The lake level is 557.73 and has dropped 4-inches in the last 24-hours. They cut spillway gates last night during the rain threat but they back up to an equivalent of 1-3/4 generators now. They are running one generator continuously. We received about 1/2 inch of rain here at Blackburns about 5:PM with no increased wind. The wind is much less this morning and the ambient temperature is 60-degrees at noon with sunshine. The cold front is making for much lower temperatures and we could get down to near freezing tomorrow night. They have backed up the forecasted date to reach the 553.75 lake level to the 2nd of May and seem to be trying to regulate the White River to 21-feet. It is 21.36 feet now and leveled off after dropping rapidly for the last few days and they have cut back the spillway gates at Bull Shoals and are now predicting it to reach the top of their power pool on May 10th. Norfork Lake was at 559.15, the White River at Newport was 23.58, the surface water temperature was 61 and we received over 2-inches of rain on this date last year and we flooded out later. At least we are a little lower now but they are employing the same tactics as last year and the only thing that can change is if we get dry. We missed the storm again yesterday but they got it pretty bad just north of us in Missouri. I watched it go by off the dock and it looked like it was about Gainsville but never heard. All of my boaters were smart enought to come in early and I was checking on them. Catching a fish is not worth dying for. The water clarity is getting better and I could see my lure down about 4-feet yesterday. There are some huge bass under Blackburns Dock now and people are having a fun time catching them along with bluegill and some crappie and catfish. It gives them something to do when it is too windy to go out in a boat. Blackburns will be nearly full starting tomorrow with people taking advantage of the best prices in the Ozarks on both cabins and boat rentals. It is all I can do to keep up with. If you are not staying at Blackburns you are paying too much. Some are even be charged for their first boat stall. Not here. We like our customers.
