Pond Giant

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Jim, I appreciate your updates.   This was my "home pond" as a kid/teenager.   I was very impressed with the color of it a few years ago  vs when I fished it regularly.  

[top_dollar]

On 9/16/2019 at 5:47 AM, JUNGLE JIM 1 said:

The crayfish in the lake weren't getting enough oxygen either so they moved up to the shoreline,some totally out of the water to breathe. A lot of them didn't survive. They repaired one of the drains in the lake and put in a water pump on the south side of the lake but still haven't touched the duckweed. I walked the lake and didn't see even a minnow, water is super clear.

So is there some open water up there now since you can see into the water?  Last time i was up there, like you said, it was a putting green, there was no open water.  Ive been meaning to go up there, but Ive been up at forest park mostly.

[JUNGLE JIM 1]

I wouldn't waste my time wetting a line, fish are dead except for maybe a few carp or goldfish. Middle section of the lake had some open water but north and south ends are still putting greens.

[top_dollar]

From MDC.

As the fisheries mgmt. biologist responsible for managing the Horseshoe Lake fishery in Carondelet Park, your note was forwarded to me.   A variety of circumstances came together to create the events at Horseshoe Lake this past summer.  The fishkills (actually 2 separate events) were due to low-oxygen conditions. 

 

The first event happened after nuisance filamentous algae was treated in June.  To enhance success, City water inputs were suspended and the treatment was very effective.  But without City water inputs, plant decomposition rapidly removed oxygen from the water, killing fish.  Blocked and collapsed outlet structures would then not allow lake water to drain.  So, the nutrient-flushing flows from City water inputs needed to be suspended.  This water also contains chloramines which can inhibit nuisance plant growth.  Without flushing flows or chloramines, nutrients were further concentrated and became available for nuisance plant growth.  Duckweed and water meal rapidly filled that role to cover ~95% of the lake’s surface, shading out beneficial plants which produce oxygen for fish.  Oxygen was again quickly depleted resulting in the second, more serious fishkill. 

 

During these events, STL City crews replaced lake outlet structures and installed a second City water input to allow resumption of City water flows and enhance flushing of the entire lake.  These improvements immediately helped the situation and should provide flows needed for the future.  In October, MDC restocked with redear sunfish.  We also stocked grass carp to help control nuisance plant growth.  We plan to stock bluegills in spring 2020 and resurvey the lake to determine if any bass stocking is needed.  If needed, we would restock with bass later in spring 2020.  Regular catfish and hybrid sunfish stockings will resume in April 2020.

 

For long-term health of the lake (and other City park lakes), MDC and City of St. Louis are currently negotiating a plan to improve lake conditions.  In Horseshoe Lake’s case, MDC recently surveyed lake depths and determined portions of the lake should be deepened and nutrient-rich soil removed.  Additionally, the existing fountain aerator is inadequate suggesting a larger, diffuser system is needed.  These improvements will take some time to fund and implement, but would leave Horseshoe Lake with much improved fish habitat and more sustainable fishery.

[FishnDave]

Thanks for posting this @top_dollar .

[JUNGLE JIM 1]

Thanks for posting this explanation of what happened and plans for fixing the lake. I've been fishing this lake since the 60's as a youngster and I live a mile from there so up until this happened I fished it regularly, mostly for the big redear that were in the lake. I caught two redear in 2018 that were 13 inches and thought at the time that it might actually produce a state record redear. Hopefully once they follow through and fix the issues with the lake it will come back soon. 

[top_dollar]

1 hour ago, JUNGLE JIM 1 said:

Thanks for posting this explanation of what happened and plans for fixing the lake. I've been fishing this lake since the 60's as a youngster and I live a mile from there so up until this happened I fished it regularly, mostly for the big redear that were in the lake. I caught two redear in 2018 that were 13 inches and thought at the time that it might actually produce a state record redear. Hopefully once they follow through and fix the issues with the lake it will come back soon. 

I think I may have met you up there once.  I moved to affton from valley park 2 years ago, and love the convenience of that lake, and the fact that the bass were so willing to eat a jerkbait.  Ive never fished the other lake, but ill give it a shot this winter and spring.  

[Wesley]

Ducks can bring fish eggs in.  I caught a northern pike out of a farm pond in Nebraska.