Getting to the bottom of it.

While many of the lakes in the southern half of Wisconsin were rising to the point of flooding, northern Wisconsin lakes have again been receding for several years now. The most popular theory is a natural 14 year cycle from high to high, or low to low (also applied to the Great Lakes). Water tables have a great deal to do with lake levels. The low lake water reflected the depth of the ground water, whereas we lost our sandpoint and had to drill a well (40′ sandpoint; 65′ well).

I don’t know if we’ve reached the low, but it seems the high water mark was about 7-8 years ago. As you’re well aware, we’re at a very low point as we enter fall and winter.

Have we seen the bottom of this cycle? Not sure. I just know I don’t want to see the bottom of the lake!

Kelly Lake’s Brad Nernberger stopped over for a visit with his tunnel hull and said we should get a pic of it beached on our shore; a shore that is usually one of the last to expose its sands due to the depth of the water and the steep gradient of land here in the cove. The southeast side of the lake shows 70-80′ of beach, according to Kelly Lake’s Ron Asp, who also was here trying to get to the bottom of the diminishing depth.

We walked away deep in thought about the theories, as Brad had to push his boat out to deeper water! Roger (Photo by Shirley)

(Click to enlarge; click on enlarged to make bigger. Same for all photos.)