I know the floods have caused some real problems in parts of Arkansas, and I really feel for the folks who live and hunt in those areas.

But the truth is, many other areas needed the water after a long, dry summer in 2007.

One of the places that needed it most was Herb Parsons Lake in Fayette County. The state-managed lake was far below normal pool for much of last year, and one of its boat launches was unusable at one point.

The lake is back near full pool now, and the environment over there seems very healthy.

The vegetation that grew up around the shorelines while the water was down is all flooded now and playing host to a wide variety of minnows and predator fish.

As the vegetation breaks down it will supply food for the organisms at the bottom of the food chain, and that will be good for everything that swims in the lake.

Areas that were 2 feet deep last year are now 7-8 feet deep and easily navigable with a boat. Wading birds like blue herrons (pictured here) were walking bare shorelines last year. But now they’re hunting from wood piles and log jams near the original shoreline of the lake.

Let’s just hope we don’t have another long, dry summer that allows the lake to fall into bad shape again.

I hope we keep getting rain - just in moderation, for a change.