would you find a crashed plane that no one else could 2 decades before.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361284,00.html

quote:

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FRITCH, Texas — Investigators have identified two men who were aboard a plane found on a receding, drought-stricken lake in the Texas Panhandle after disappearing for 24 years.

Steven Lampe was the pilot of the small, two-seat Beech 77. Larry Lucas was his passenger, officials said.

The 25-year-old pilot and a passenger died in the crash, according to a National Transportation Safety Board report.

The plane and bodies never turned up during a six-day diving search.

John Ware, 18, and Greg Daly, 16, both of Fritch, were canoeing at the Lake Meredith National Recreation Area when they discovered the wreckage Friday.

National Park Service officials said the discovery on Lake Meredith was confirmed to be the fuselage the plane, which disappeared during a two-hour flight on Jan. 27, 1984. A fisherman found part of the plane's landing gear the next day.

Park service personnel have closed the area around the wreckage so they can investigate the site, spokeswoman Rozanna Pfeiffer said.

Lake Meredith, about 20 miles north of Amarillo, is at just 8 percent of its capacity of 500,000 acre-feet, according to the latest monthly report from the Texas Water Development Board.

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WAR EAGLE!
GIG 'EM!


2008 Auburn Football
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAIAp2CLw2o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4EHfYLzQdo
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"Camaro" Larry Lucas

Wow, the lake must be really low.

It is really low! 45 feet last report.

When the plane crashed the lake was over 80 ft...now I think its around 24 feet or so...

This is a pic from the north side of Martins Canyon last November. You can see the lake on the left.


Here's a lake map:

Wow

Wow. to both the plane and to how low Meredith is. I had no idea it was doing so poorly...

Pretty amazing picture and map. I thought West Texas had received good rainfall the last few years?

I think it has more to do with an agreement made between Texas and New Mexico that it not being held up. Apparently New Mexico had agreed to let off some water from Lake Ute but hasn't done so.

I remember when that plane went missing. They knew it was in the lake but the divers could never find it. The lake used to be really deep.

quote:

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I thought West Texas had received good rainfall the last few years?

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Up here in the Panhandle, it's been pretty bad.

I've been told that it has been worse around home during the last year than it was during the Dust Bowl. According to an old friend who keeps careful records of rainfall, the total rainfall from last July to a week ago in Oslo was about 4 inches. A typical year is supposed to be about 20 inches.

About 4 years ago, I heard a meteorologist say that it would take a 40 inch rainfall to get Meredith back to 50% capacity. That is one rainfall, not 40 inches in a year.

Hmmm... Sounds to me like those who said to NEVER build a lake in the Texas Panhandle because of the gyp/limestone/sandstone base rock would never "hold water" must have known what they were talking about and those who insisted and went ahead and built Meredith anyway are now a bit red faced...??

AAAAAg

2 major problems

1. WAY TOO many salt cedar are killing lake meredith

2. New Mexico Lakes up stream aren't releasing water to allow recharge for Meredith.

3) No freaking rain

doc any rain up there lately?

I drove from Amarillo to Dumas the other day. Didn't turn off to go to Meredith, but the Canadian River seemed to be flowing fairly well. We have had some recent rains. Admittedly, I don't get up there much, so I am not sure how full the Canadian River usually is.

http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/webdata/gagedata/MRIT2.20080717.html

Elevation was 2859.28 today.

One month ago:

http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/webdata/gagedata/MRIT2.20080617.html

2859.00

Two months ago

http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/webdata/gagedata/MRIT2.20080517.html

2860.70

http://www.amarillo.com/stories/072108/new_news1.shtml

quote:

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f it's not one thing it's another in the decade-long assault on Lake Meredith.

The lines where water once lapped at the shore now can be seen high on the cliffs around the lake. And in the red mud along parts of the water line are monuments to just how full the lake can be. There is everything from twisted metal chairs to car engines and all the little cans and unrecognizable pieces of metal, wood and plastic people threw into deep water.

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Could the problem also be Amarillo growing - and sucking more water out of the lake than anticipated?