The group he assembled poured the ramp, put up retaining walls, prepared the channel and created docking stations for houseboats and other craft. By the early 1960s, the dock was a popular place, and members of the Harlan County Boat Club rented spaces in the basin for their watercraft. Soon, however, the basin began to silt in. A city-owned drag line was used in an attempt to keep it clear, but it was a losing battle. In the ensuing years, the channel has narrowed.
Water now fills the basin only when the lake level is high.
By the middle of irrigation season, and sometimes earlier, the Alma dock is not accessible from the lake. Alma resident Gordon Loschen said the Alma end of the lake was easiest to negotiate on windy days. The only other choice at such times is Patterson Harbor, clear on the other end, he said. The Alma dock also is easiest to use in high winds because it is partially shielded from direct winds, Loschen said. The Methodist Cove dock is open to wind, and the water is much choppier, making it more difficult to launch a boat or approach the dock from the lake.