THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 29, 1995 TAG: 9508290431
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
A look at some of the major waters in the South Hampton Roads water-supply system. This reckoning was before the smattering of rain received in recent days:
Lake Whitehurst, Norfolk: This 485-acre impoundment is down about four feet, according to fishing station spokesman Richard Willey. ``Some fellows with boats over 14 feet long are having trouble launching, although I did launch a 17-footer one morning,'' Willey said. ``The fishing has been pretty slow. Some areas, like the Pits, where there's normally 30 feet of water, can't be reached unless you want to pull your boat over dry land.''
Lake Smith, Virginia Beach: This 228-acre lake is down between 4 1/2-5 feet, according to Mac McCosh of the fishing station. The ramp is closed and being repaired, so boat fishing is limited to small craft which can be launched by hand.
Little Creek Reservoir, Virginia Beach: This 191-acre body of water is connected to Lake Smith, so when one drops, the other goes with it. That means it's 4 1/2-5 feet below normal. The ramp is closed to boats on trailers. Only small craft may be launched by hand.
Lake Cohoon, Suffolk: The 510-acre lake is down 4 feet, 3 inches, according to Mike Gizara, who operates the fishing station. The launching ramp was closed as of Wednesday.
Lake Meade, Suffolk: This 512-acre lake is down 1 foot, 6 inches, according to Gizara. The ramp remains open. ``The fishing hasn't been all that bad,'' Gizara said. ``I'm just worried that they're going to start dropping this lake even more.''
Lake Kilby, Suffolk: This 222-acre impoundment is down only a couple of feet, according to Gizara. The ramp remains open. ``Fishing really hasn't been all that affected,'' he said. ``The lake is 15 to 20 feet in a lot of places.''
Lake Prince, Suffolk: Because it is so deep, more than 30 feet in some spots, this 777-acre lake has not been as adversely impacted as others. The ramp is still open and all areas of the lake are accessible. However, the water level is down between five and six feet, according to John Hilton of the Lake Prince Fishing Station. ``So far,'' he said, ``we're still in pretty decent shape.''
Western Branch Reservoir, Suffolk: The largest man-made lake in Hampton Roads at 1,579 acres, this impoundment is perhaps the least-affected by low water. That's because it's also the deepest, with 48 feet the maximum and several areas in excess of 30 feet. The level is down about five feet, but anglers are still making some good hauls. The ramp is open. ``We're in good shape,'' said Melody Gregory of the fishing station.
Lake Burnt Mills, Suffolk: This 610-acre lake is just down the road from Western Branch and is served by the same fishing station. Yet it has been adversely impacted by the dry weather. That's because it's a relatively shallow, stump-pocked impoundment. The level is down about four feet from normal and you can use the ramp.
KEYWORDS: DROUGHT by CNB