To The Editor: When will the annual river drawdown begin?

“Do you know when the Corps of Engineers is lowering the water level on the Parker Strip?”

– Nancy

I haven’t lived in Parker long enough to remember the 10-foot drawdowns that would happen annually and expose much of the riverbed to the open air. For the past number of years, the annual drawdown has been only about a foot or so, from 364.40 feet in elevation to 363.40 feet. The drawdown allows the Colorado River Indian Tribes to perform maintenance on its canal systems, which serve the entire agricultural valley south of Parker. So, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs coordinate to make it happen.

To answer your question Nancy, this annual drawdown will begin Monday, January 4th, 2016 (and should be at the lower level by that afternoon). It’ll remain like that for about 2 weeks, returning to its normal elevation by Tuesday, January 19th, 2016.

The usual disclaimers apply: a lower elevation may expose some sandbars and other stuff not normally so close to the surface, so use caution when you’re out on the Strip. If you’re like me, you prefer an un-dinged prop!

JW