Ask Aunt Cramer

Ask Aunt Cramer

Q:        I haven’t seen any dredging activity lately. Is the CWC still dredging?
A:        Most of our dredging activities are controlled by the weather. Our rainfall has kept our lake running over the spillway for many months now, and high water does not permit us to do much in the way of dredging with our amphibious equipment. Even our land based dredging activities have been curtailed by muddy ground that will not hold up to our heavy equipment.

Q:        What happened to the early Boaters Safety Course in March?

A:        We said that if we did not have a minimum number of students singed up in advance for the course, we would not conduct the course, and everyone would have to wait for the second course time in June. We did not get enough students, so the course was cancelled. The next offering will be on June 5, and you may sign up at any time. It will be conducted regardless of numbers.

Q:        What about a CWC hosted Car Show at the office this summer? Shareholders who feel they have a good looking ride could bring them and everyone would be invited to come see them. There are dozens of interesting and great looking cars on the lake.

A:        I am a boomer car nut and think that is a great idea. We will start working on it. I bet one or more of the clubs on the lake would like to sell hot dogs, drinks or food during the event.

Q: I have a woody vine with small yellow blooms that is taking over my water frontage. What is it, and what can I do about it?

A: It is called Water Primrose and it is spreading in coves and even some open water areas around the lake. It is not as dangerous or invasive as hydrilla, but it comes close. A swimmer could easily tangle in it and boats cannot get through it when it forms a mat. I met with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Biologist and Aquatic Habitat Biologist at the hatchery in Jasper. They provided me with the name and source for a systemic chemical that is extremely effective in killing the primrose, that is safe for fish and for use in a drinking water reservoir, and which the TPWD is using. We have mounted a power sprayer on a barge and when the water gets back up high enough to get into the mats, we will be spraying the areas that are in danger of being blocked for shareholder access. We have experimented in several places around the lake with the chemical before the water level dropped and have had very good success.

Q: How does the dredge operation work?

A: A dredge barge with a cutter head and suction pump removes sediment from the bottom of the lake and pumps it up through 8 inch pipe to a dewatering unit that separates the sediment into organic material, sand and silt. The material comes off the dewatering unit dry enough to handle and move to piles for storage. The dewatering plant is a large 9,000 gallon compartmentalized tank with electric motors. The dredge is diesel powered and has two independent star wheels or paddlewheels to propel it. The crew improves with experience on the equipment and is now moving from 80 to 110 tons of material a day, depending on the type of material the dredge is working in at the time. The Board is responsible for determining the work locations for the equipment. In order to move the dredge, we will find a location where we have room to sit the dewatering plant, and which has the three phase electric service available.

Q: Does a paddleboat with an electric trolling motor have to be registered?

A: The Texas laws require registration for all motorized boats regardless of length, all sailboats 14 feet in length or longer or any sailboat with an auxiliary engine(s).

Exempted vessels — All non-motorized canoes, kayaks, punts, rowboats, or rubber rafts (regardless of length) when paddled, poled, or oared and sailboats under 14 feet in length when wind powered.

Q: Why can’t the CWC open the Fuel Center all weekend before May?

A: It looks like we may need to rethink our Fuel Center schedule. We have more and more folks who enjoy barge cruising. Many of the barges are large and heavy enough to laugh at the often rough water in March and April. And now, a lot of water sports folks are wearing wet suits, which allow them to enjoy skiing, tubing, boarding and jet skiing when the water is still a bit frigid. We will discuss and consider extending the Fuel Center summer schedule at both ends of the season.

Q:     It seems like we are seeing more and more trees cut on lake lots and around the lake. Is the number increasing, or is just my imagination?

A:     It is not your imagination. Shareholders now are building colossal houses on very small lots and steep lots previously thought to be unbuildable. Our rules allow them to remove whatever trees are necessary for constructing improvements on the lot. With site grading, houses, porches, decks, pools, garages, carports, storage buildings, shop buildings, gazebos, piers, sidewalks, circular driveways, parking areas, retaining walls and aerobic systems, there is not much room left for trees on most lots. Then, they may cut 20 percent of the remaining trees over 10 inches in diameter for landscaping purposes, once each five years. There are no rules about cutting trees less than 10 inches in diameter.

We also have a lot of gas well drilling going on, and they typically require a drilling pad that is flat and clear of trees and about 300 feet by 200 feet in size plus the truck access road. That is at least an acre and a half. Factor in the cutting being done by Rusk County Electric Co-op to provide us with adequate electrical power and to minimize the risk of outages, and the count goes up even higher. It is definitely not your imagination