Friends of Lake McQueeney


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Welcome To The FOLM Website

Friends of Lake McQueeney (FOLM) is a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining and improving the quality of Lake McQueeney, Texas, for the enjoyment of all those who live, work, and play on our Lake.

This site is primarily designed for our members to access information  and news about FOLM and the Lake, contact board members, and find useful links to other sites that may be helpful.

Annual Membership Meeting, June 4th.

Plan to attend the annual meeting for members of the Friends of Lake McQueeney an Saturday, June 4th, at 10 AM. The meeting is at
The McQueeney Lions Club
3211 FM 78
Catch up with what your organization has been doing and enjoy getting together with your fellow members. If you haven't joined or renewed you membership, you can do so at the meeting.


Slow Down For Police Boats With Flashing Lights
Slow Down For Police
There seems to be wide spread lack of knowledge regarding a relatively new boating law. It reads as follows:

"Sec. 31.123. REQUIRED RESPONSE TO POLICE WATER SAFETY VESSEL. The operator of a vessel underway, on sighting a rotating or flashing blue beacon light, shall reduce power immediately and bring the vessel to a no-wake speed and subsequent stop until the intention of the water safety vessel is understood."

It the same as slowing down on the highway when a Trooper has a vehicle stopped.

This protects the safety of the officers and the occupants of the stopped boat, plus the potential for damage to the vessels. When a boat is stopped and another boat comes by causing even a small wake, boats bounce together with a potential for injury and/or damage.

This is common courtesy. Please note and adhere to this statute. You or your children may be the ones involved. Please protect all personnel and watercraft involved..

Notice: GBRA Now Requires Permit For Stump/Tree Removal

If you wish to cut stumps from the water in the vicinity of your property,
check out the new GBRA guidelines and permit requirements here:
Stump Removal Guidelines/Process

Can You Recognize If Someone Is Drowning?


           Think You Know If Someone Is Drowning When You See It?

            Maybe Not!  

           Check Out This Article For Revealing Information.









New GBRA Lake Restrictions


The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) has established additional restrictions on lake use. Here is a summary of the new restrictions:
-No watercraft with sleeping quarters permitted such as houseboats.
-No high performance watercraft, except those with manufactured mufflers and exhaust or which exit thru the transome.
-No Airboats (except by law enforcement or by permit).
-Boat length can be no more than 24 feet.
-Pontoon boat length can be no more than 28 feet.
-Pontoon airplanes prohibited from lake.
-Ban on towing of inflatable boats, tubes, air mattresses, or playthings on July 4th, as determined by GBRA.
-Ban on use of personal watercraft (PWC's, jet-skis, wave runners) on July 4th, as determined by GBRA.

NOTE: These restrictions apply to all 6 of the hydro lakes along the Guadalupe River.

To see the full GBRA order, click HERE



How Does The Flood of 2010 Compare?


GBRA reports that the water flow at the McQueeney Dam peaked at 46,000 cfs (cubic feet per second). That places the flood level above the 2004 level, approaching the 2002 level. For comparison, the 1998 flood was over 200,000 cfs. The good news is this flood was of much shorter duration than the one in 2002. Normal water flow can range from about 200 to 5000 cfs.

Are you prepared for future flooding?
Review Your Knowledge Here


NBU Permits Include Nutrient Limits


Thanks to our outstanding working relationship with New Braunfels Utility (NBU), and based on their latest permit from the Texas Commission On Environmental Quality (TCEQ), they are making modifications to their two Kuehler waste water treatment plants that will lower the Phosphate levels below 3.0 and most of the time they will be closer to 2.0. This will help with the water quality coming downstream from Lake Dunlap.  This improved treatment should be operational by Sept.-Oct.

After receiving new permits from TCEQ, they will also begin construction on a new waste water treatment plant on the Highway 46 side of the river just below Lake Dunlap Dam. This new plant will handle the growth on the east side of the river where major developments are taking place on the IH 35 corridor. This plant will take at least three years to come on-line but it will meet strict water quality standards with very clean effluent.


Go to our NBU Wastewater News page for more information CLICK HERE.


Public Boat Ramp Status


Every week we get emails asking about the boat ramp situation on the Lake. Since the closing of McQueeney Marina, there are currently NO public ramps or private, fee based boat ramps on Lake McQueeney. Existing boat ramps are either those that belong to various subdivisions for their residents use or ramps on private property. GBRA is looking at the situation in conjunction other state agencies as they develop their Lake Management Plan. We will post any updates on the situation as they occur.



FOLM partners with the Guadalupe Basin Coalition in Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program (EARIP)

Click Here for more about FOLM’s active role in protecting the aquifer, our springs, river flow, and water sources.
This will be one of the most important issues we deal with in the coming years.

