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With thirty-seven years of experience, Lycott has developed specific methodology for the successful implementation of lake-level drawdown in most water bodies. Providing the weather conditions are conducive, it is recommended that the water level be drawn down during the middle of September and no later than early October. The water level should be drawn down at a rate of approximately one to two inches per day.
Drawing the water level down at this rate and time of year allows certain aquatic organisms such as fresh water mussels, crayfish, turtles and amphibians to migrate to deeper portions of the water body to overwinter.
The lowered water level should be maintained during November and December until there is a prolonged period (5-7 days) of temperatures below 15° F, or the hydrology budget and weather conditions dictate refilling. In other words, if the water body has a small watershed and it will take a considerable amount of time to refill, the process of refilling should take place during late December or early January, regardless of the weather conditions. This will allow the water body to refill prior to the spring. The water body should not be in a lowered condition during the spring and/or early summer, as terrestrial plants will flourish on the exposed sediment.
