam at Hodges. All those black marks on the dam where the water level hasn't been in years. Thems reapars yep I can't remember what the price tag was on that scam. I think SDGE paid I think over 200 million and it's all rusted pipes and falling apart. Hodges has survived many kicks to the balls but, this time I feel it may be down for the count. If they had let that water stay from the rains we had this year it would be right where they want it at 20 percent.
Later

[ryfield]

Was told by the City that they will stop drafting El Cap today. No more water will be taken at least for now. As the lake level settles they will bring in the dozers to grade the shore to improve the launch conditions( within the next week or so).

TommyP

Thanks for the update. A silver lining at least.

[otaymichael]

I just asked Laurie at Barrett when she thinks they'll start taking 'her' water. She said they already started two weeks ago, lost 3' in short order. Jules later told me it'd stopped for a while, something had broken, but now repaired and water drainage to be continued. (Guess it'd help Otay, right?)

I suggested we help break it again!

[ryfield]

I just asked Laurie at Barrett when she thinks they'll start taking 'her' water. She said they already started two weeks ago, lost 3' in short order. Jules later told me it'd stopped for a while, something had broken, but now repaired and water drainage to be continued. (Guess it'd help Otay, right?)

I suggested we help break it again!

Already on my way with a couple sledges.

As soon as I saw that Otay's ramp would be closing, I figured Barrett was ripe for the pickin'. I'm surprised Barrett's dam hasn't been deemed unsafe. It was constructed around the same time as Hodges and before El Cap.

[Mcfish]

With El Cap, Hodges, Morena, and Sutherland now below 15%, San V, Otay, and Barrett will be destroyed next! They have to keep Murray and Miramar up to run the filtration plants. The City has no money to buy water, so kiss your lakes goodbye....you'll be drinking what you used to be fishing! The lakes could be full now with all the water rights the City has...but the City decided it would rather cash that in and send it to Riverside and Mexico I now hear! So, as your boat sits in the garage, you know who to thank...it's not a drought problem, it's a leadership problem!

[ryfield]

With El Cap, Hodges, Morena, and Sutherland now below 15%, San V, Otay, and Barrett will be destroyed next! They have to keep Murray and Miramar up to run the filtration plants. The City has no money to buy water, so kiss your lakes goodbye....you'll be drinking what you used to be fishing! The lakes could be full now with all the water rights the City has...but the City decided it would rather cash that in and send it to Riverside and Mexico I now hear! So, as your boat sits in the garage, you know who to thank...it's not a drought problem, it's a leadership problem!

You are absolutely right about it being a leadership problem. Last year San Diego collected a record $2.1 billion in general fund tax revenue. Middle managers in the government have grown 460% since 2015, which twice of what LA has. They won't cut the size of government, but they sure will find new ways to take your money.

Some good info in this article.

https://voiceofsandiego.org/2026/01/13/ ... -managers/

Vote accordingly!