The water level at the dam was 17,200 acre-feet on Saturday,Aug. 9, at noon. 
    This is 23,700 acre-feet less than on July 2.  Over the past few months the drastically dropping water levels are creating larger, lower shorelines and cutting down on fishing success in the main lake.  Wipers, Walleye and Catfish are still being caught at the stilling basin and in Lake Hasty.  The west boat ramp is now out of the water and closed.
    The Corps of Engineers, Division of Wildlife and Colorado State Park Service work collaboratively at the dam and surrounding areas.  The corps deals mainly with flood and irrigation water storage, D.O.W is generally responsible for wildlife issues and the park service concentrates on camping, boating and interpretive park programs.  
    Lieutenant Colonel Kim Colloton is the new commander for the Albuquerque District of the Corps of Engineers.  John Martin Dam is within this jurisdiction.  Colloton, the first woman to command this district, has a Bachelor degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Masters degree from Stanford University.  She plans to visit all the district offices in the near future.
    Duane Nelson, biologist for the Corps and the D.O.W. announces success with a few Piping Plover youngsters this year on the south side of the dam.  They are now airborne.  Our reservoir is one of the few areas in the state where the endangered Least Terns and Piping Plovers are slowly increasing in numbers.  Please observe the restricted areas on the south side and northwest wildlife areas, both on land and in the water along the shorelines.  They are set up to protect the nesting areas for these birds.
    Several Zebra mussels, a tiny, invasive clam-like Mollusk were found in Pueblo Reservoir this past winter.  Barb VanWinkle, boating ranger at John Martin State Park announces that all boats going into the water are now being inspected to avoid contamination into our reservoir.  Research shows that this little creature has already cost businesses and industries billions of dollars for removal.  It quickly invades and attaches its colonies to surfaces in the water making it particularly costly to water treatment plants and similar industries.  Sandy Bemiss, visitor services manager at the park office has flyers available that explain all procedures necessary for boaters to assist in this effort.  The D.O.W. also has detailed information at http://dnr.state.co.us/newsapp/press.asp?pressid=4722 and http://dnr.state.co.us/newsapp/press.asp?pressid=5200.

    Nancy Idler, the new interpretive park ranger announces some weekly interpretive programs: 
     Dinosaur Tracks, Interference Ripples and Iron Concretions by Idler, Friday Aug. 15, 7 p.m. at the west boat ramp.  A parks pass is required.  Note; similar types of these concretions were found on the planet Mars recently by one of the NASA Rovers.  Nicknamed ‘blueberries’, they are theorized to be hematite concretions, similar to the iron concretions in this presentation.
    Medicine on the Santa Fe Trail by Don Headlee, Saturday Aug. 16, 7 p.m. at the Visitors Center/Park Office.  Headlee gave this presentation on May 24 at the Las Animas Library.  Headlee is a historical and cultural interpreter for the Corps of Engineers. He has been personally involved with interpretive work at Bents Old Fort National Historic site for about 28 years.  His last 20 years of interpretation there has involved the character of Edward Hempstead, a Doctor at the Fort during 1846, 1847.  His extensive research into this role has equipped him with knowledge of the medicines of that era on the Santa Fe Trail.  He has presented papers on this era at the Pikes Peak Library District Symposium in Colorado Springs.  Headlee’s symposium papers will be included in an upcoming book by the Pikes Peak Library District. Headlee is also known for his work and expertise with Zebulon Pike.  He was involved with setting up the stone marker near John Martin Reservoir commemorating the spot where Pike first saw the mountain that now bears his name. 

    Steve Keefer from D.O.W. states that a fire ban is still in effect and applies to all campers and visitors on the south side of the dam as well as on the north side, west of the park property.  Remember to carry your Habitat Stamp with you when visiting wildlife areas.

    For more information call the Corps of Engineers at 336.3476, Steve Keefer, D.O.W. at 940.3586 and the park office at 829.1801.  For fishing, bait and other information available in Hasty, call Bud’s Live Bait at 688.2504 and Valley Grocery at 829.4810.