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This was in the local newspaper, buried on page 10


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Corps of Enginners scientists are searching for answers to a number of unexplained phenomena on Table Rock Lake. Agency hydrologists and biologists are co-operating in a joint study to come up with possible explanations.

Corps hydrologist Tom Aquastein said that there was an unexplainable rise in water levels on Table Rock on weekends, especially during the spring. He noted: “We have water level records for decades showing inflow and outflow, rainfall amounts and tributary stream flows. For some reason, in the past 5 years or so, water levels on weekends are several inches higher than that predicted by our computer models.” Aquastein also noted that surface water temperatures on those weekends were significantly higher than those on other days of the week when compared to ambient air temperatures and expected surface temperatures of the lake.

Corps biologist Tom Trout is in charge of a group of biologists and water chemists that study the nutrient levels of Corps lakes. Their studies have found a large increase in nitrogen levels on Table Rock during these same weekends. Trout explained: “Water samples show a huge spike in nitrogen levels, mainly in the form of urea. These levels drop during the week, only to spike the next weekend.”

The joint task force has come up with an unusual hypothesis to explain these strange occurrences.They looked into the number of boats and anglers on the world famous bass fishery. Aquastein said that the Corp estimated that there were over 5,000 boats on the Lake many weekends. The amount of water displaced by these boats could be significant. Biologist Trout consulted with noted Mayo Clinic urologist I.P. Freely and found that the average male produces 4 ounces of urine per hour. Trout concluded that thousands of gallons of urine were going into the lake each day during the weekend. This would also explain the increase in nitrogen levels. Both added that the urine and the exhaust water from outboard engines could raise the surface water temperature to the unexplained levels.

As more information is gathered, the Corps will inform the public of their findings.

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