Big Kandi update!

[doubleUcubed]

On Saturday the 10th I took O2 readings in about 13 locations stretched over about 1.5 miles on the lake. I had one reading of 1.1 ppm and the rest were between 0.2 - 0.7 ppm. I measured the levels just below the ice and just above the bottom of the lake. I was unable to sample other areas of the lake do to the deep snow but I doubt there would be a substantial change. It is a large body of water and we are hoping there are some areas that have a little more O2. This last snow will not help any, everybody pray for a thunderstorm with about 1.5 inches of rain!! I'll keep you posted as I evaluate the lake in the near future.

[rvvrrat]

Curiosity has got me...How do you check for O2 levels? What equipment do you use?

Thanks for any info.

[doubleUcubed]

I have been using a HANNA model no. 9142 Dissolved Oxygen Meter. I work for a Environmental Consulting Firm and have access to it. It is calibrated with a "zero" oxygen standard and then adjusted with a slope setting in open air. I then auger the hole, measure the depth to the bottom to (avoid putting the probe in bottom) and lower the meter probe to just above the bottom and allow the meter to stabilize and my reading is in ppm (Parts Per Million) of Dissolved Oxygen. You can measure at any desired water depth. I just spoke with the DNR office in Spicer and they took a reading on 3/8/01 and got 3.0ppm. They took it NE of Park #1 and I have taking the readings S of Park #2. It's a big lake and I'm glad to hear of the higher readings than what I encountered.

[doubleUcubed]

Three key ingredients/factors affect the amount of DO in water. Water Temperature, Salinity and Pressure. For the most part temp. is what affects it the most. Colder water has the capability of holding a higher DO. The normal range we should see is from 6-9 ppm. It varies from daylight to darkness, from calm to windy, etc. I doubt that you would see a level above 11ppm. This is just an educated guess, please don't take it as a fact. Very rarely will there ever be a situation of too much DO for most aquatic life. I would think that the only time fish would suffer from too much is if they were moved from a relatively low DO environment (2-4)ppm into a higher (8-10)ppm in a very short time frame. Once again, I'm not an expert, just trying to figure a lot of this stuff for myself and the lake. Makes for interesting thought though? Later!

[Roop-Dogg]

Doubleucubed--

i always thought that big kandi was spring fed. thought that explained why such a shallow lake was not as prone to freeze-out as some other simular depth lakes in the area. any thoughts on that?

interesting topic.

------------------
Roopy

[EW6]

Wow this last snow was a real kick in the face, will winter ever end? Sounds like more snow for Wed. and maybe Sat. Probably be at least 1 to 1 1/2 months before open water fishing...if there are any fish left to catch!

Just interested, would a rain storm raise the DO reading very much? I never really thought about it but it seems to make sense.

Thanks for sharing the info. with us doubleUcubed, it's really interesting stuff! Does anyone know the state of Lake Calhoun, it is not very deep and I am worried about it, afraid that it may already be in dire straights.

[GullGuide]

Calhoun is very prone to winterkill. The last winterkill, which was almost total, occurred when the water level was quite normal. This fall was terrible, I've never had to back my duck boat so far out. I would almost bet everything that it will suffer another winterkill like the last one if not worse. One positive for Calhoun is that fish from Green Lake will travel upstream and repopulate the lake quite quickly. Fishing will be awful for a few years, but it will rebound quicker than lakes that are not connected to others.
As for rain boosting DO levels, first it has to melt all the snow, then it will loose much of it's O2 as it is absorbed by the ice. The DO levels will not significantly rebound until the lakes are ice free, or mostly ice free.
GullGuide
>"////=<

[rvvrrat]

doubleUcubed,

Thanks for the info. The former chemist in me was wondering if you worked for the DNR or whether you just happen to have this type of equipment for fun ;-)

One more thing, what is the normal range and do you know if O2 above the normal range is harmful? Do different lakes have different normal ranges?

[doubleUcubed]

I know I have heard people talk about Big Kandi being spring fed, I personally don't think it is, at least not significantly. Another thing about a body of water being spring fed, it is very dependent of the source as for the DO in it. It's important to remember that a lot of non-surface water can be very low in DO, once again depending on depth/source of water. For example, my well is 298 feet deep and 20 feet from Big Kandi, obviously it is not a source of water for the lake but the DO in it was 3.4ppm last week. The best case scenario for spring water would come in a lake such as Lake Minnewaska or Glacial Lakes South of Starbuck, do to the relief/Geology of the area with most sources of spring water having a relatively shallow origin. Back to Big Kandi and the springs. I know as far back as I can remember fishing out there with my Dad on the ice we would find open holes that many people associated with springs. Actually these were/are created from the release of gases off the bottom of the lake. Most typically Methane gas, I've sat in the fish house when bubbles would come to the surface and quick light a match and expose it to the bubble and you would get a "puff" of blue flame. This winter where a truck went through out there was a fairly large area 50+ feet across, which I think was a result of gases. I've had several calls and discussions about the lake in the last few days and most of us believe that there will be some winter kill but maybe not as severe as I first thought. I sure hope not, after this week I will try and get to the location the DNR sampled last Thur. and do some more investigating. Hoping for warmer weather!!