Fish Die off C-land??

[Duayne]

I received the latest water quality report yesterday. Here's a snapshot at the dam. Note that the water can vary in different parts of the late but the data shows similar numbers for all the tested areas. Oxygen levels are fantastic down to 40ish feet then drop like a rock after that. The temps are mid eighties to lower 40s then start to fall off. I see a small possible ban of water at 45 or so that may be cool enough and have enough oxygen for survival. Otherwise, oxygen levels are in the 0-1.4 range below the 40s.

The data points are taken in key main lake areas. The creeks may be a little different and may be better. May, I don't know. The down side with creeks is they get the farm run off. That means the water contains crop pesticide or treatment run offs. Those things affect the water quality and were partly responsible for some bait die off a few weeks ago.

That's the picture as it is today.. Or at least on the 18th.

[Wormin]

I received the latest water quality report yesterday. Here's a snapshot at the dam. Note that the water can vary in different parts of the late but the data shows similar numbers for all the tested areas. Oxygen levels are fantastic down to 40ish feet then drop like a rock after that. The temps are mid eighties to lower 40s then start to fall off. I see a small possible ban of water at 45 or so that may be cool enough and have enough oxygen for survival. Otherwise, oxygen levels are in the 0-1.4 range below the 40s.

The data points are taken in key main lake areas. The creeks may be a little different and may be better. May, I don't know. The down side with creeks is they get the farm run off. That means the water contains crop pesticide or treatment run offs. Those things affect the water quality and were partly responsible for some bait die off a few weeks ago.

That's the picture as it is today.. Or at least on the 18th.

Interesting graft ,I can see how the fish could get caught with out oxygen real easy. Thanks. Do you have web site for this info?

[Duayne]

No. The corp has a distribution list and they send it out via email. You have to sift through other lakes and tail waters but it's worth it if you want to keep up on all things stripers and walleye on lake Cumberland.
I think people can email Mark to get on the list.

[email protected]

[fishin-fool]

Has there ever been a situation like this before where the dissolved oxygen was so low in the deeper portions of the lake?

[Duayne]

There are kills pretty much every year. There is usually some die off 7 of 10 years I would guess. The question is how bad does the water get and how many fish die off. Most years the number is negligible but Cumberland had several years in a row with significant kills when the lake was held down. The water quality right now is at a level as it was during the draw down years.

[rooster]

They are running the sluice gates not to bring the lake down, but to put O2 in the river for the trout. They don't care about the fish in the lake.

[headbanger]

They are running the sluice gates not to bring the lake down, but to put O2 in the river for the trout.

The root of the problem.

[gforcetrivers]

The root of the problem.

River temp on Sunday at Burkesville was 67 degrees.

[fishincreek]

Allow me to ask this. What would happen if we were to get a sudden one inch of rain?

[luvtohunt]

I mentioned that earlier as a possible benefit. I think it would flush some of the run off that typically collects in creeks and push I out/dilute it down quite a bit possibly helping fish in those areas. Not sure it would help the oxygen levels or temperature any. I'm not educated enough on the subject to know the answer.

[fishincreek]

No expert, but it is my understanding that at least in pond in can have an almost instant fish kill as an influx of cooler water on top can mess up the O2 by rapid flipping of the heavier cooler water.

[Richmann]

Was on the river Saturday and Sunday saw several dead/dying walleye floating belly up gills still red. They were running two sluice gates. Not sure if the fish were pulled through from the lake or were river fish. The river was full of dead and dying shad also. Temp at the dam was 65 early afternoon.

Rich