Hi! I was planning on signing up for wildflower long course when I heard there is no water!!! I usually stay at Harris creek so we depend on the boat shuttles… Has anyone heard the latest status on that??
Thanks for the input and happy holidays!!
There was a note sent out recently by TriCal (although I can’t find it now) and if I remember correctly, they said they are working on contingency plan, and the swim and the swim might be at Harris Creek. I will search a little more for the note. In it they said that there is currently far more than enough water in the lake to have the swim.
I just camped there on my way up north and i was the only one in the entire park, and yes the lake is dry. There is some water near the dam, but it will all hinge on if and when any rain falls. I did the race in the 80’s once when the lake was this dry and we had to move the transition to the small body of water up against the dam, no big deal really. I hope that the rain gods will fall in line for Terry, but it looks like there will be an alternative if not. Worst case scenario is a duathlon i guess, not ideal but the wildflower experience is so much more than just the race. It is such a great trip and weekend that losing the swim there would not be nearly as bad as some other race where you just blow in and out and the race is everything.
Really weird to look out at a lakefront campsite and see that you can run across the lake by hopping over a tiny creek. Was really cool to be there all alone though, reminded me of the old days when i would go a week early to get there before the crowds, just me and all the deer that love to stroll right up to your camp…
Thanks! I love going up there so I’ll just cross my fingers!
I got this off FB this morning.
Even though Lake San Antonio water levels are very low (5% of capacity) we are moving forward in the planning of the race. “We will definitely have the Wildflower Triathlons in 2014,” says Terry Davis, race director since 1983. “This is the lowest I have seen the laket,” says Terry, “but it looks worse that it really is. There are still 2.5 miles of water from Harris Creek to the dam. So even today triathletes could swim the long course swim in the lake if they wanted too.” Davis continues “The good news is that if we get normal rains we should be back to our swim start at the Lynch area. In a worse-case scenario we would have the swim from Harris Creek like we had to do in 1993.” Tri-California has already met with the Monterey County Parks Department and we are thrilled to announce we should have a practice course set up at Harris Creek by January 15th.
Well hope fully we do get some good rain (and for more reasons than Triathlon.) Must have been a bit strange to have been the only one around the park. the deer are nice, the wild pigs not so much 
Agree that it would still be a great weekend, even if the swim is cancelled. It is about more than just the time racing, and even that is way beyond a normal race.
Anyone know if there are any updates on this?
I thought I recently read that the marina had been closed due to low water levels and I wonder if the race will go off as planned. Not much rain around and nothing really forecast as well.
as of about 2 weeks ago, the report was that the race will move forward, but likely with a swim start at Harris Creek.
Race director is stil saying the race is on. Check with him to see if there will be a refund if no swim.
We are having zero rain is California. If I had to bet, I would guess no swim. Harris Creek—maybe.
I signed up for St George, the same day as Wilflower. Weather can be unpredictable there also.
I signed up for St George, the same day as Wilflower. Weather can be unpredictable there also.
Yup, it’s a crap shoot with Oside, WF and ST George.
The Monterey County Water Resources Agency posts daily data here. The latest Tri-California update is: “The lake level as it stands today still has a capacity large enough to run all of our swim course distances.”
This was taken Jan 13, looks like enough water for a swim.
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Maybe a swim ala Vineman (swim-walkers rejoice!)?
I think I’ll wait until next year. With water levels that low there’s likely to be more potential for bacterial issues, algae blooms, etc. That is certainly not a healthy ecosystem for fish right now.
The drought in California is brutal. Who knows, maybe it will rain in February, March and April and things will be fine but for now I’m not pulling the trigger on registration.
That was my thought, you could swim in it, but would you want to… No idea about San Antonio, but fetid lakes without any fresh water supply get kinda gross… Tri Cal is going to have a tough year with this one I think. Although there is a bit of rain in the Paso forecast
I feel kind of bad. I love Wildflower, I had long since decided that it will be a staple of my season that I’d do every year as long as I lived in the area but I’m leaning increasingly towards passing this year.
Last year the water was warm and a little gross for the half, full of pond scum and excess algae probably from the warmer weather. The thought of going to considerably less water that will almost certainly be warmer and dirtier is just not attractive to me right now.
This will be my first year at Wildflower and I think it’ll work out well… I’m sure it’ll be fun anyway and I won’t be spoiled by perfect conditions so I can confidently look forward to next year being even better!
Alex
Man I remember when then water was so high, that it was only 2" from the top of the pier, but that year there was alot of rain and snow in the mountains, just my 2 cents
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This was taken Jan 13, looks like enough water for a swim.
However that’s a good mile from Lynch and at least 300 yards from Harris Creek. Longest T1 in the history of triathlon in the making.
Anybody have updates on this? Has anybody been to the lake lately? I haven’t heard anything from the organizers except the race is still on. This will be my first WF and it promises to be a memorable one.
Accdg to this site, no change. 5% capacity
http://www.mcwra.co.monterey.ca.us/Agency_data/ReservoirData/CurrentReservoirData/ReservoirData.pdf