Drought 2007 Effects on Shelley Lake, Raleigh NC

The drought of 2007 has place central North Carolina between storms off the coast and floods in the interior cities. It is not unusual to have a batch of clear dry hot weather. That said, this has proven to be a tough year for hot weather.

Consistent with my love of the greenways, I wondered how the drought was affecting the trails. Shelley Lake loop is one of the most popular trails for a wide variety of Raleigh residents.

Older folks and young children love to go down and feed the birds. Usually there is a mix of ducks, geese and occasional seagulls. King fishers, hawks and blue heron might be sighted but show no interest in joining the feast.

The loop trail itself is as close to an exact two mile trek as you will find anywhere. This makes it a favorite of folks who are preparing for longer road races and events. The hills, though steep, give it a special appeal for some.

Benches are at a premium on this trail. Basically, they are few and far between.

For those that disdain hills, the Ironstone trail leading south from Shelley Lake offers a long flat trail that is relatively well shaded. There is a similar trail from the north end of the loop going north.

Today my interest was to find out how the drought was affecting the trail.

Raleigh Parks and Recreation has boat rentals at the lake, which is another plus for the kids both young and not so young.

The drought has not yet cut the lake level by any appreciable amount. It is a little low but seems to be holding its own. Sunday Sept 9th, when I visited the lake, the water was full of boaters. The docks were lined with fishermen. The bridge was lined with old and young delighting as birds raced for the crumbs.

The trail was smooth and clean. There were a very large number of people taking walks with dogs and children. There were the usual family groups biking.

Things are looking good at least at the moment for Shelley Lake. Still, there are a lot of people who wish it would rain soon.

Trees with shallow roots systems are beginning to lose lots of leaves, making the actual trails look like it is late fall already. This can be a hazard that runners and bikers should consider as they travel the trail.

The nearly full parking lots showed the popularity of the park and trails. I had to park at the far back of the lot; this is where my wife thinks I always park anyway.