Taneycomo DO, condition

[Phil Lilley]

Been some discussion on Facebook about how Taney's doing as to dissolved oxygen and temperature.

In 2015, we had some horrific water conditions that caused serious problems both in the lake in the hatchery, causing us to lose quite a few fish.

This year, we're seeing some of the same indicators but it's still not known if it will be equal to or worse than 2015.

Steve Bays, USACE Little Rock, sent me this chart showing DO marks since 2005.  It shows 2015 as a bad year, but shows 2017 as much worse, so far.

He shared some good information with me.  He thinks the overall year, especially the winter and spring, dictate what kind of fall season we have on Taney.  We had a relatively warm winter and spring this year so Table Rock didn't get as cold as normal, at deeper levels especially. 

He also thinks that other point source pollution adds to the problem, ie. septic tanks, fertilizers.

I think Steve is right saying there's so much more to what happens on our tailwater than just the "normal" stratification of Table Rock and how it affects Taneycomo, especially in the fall months.

One thing I see as a positive this year is that Taney's water temperature hasn't risen all summer.  It's still about 57 degrees coming out of Table Rock.

I've seen a lot of brown trout pics on FB, caught below the dam but then see where some haven't been catching any browns.  I guess that's typical.  Trout fishing below Lookout continues to be very good.  I've noticed the fish's fight isn't like the spring but not too bad.  Some have said the fight is very good.  All are indicators (to me) how the DO is in the lake in those areas.

I generally am optimistic about everything, especially when it comes to fishing.  I balance facts and opinions and come out on the positive side while not being unrealistic in my deductions.  I once gave a BAD fishing report to someone on the phone... he came anyhow and did very well.  He called me back and kinda chewed me out because he would have missed out on a great fishing trip if he had listened to me and not come.  

It is... fishing.

By the way, the new thousands of fingerling rainbows in the upper lake are from the hatchery.  A raceway was flushed that had trout in it by mistake over the weekend.  Some have died causing some alarm.  Could be O2 related, or just mortality since there were so many released.  Not sure.

Might think about rainbow streamers...

[Travis Swift]

Phil,

Does is the oxygen level affected more towards to the dam than other parts of the lake?  What I mean by that is the oxygen level perhaps lower up above say "trophy run" than it would be say down by the bluffs across from your place?  I was thinking maybe the deep water and just more water in general may stay the same more and be less affected than it was in the shallow more narrow waters in the upper reaches?  Or does it effect the entire lake?

[Phil Lilley]

You're dead on.  What we see from, say, Lookout down lake is there's not much affect of this issue.  The fish will not fight as hard and/or not bite as aggressive but very little if no death from it.  It seems sunlight and wind play a big part of adding O2.  At night would be the time when fish are more susceptible to harm, especially up close to the dam.

But in 2015, when there was a strong smell of sulphur on the lake, it was bad down here too.  We're hoping this year isn't a repeat of that.

[Phil Lilley]

One other bit of information.  Talked to the manager at the Corps office at Table Rock over the weekend.  He said they (Corps) started injecting O2 in June.  That's the earliest they've ever had to start doing that.

[Travis Swift]

59 minutes ago, Phil Lilley said:

You're dead on.  What we see from, say, Lookout down lake is there's not much affect of this issue.  The fish will not fight as hard and/or not bite as aggressive but very little if no death from it.  It seems sunlight and wind play a big part of adding O2.  At night would be the time when fish are more susceptible to harm, especially up close to the dam.

But in 2015, when there was a strong smell of sulphur on the lake, it was bad down here too.  We're hoping this year isn't a repeat of that.

Thank you for a great informative reply. I appreciate it.  We are comin down later in the week and may focus from short creek to cooper creek instead of look out to fall creek for the reasons above. 

[Mbrown2858]

Phil, thanks for the informative information related to the DO condition!

[Trevor K]

On 9/5/2017 at 5:05 PM, Phil Lilley said:

One other bit of information.  Talked to the manager at the Corps office at Table Rock over the weekend.  He said they (Corps) started injecting O2 in June.  That's the earliest they've ever had to start doing that.

Maybe this is a stupid question, but how is the oxygen level so low if the corp is injecting oxygen? Do they not inject much? Does it not get distributed in the water very well?

[Phil Lilley]

They add enough to keep the level above 4 ppm.  Not ideal.  6 is better.  But that's the number they've picked.

[mikeak]

Phil,How big are these fry that are in the lake now?

[Phil Lilley]

3-4 inches what I heard. Bigger trout are eating the dead ones.