Happy Sunday!
Here’s a weekend waterview from Lake Norman.
It finally feels like fall has arrived here in North Carolina!
We’ve had some beautiful crisp mornings and plenty of sunshine . . .
Unfortunately, we’re experiencing moderate drought conditions and extremely dry.
You can actually watch the lake recede daily by the growing shoreline.
Duke Energy’s message on lake level conditions:
Dry weather conditions continue to persist and have resulted in lower reservoir levels for Lake Norman.
It will take time for the lake to return to the Normal Target Elevation, which is dependent on additional rainfall.
We need a tropical depression to fill the lake back up!
Most of the 224-mile Catawba River exists as a chain of seven man-made lakes,
with the longest free flowing stretch consisting of only about 17 miles.
The river feeds four additional reservoirs in South Carolina.
Lake Norman is the largest of Duke’s lakes, covering more than 32,000 acres of surface,
spanning four counties, and 520 miles of shoreline.
Created for hydropower and flood control, Lake Norman also provides drinking water
for four counties, including the city of Charlotte.
The water at the end of our dock is only four feet deep but we were able get the pontoon
out for a boat ride and enjoy some beautiful fall weather.
There are a lot more shoals and sandbars visible with our shrinking lake.
Lola and Sophie say fall is their favorite time of year to boat,
when it’s not too hot for their fur coats. . .
And perfect napping temperatures!
It’s pretty quiet on the lake with the exception of a few fishing boats.
There’s not much fall color here yet unless you count sunsets
which have been beautiful. . .
I’m afraid our leaves are going turn brown and fall off due to lack of rain
before they have a chance to turn color!
Lola and Sophie hope you’re enjoying some
beauti-fall weather where you are. ♥
Thank you for your visit!
Thank you Mary, what a lovely read. Lake Norman looks fabulous and Sophie & Lola are definitely living la dolce vita!
It’s still beautiful! Glad you could get the pontoon out safely to enjoy that fresh fall air. Sophie & Lola look like they love it. I’ve been working on a new grass section, and have been very lucky with intermittent rain and cooler temps to where I’ve only had to water lightly 4 out of the past 10 days. We actually have a frost advisory for tonight (!), but it won’t get that cold (thankfully) where we are by the river. It’s a little disappointing when the color isn’t as brilliant, but those blue skies, sunshine,dancing leaves, lake water and puffy clouds are still magical in fall! Have a good week ahead.
Yes, we are! Cold, crisp mornings but sunny and warming afternoon! Love seeing your girls boating! Thanks for the ride!!
Thank you for the boat ride Mary, beautiful water views and blue skies! We are under very dry conditions here too, and very similar weather and temps. The girls look happy to be out in the boat 🐾 Have a lovely Sunday~
Jenna
The lake is absolutely beautiful and the girls are precious. We’re in a drought here. The Mississippi River barge traffic is having a rough time. There are so many sandbars. We’ve had some more summer like weather but without the humidity. We’re enjoying the temps but we do need some rain. Enjoy your day. Clara❤️
Mary, Lola and Sophie are precious! The sunset you shared is gorgeous. We are experiencing very dry conditions as well making things difficult for the farmers and ranchers. We are starting to see a touch of fall color but not much. Hopefully, we will all receive a good soaking rain soon. Wishing you a blessed Sunday and week ahead!
Mary, your boat views are lovely. Too bad some leaves are turning brown due to lack of rain. Fall color is so gorgeous. Sophie and Lola are such cutie pies. We have rain today, so it’s a cozy day to stay inside. Happy Sunday.
My grandparents lived on a lake in Texas that was a reservoir for nearby cities. I remember so clearly those dry years when the water level was so low that their boat lift was actually over dry ground. At least with a pontoon boat, the shallow draft allows you to get it out if there’s a few feet of water underneath. Lake Norman always looks beautiful in your pictures, as do Sophie and Lola. Thanks for posting. I always enjoy seeing your surroundings and the girls.
The sunset photos are magnificent. We traveled to the Shenandoah National Park this weekend – the peak for the leaves. They were vibrant in some areas and more faded in others. The park ranger said the rainfall and wind had altered the color. Still, it was a beautiful and peaceful ride. Hoping you get the much needed rain soon!
So gorgeous, have always admired your lake life. Interesting learning about your water ways and drought, I hope its a quick fix for you this winter. At the beach on a very welcome rainy day, this is supposedly a very wet welcome winter for our drought stricken CA.
I always love seeing Lola and Sophie enjoying pontoon time. I sure hope that you get some rainfall to fill up Lake Norman. We have chances of rain here and we need it.
Happy Sunday! 🧡
So beautiful Mary! I always enjoy your posts and photos.Lola and Sophie are adorable!!! We have a mountain house in Yancey county, Western NC. The leaves are beautiful and we get snow when no one else does. Not complaining. We love it! Thank you for sharing.
I love your photos of Lake Norman. My husband grew up in Statesville and he remembers when it was dammed up. I also have an old friend who lives in Advance. I would love to see the lake.
I don’t know how I missed this beautiful post! Thank you for that beautiful boat ride!
I saw that your map has a Catawba River. Well I grew up on Catawba Island in Ohio – so that word stuck way out when I passed my cursor over it. : – )
It snowed on Halloween here – on Trick or Treat night. We hardly got any treat seekers due to that weather. Our chocolate candy to give away even froze! And my hubs always has a nice fire going in the fire pit so the kids can see us at the end of the cul-de-sac. And the candy STILL froze. And so did I and went back inside to keep warm. My hubs stayed with the fire and was a real trooper hanging in there till it was done. You can always count on him for going the distance and you can always count on me going for the comfort lol.
Lake Norman is just so beautiful. Thx again for sharing.