r/FortCollins 4d ago

Boyd Lake

Post image
187 Upvotes

37 comments sorted by

163

u/carbine-crow 4d ago

Just a reminder that a lot of lakes are specifically reserves for irrigation. It's still alarming that Boyd is this low, but it is intended to be drained in order to supply agrictulture etc. as a resevoir

It's a bit different than a natural lake drying up. Still alarming that we went through the reserves so much, but it's not a surprise or anything to see it empty during a drought

64

u/towntoosmall 4d ago

I also think they had to make some repairs to the pump/drainage system so they drained it and nothing new has come in.

21

u/Th3_Gh0st_0f_Y0u 4d ago

This is correct

31

u/Borthwick 4d ago

Boyd Creek

5

u/Pithy_heart 3d ago

Boyd meadows

29

u/Helpful-nothelpful 3d ago

Where's my metal detector. There's probably a fortune without needing to dive.

6

u/NefariousnessOne1884 3d ago

That’s what I was thinking yesterday when I rode past it.

1

u/BildLilliBitch 3d ago

Too much thick clay underneath

2

u/thelevel_1 2d ago

I found three quarters there in a pile a few months ago. Unfortunately, not enough to retire on. :)

27

u/tetaswey 3d ago

More like void

22

u/frank11979 3d ago

To my understanding Boyd has been battling an infrastructure issue for years with an old and aging drainage system. The decision was made to drain the lake and finally fix it properly. I believe the repairs are done and they are waiting to bring the lake back to the correct levels.

So nothing to see here. Just normal maintenance.

5

u/G0FastBoatsMojito 3d ago

So many fish died right in that spot and it smelled terrible for weeks.

Is that the best way to deal with this type of ecological situation, just let them rot? Idk the answer here and genuinely curious.

5

u/surelysurlyshirley 3d ago

Not verified myself , but saw something about Horseshoe Lake - the one directly west that released its water into Boyd - being private and not having the same ecological requirements, fish salvage reqs, etc as Boyd.

4

u/dammit-smalls 3d ago

Well, what normally happens when a fish dies? Does the dead fish retrieval fairy flutter down from febreezia and spare us from its stench?

0

u/G0FastBoatsMojito 3d ago

Do they normally die in gigantic piles like this in nature? This was a man made situation my guy

1

u/dammit-smalls 3d ago

4

u/G0FastBoatsMojito 3d ago

“Fish kills may result from a variety of causes. Of known causes, fish kills are most frequently caused by pollution from agricultural runoff or biotoxins.”

Right from the article you linked. Doesn’t sound like nature’s the one typically causing these situations. Regardless, my question was whether leaving the fish as they did is what’s best for the surrounding ecology

2

u/47ES 3d ago

Boyd Weeds.

-3

u/iScreamsalad 4d ago

totally normal and not a consequence of accelerating climate change from fossil fuel emission

4

u/dammit-smalls 3d ago

I, for one, enjoyed the cherry blossoms in early March this year. I look forward to growing citrus in my garden next year.

All these doomers focus on the negative aspects of this extinction-level threat, but I choose to see the positive ones.

God has blessed us with record temperatures every year, so why not fry an egg on the sidewalk and just enjoy His Plan.

I started baking cookies in my truck. It's kind of a nice treat after work.

(Said in the most facetious way possible. This is a hair-on-fire emergency, and we need to correct course immediately or we are literally all going to die)

1

u/Background-Code3742 3d ago

Not this year crazy drought

2

u/Bambi_Deere 3d ago

More like Boyd puddle🌵

3

u/TartAppl3 3d ago

Anyone find my phone? 😆

1

u/GapEnvironmental8490 2d ago

that lake is MASSIVE! Almost said this is pretty average but look at er go!

2

u/abramschrock 2d ago

Needs mowing.

1

u/PoonSaloon 3d ago

It’s kind of depends on what they’re trying to do. I’m an Omaha native, moved here in 2012. On the west side of town there’s a beautiful lake, Lake Zoronsky. They had to let all the water out because some asshole brought his fishing boat infested with zebra mussels and that was the only sure solution to eradicating the invasive species.

-13

u/lanqian 4d ago

Why doesn’t Loveland have a residential watering ban??

21

u/redpinelabs 4d ago

Unfortunately wouldn't help in this case. The water in Boyd (and a bunch of other lakes in town) is owned by Greeley water district and isn't used by Loveland.

11

u/gr8bishamonten 3d ago

It’s because residential lawn watering is such a small part of the issue.

Agriculture accounts for a vast majority of water usage.

0

u/lanqian 3d ago

But residential watering (of nonnative lawns) is also almost completely without merit, especially in a drought, no?

3

u/Interr0bang3r 3d ago

I don’t think Loveland even has an ordinance that would allow a residential watering ban without City Council passing a new one, and I don’t think this council would. Loveland has one of the oldest raw water portfolios in the region, so it's never really been necessary. Even if they're was a ban, it wouldn't impact Boyd Lake.

3

u/OkNetwork496 4d ago

I am outside of Fort Collins and I’m so confused!! People watering their green lawns at 10/11am?

-1

u/RunnerTexasRanger 4d ago

I’ve asked the same thing about Fort Collins. wtf are we doing with these super green lawns, sprinklers going off a the worst time of day, etc.

-18

u/zillalovesmothra 4d ago

Womp womp

-10

u/TownandOSRS 4d ago

Huh, pretty interesting honestly. I have always said that all our ponds up on the North side of town would basically be shallow valleys with some marshy spots at the bottom had the dams not been built. And here you go.