Rain

Has Lakeside been getting much rain? Is the lake rising?

The Lake is noticeably higher than I've seen it in my 3 years here.

In Chula Vista I recorded 4.5 mm last week and 2 mm this week-to-date.

SunFan

So, if a person arrives in Ajijic in December they will probably see the lake higher than if they were there in March?

Much higher.

Some lakeside trivia.....

The depth of Lake Chapala is measured with a locally defined benchmark, called the cota. This benchmark was established around 1897 by Luis P. Ballesteros, with cota 100 defined as the bottom of the keystone of the sixth arch of the bridge over the Rıo Santiago in Ocotlan. Unfortunately the bridge was destroyed in 1965).

The elevation of 100 cotas was later determined to be 1,526.80 meters above sea level.

SunFan

Here is a link to the website with the definitive info on the lake
http://ceajalisco.gob.mx/chapala.html
Enjoy

According to data from Lake Chapala Weathernet, the lake was much higher in 2011 and considerably higher in 2012.

2014 LOW 93.15M HIGH 94.10M
2013 LOW 93.08M HIGH 94.05M
2012 LOW 94.04M HIGH 94.53M
2011 LOW 95.20M HIGH 95.44M

Since we are at the end of the rainy season and well below the 2012 high, I rather doubt we'll reach that this year. We could end up slightly higher than last year but also remember the drop in the lake over the dry season was much less last year as well.

As rainy seasons go, this one was very cloudy but not all that wet.

With a bit of luck that latest disturbance off the Pacific coast will go hurricane and make a slow wet pass and give us an Oct surprise, it's happened before.

Looking at the shoreline in Ajijic, the water is higher than it was last year at this time. Water is just starting to go under the Tequila Republic at the end of the pier. It didn't get quite that far last year.

I agree with Bob. The lake looks higher despite what Maincoons numbers are telling us.

I judge by where the water is relative to a lakeshore situated eventos

The shoreline is definitely higher than last year.

Go figure.

They aren't my numbers, they are the official government lake level measurements that are published on Chapalaweathernet.

Believe them or not. The lake probably is higher than at this exact time last year and should rise a few centimeters higher yet. The maximum figure for each year is usually hit sometime in mid to late October. We would have to go back and find the level for the end of September of last year to make a valid comparison.

What concerns me is that the drop during the dry season last year was much less than the usual 1.4 meters or so. If we end up only slightly above last year's high and return to the higher dry season drop, the lake is going to be a lot lower at the beginning of the rainy season next year.

Well, it may be the official end of rainy season, but right now (8:30pm on Wednesday, 1 October 2014), it's POURING here in Jocotepec! Fingers crossed for much more.

Yeah, we got a nice rain last night too!

Chapala weathernet showed 0.3 inch, 7.6 mm.

Still raining in Chapala Haciendas...love it, so beautiful!!

After last night we're up to 3.5 cm (1.4 in.) in Chula Vista this week.

At this rate we'll soon loose the 9 hole Riberas Lakeshore Golf Course!

SunFan

It's coming down really good still, nice and WET, how about where you all are at?

Chapalagringa wrote:It's coming down really good still, nice and WET, how about where you all are at?

It's raining on  my pizza.....

we ate our delicias dominos last night before the rain-yum!

Glad you ate it before the rain! *giggles* was that on top of the rain or beneath the rain? oh yes, in front of the rain vs behind the rain. Was your cheese on top of the pizza from Dominos?

slainte39, go inside and eat your pizza! Were you baking it outside?

With last nights rain (and its still raining in SAT where I am) we've measured 8+ cm or 3.2 in. since Monday.

From my vantage the Riberas 9 holer on the lakeshore is now a marsh.

SunFan

1.5 inches in Ajijic last night (Friday night).

Z

Was in Irapuato Thurs. nite - a terrific overnight storm with a LOT of rain.  Crossing over the Lerma yesterday on Hwy. 110 near La Barca and noticed that the river is flowing well, no doubt helping the Lake level.

That's nice to hear. Hopefully they are getting the same rain (or more) further up the river beyond the dams. Another long dam opening would really make a difference.

According to the Guadalajara Reporter,

"Lake Chapala’s water level is surging thanks to torrential rains brought on by tropical storms that pounded the country during September and filled dams throughout the Lerma-Chapala watershed to the brim.

"According to October 2 figures released by the National Water Commission (Conagua), the lake has now surpassed the total recuperation registered in 2013, and run-off is still gushing in from the Lerma River at a rate of 136.2 cubic meters (136,200 liters) per second.

"The latest Conagua report shows all but two of the 11 largest dams located in the Lerma-Chapala watershed filled at close to or above 100percent capacity. The agency began releasing excess liquid in the latter half of September as a string of potent storms brewed in the Pacific Ocean."