News Leader Story

[Phil Lilley]

Trout choking on dam water

in Lake Taneycomo

Trout in the waters below Table Rock Dam

face an invisible menace that even threatens

the local economy.

By Wes Johnson - News-Leader • August 15,

2010

Lake Taneycomo -- Shrouded by a layer of early-morning mist, David Pietzel cast his fly far into the quiet water of Lake Taneycomo Thursday morning, just below Table Rock Dam.

The Solon, Iowa, fly fisherman regularly makes the trip to catch and release big brown and rainbow trout stocked by the thousands in the lake.

"I don't go unless there's fish," Pietzel said. "Today I saw a 24-incher that kept hitting my feet when I stirred up the bottom."

But there's trouble in Pietzel's fishing paradise.

Cold water pouring through power-generating turbines at Table Rock Dam frequently lacks enough oxygen in late summer and fall to keep the trout

healthy in downstream Lake Taneycomo.

Because of the low oxygen levels, Lake Taneycomo has been declared an "impaired waterway" since 2008.

The problem threatens Taneycomo's multimillion dollar trout fishery, and the federal Environmental Protection Agency now wants Missouri to do something about it.

Last week, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources began seeking public comment on ways to get more oxygen into the trout habitat.

The low-oxygen problem and some potential solutions are detailed in a 90-page DNR report. DNR has to forward a final report, including public comments, to EPA by the end of the year.

"The fish don't eat"

Shane Bush, a Missouri Department of Conservation fisheries biologist, said low oxygen levels are a real problem for trout.

At the Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery adjacent to Table Rock Dam, a large tank of liquid oxygen already is in place to oxygenate water the hatchery uses from the dam.

Hatchery water then flows into nearby Lake Taneycomo.

"In October and November, when oxygen in water from the dam is typically at its lowest, fish congregate at our hatchery water outflows," Bush said.

"It's not an exaggeration -- it looks like you can walk across the backs of those fish that are there breathing oxygen we diffused into our water."

Bush said trout need water with at least 6 parts per million of oxygen to thrive. In late summer and fall, water coming out of Table Rock Dam can drop as low as two parts per million or less.

"The fish don't eat," he said. "It affects how quick they grow and they get really lethargic. Fish that are hooked won't fight well, and if they're released they're usually exhausted to the point they may not recover. They often die."

The problem vanishes during winter, when oxygen- rich surface water at Table Rock Lake sinks and mixes with the deep oxygen-depleted water.

"It gets up to 10 or 12 parts per million in February through March," Bush said.

"You'll really notice the difference in how hard a fish fights. They also look a lot healthier and fatter."

That's the kind of fish Pietzel, the Iowa angler, is looking for.

$15 million in "trout money"

He said he'll spend about $3,000 during his weeklong fishing expedition at Taneycomo, "trout money" that ripples through the southwest Missouri economy.

In 2004, the Missouri Department of Conservation concluded that the trout fishery contributes nearly $15 million a year to the local economy.

"It's a very big deal for us, it's what keeps us going," said Wanda Wilson, who runs Ozark Trout Resort with her husband near Branson.

Many of Wilson's customers come from neighboring states "because we're an affordable destination in this rough economy," she said.

Although trout fishing has been great so far this year, Wilson said she supports anything that would improve the quality of the Taneycomo trout fishery and keep anglers coming back.

[Thom]

These are examples of fish landed and released fishing with jigs and flies 8/2-5. The bite was much better with a little water flowing.

I noticed that the first day when we fished in the restricted area that if the fish like the one in the boat were held for pictures or not revived quickly they had to be put into the net for a while before they swam off. I releasaed three (17 to 18 inches and fat, fat fat)the size of this one as quickly as possible but they were slow to take off.

The one Zach was holding was caught near the mouth of fall creek and revived and swam off without a problem.

Not much water flowing this day but the next two days lots of water flowing and less problem with reviving.

[Phil Lilley]

The funny thing about this article... they talk about the DO "problem" like it's a recent thing. It's not. We've had it since the dam was built. Each year we go thru the same thing.

The FED could may be not FIX the problem but they could just inject more liquid O2 into the water and keep the level at 6 ppm instead of 4 ppm but they won't.

The last 2 fall seasons, the DO and temp have been pretty extreme but look at the trout in the lake today- big, fat, hard fighting. Biggest they been in 30 years or more. So low DO isn't a BIG problem... it's so good cause the water has been RUNNING for almost 3 years straight. Moving water helps food and helps trout - period. So minimum flow increase would help trout growth.

[loo10]

I read the article and was kinda hoping they had interviewed some locals who really know the situation. I agree, they made it sound like it was a "new" problem...which of course, it isn't! Truly, if they just injected more liquid oxygen into Taney, problem is solved. Real problem however, ... is that the fishing is of no concern in this equation.

I especially got a kick out of the "waterfall" solution. Talk about a wild ride when they are fully generating!!! I believe my trips to the cable and floating back would be over.

[laker67]

According to what I have read, DO levels are affected by warmer water temps, untreated and partially treated sewage, and from the fertilizer commonly used for lawns and gardens and espesically golf courses. Warm water dissplaces DO, and the sewage and the fertilizers spawn bacteria that consume the dissolved oxygen. The "Watershed" organization out of springfield talks about the causes and the effects of DO on different species of fish. From what I gathered, run off materials have a big impact on DO levels, especially in this warmer weather. But like Phil says, the fish at taney have been surviving with it for years. And from what I see, it certainly has not stunted their growth. Although, more and more lakeside development could have serious impact in the near future.I have never been in favor of minimum flow, but it may become a neccesity in the future to maintain a healthy population of trout at taney.

[Gatorjet]

The low DO level story even made it to St. Louis TV news today during the noon news. Short summary of the article.