Drought

Almost the entire state of Arkansas is in a state of 'exceptional' drought--more than 'severe,' more than 'extreme.'  The drought has been part of the national news--a dubious honor for those states sharing the appalling weather.
 Here is how 'exceptional drought' looks at Lake Conway:

Normally the water reaches the top of the riprap along the lake shore.

The tupelo (on the right) and bald cypress (left) thrive with their roots submerged.  The cypress grows 'knees' that protrude above the water line and along the shore.  Usually these are areas of safety for small fry and sources of shelter for other water life.

 Low water also exposes some bad behavior; how hard is it to carry an empty soda can back in the boat? 

 And many, many hidden stumps and snags are now visible.  Boaters venture out of the marked channel at their own risk.  
          If the lake is low, it means that the five creeks feeding this man-made lake are also quite low.  Last night we had violent thunderstorms in some areas.  The rain is desperately needed, but we have a long way to go to restore ground water and raise the levels of waterways and lakes.