Well back from hunting and collected some data while I was there. I would like to hear what the experts have to say about this. It seems like a huge improvement to me. I don't like to see lower DO numbers in the first few feet but seems much more important to have "livable" DO over twice as deep this year. A few changes that could have led to the "improved" numbers.

First, summer 2015 I did not have the diffusers running in the deepest water all summer. The deepest diffuser was in ~12' and this year I put all the air to one diffuser at 19' all summer. There was a terrible smell coming from it. Just moved it to 7' on 9/26.

Second, summer 2015 was our first year with the repaired water level 4.5' deeper. There was still quite a bit of vegetation growing in areas that I thought would be too deep for it to live with the new, deeper water. Still had a good bit of water crest. Not nearly as much vegetation as summer 2014 though. Summer 2016 there was considerably less vegetation than 2015.

Third, not sure why but this summer I am assuming we had a heck of a plankton bloom. The water was greener than I have EVER seen it. It is usually Tea colored, but this summer it was very very green. This September every morning shortly after sun up there would be bubbles and a "film" on top of the water. Plankton die off? Whatever it is I am assuming it is oxygen related and not good.

Fourth, we did another round of tree clearing this summer.There were several days the windmills seemed to spin all day. Of course here and there they seemed to sit still for a day. I think they will spin even more in the winter than in the summer. I installed a Davis weather station with wind meter and a data logger so that I can see for sure when I get back there summer 2017.

Anyway, the fish seem as healthy as ever. They chase the fat heads all the way into the very shallow water and thrash around like sharks. Every morning drinking coffee you can watch fish jumping here and there. Still a billion scuds in there and the fish are plump. Caught the first Brookie ever from the lake and he looked like he was doing very very well! I have a remote camera pointed at the lake to see if we can keep a hole open through the winter.

Now hopefully they make it through the winter. Time will tell.....




Last edited by wbuffetjr; 10/13/17 12:10 PM.
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