(Stanton) Mother Nature has thrown a plug into the Viking Lake State Park renovation project. In July 0f 2019, the DNR exercised an eight-foot drawdown to improve the fish population.
Unfortunately, efforts to refill the water body dried up due to below-normal snowfall this past winter and lack of rainfall this spring. This past winter was the driest since 2012, and the driest spring since 1994.
Bryan Hayes DNR Fisheries Biologist says the schedule included a drawdown after the July 4, 2019 holiday. It closed the gate around November 1, to recapture runoff from the winter snowfall and spring rains, with the goal to have the Lake full and ready to go in April of this year. “That was our schedule, but it wasn’t in Mother Nature’s plan,” said Hayes.
Hayes admits due to its disruptive nature; it’s not often a technique used in a State Park Lake. “The beach is closed, the boat ramps are unusable, camping revenue goes down, so it’s really a disruptive technique,” explained Hayes.
Hayes says the Lake caught some water but still has a long way to go before it is full and ready to go. The Lake dropped to as much as 10-feet during this dry spell and is now up to around five feet. “So now we’re watching storm events, and hoping we get some rains and the runoff we need to bring that lake back to full,” said Hayes.
Hayes says the drawdown appears to have improved the fish population. While waiting for a response from the bluegill population, the largemouth bass took advantage of the crowded population and look healthy, and the crappie population appears to have improved as well. Hayes says they’re ready to have it full and just waiting for some rain.