EARIP Comes To Funding Agreement- See Article




Invasives Hide Here. Clean Your Boat. Save Your Lake.

Do You Move Your Boat To And From Different Lakes?

What you can’t see can damage your boat and harm Texas lakes.

Zebra mussels are an invasive species that produce millions of microscopic larvae that can hide in your boat. Adults reach 1 ½ inches and attach to your boat’s motor, hull and to other hard surfaces. Zebra mussels can seriously hamper your boat’s performance and are devastating to our native plants, fish and wildlife.  They also threaten our water supply.

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Watch this short video to learn how you save your boat and our lakes by preventing the spread of zebra mussels when you properly clean, drain and dry your boat, trailer and gear.

Learn more about zebra mussels at www.TexasInvasives.org.

Hello Zebra Mussels. Goodbye Texas Lakes.

Video on how to stop the spread of invasive species

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Remember GBRA Watercraft Rules and Regulations


The rules and regulations to the right were passed during the March 22, 2006 Guadalupe- Blanco River Authority’s Board of Directors meeting. Representatives from theTexas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office and Lake- Wide Associations met with GBRA staff to consider regulations to enhance water safety regarding the equipment and operation of towed or pulled recreation devices; and to discuss water-safety issues in general. A Resolution was drafted and reviewed by the TPWD, Sheriff’s Office and the Lake-Wide Associations before being presented to the GBRA Board. The GBRA Resolution establishes rules and regulations for the equipment and operation of certain recreational devices referred to as and Regulations For Lake Dunlap, Lake McQueeney, Lake Placid, Lake Nolte (Meadow Lake), Lake H-4 (Lake Gonzales) and Lake H-5 (Lake Wood) in Comal, Guadalupe and Gonzales counties.

Special Traffic Rules For Treasure Island Bridge

GBRA has also established “traffic lanes” under the Treasure Island Bridge. Click the link below to see the map that shows the “lanes” for boats and PWCs passing under the bridge. Any jet ski (PWC) passing under the bridge will be at a no wake speed. Signage will also be posted on the bridge to designate lanes.

Fishing, stopping or anchoring within 100 feet of the bridge is prohibited. The towing of tubes or other inflatables is prohibited under the bridge.

See Map of Traffic Lanes

GBRA's Resolution plus other Resolutions currently in place can be found on the GBRA website, www.gbra.org, under Lake Management.

Note: GBRA has restricted traffic upstream by PWC's (jet skis and wave runners) from the powerhouse across from the Bandit to the Dunlap Dam. See here for more details.

- Fixed Ramps, Rails Prohibited
The installation of fixed ramps, rails, or other devices for the use of riding or sliding with a wake-board is prohibited.

- Wakesurfing Prohibited
The use of a motor powered boat or PWC to create a wake for use of a surfboard will be classified as a hazardous wake, and is prohibited. It is the intent of this restriction to recognize the limited size and narrow features of the referenced lakes, and the destructive shoreline affect resulting from a hazardous wake that is required for surfing.

- Hazardous Wake Prohibited
The intentional use, modification, or operation of a motor powered boat or PWC to create a wake will be classified as a hazardous wake if the wake exceeds the level necessary for utilization for recreation, or causes a wave action that will damage shoreline property and is prohibited.

- Towing or Pulling of Inflatables
A motor powered boat or PWC towing or pulling of an inflatable device, or other devise known as a “water-toy” herein referred to as “inflatable” that is attached by rope or other method to a motor powered boat or PWC must be operated so that the motor powered boat or PWC AND the “inflatable” maintain a minimum distance of 50 feet from another vessel, the shoreline, or a fixed structure at all times, except when operating at head-way speed. This regulation does not apply to an operator or individual pulling or towing a skier or wake-boarder utilizing a hand-held rope or lanyard.

Violations of these regulations is a Class C misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of $25 to $500.


Progress on Control Dam

Comal County Commissioners approved a $4.8-million contract with Hayward Baker of Houston for the construction of the cut off wall at the Dry Comal Creek. After the cutoff wall is complete, and groundwater is prevented from moving beneath the location of the proposed dam, construction will resume on the rest of the project. Now that this contract is in place, with construction starting soon, Commissioners are hopeful that they are back on track with that project, which must be mostly complete by this summer in order to receive federal funding.

On behalf of FOLM, Gary Spence thanked the Commissioners in a letter that can be seen at the KGNB website .

 Click on the links to the left or above to explore the site. If you have any suggestions for useful additions to this site, please go to:
Contact FOLM

Have some fun pictures (old or new) you want to share?

If they are related to Lake McQueeney, contact Rick Thelen via the contact page. We will try to put new pictures on the site from time to time to keep it interesting.

email address: 

 

 
 
  

Friends of Lake McQueeney •  P.O. Box 781, McQueeney, Texas, 78123