Diamond Lake closed ??

[Bait O' Eggs]

I just heard on the radio that Diamond Lake is closed due to a neurotoxin in the lake. No boating, swiming etc....

I called the Diamond Lake resort marina and they downplayed it. It is just a by-product of the bloom on the lake he told me. He would have no problem drinking the water images/icons/rolleyes.gif , come on down and fish from the bank was his advise. He said the lake is a lot clearer this week than last week when the testing was done.

But it sounded like no boats are allowed on the water right now.

neurotoxins dangerous to humans from an algae bloom on a lake????? images/icons/confused.gif

I think I would rather go to B10 and take on the Columbia bar and die in a hurry, rather than a slow painful death images/icons/rolleyes.gif from toxins. Oh ya, I forgot, no hall pass this weekend, and I got to do "honey do" chores this weekend. images/icons/frown.gif

[WaterDog]

No hall pass = Whipped!!!

images/icons/wink.gif images/icons/tongue.gif

[Thumper]

"Bait 'O Eggs" needs to change his name to "PW". Ah, the good old days when I was married and hanging wallpaper or painting rather than fishing.........ah, the memories........

[CATCH AND EAT]

Poor BOE..he he eh he he eh heheheheheheheheh. But I won't be able to talk much on the weekend of the 7th. Wife out of town, 3 kids to love. Will the pain ever stop. Hey, maybe I'll take them camping and fish for toxic trout or something.

Boe, better watch some of those bass shows this weekend. Sonnnnnnnn!!!!

[Phish_on]

Oh, what a tangled web we weave when we release our live bait minnows ...

how does it go? The algae is uncontrolled because the chubs have eaten all the little organisms that used to feed on the algae ... something like that

[Bait O' Eggs]

I try to pass on a little info for anybody headed to Diamond Lake, that they should leave the boat at home, because they wont be able to use it, and all I get is a bunch of crapola. images/icons/rolleyes.gif

Waterdog - I would rather vacuumn my house in your pink tutu than fish from a Motion Marine boat. images/icons/tongue.gif

[WaterDog]

BOE,

That's fine. At least my boat won't be high-n-dry in the driveway while you vacuum. Don't forget to clean the toilets, dust, have dinner on the table at 5:45. http://cwm.ffrepublic.com/s/contrib/blackeye/blabla.gif You wear that merry maid outfit your wife got you? images/icons/shocked.gif

I'll fishing with 4,345 of my closest friends. http://cwm.ffrepublic.com/s/contrib/blackeye/hihi.gif

[ 08-17-2001: Message edited by: BOE - Honey do maid service]

[ 08-17-2001: Message edited by: WaterDog ]

[Nanook]

Left you a "love" (pure sympathy) note here BOE. As far as bass, it appears another hillbilly I know may think he is cute with email, eh? images/icons/grin.gif
http://www.ifish.net/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=006348

[Firedog]

Heres the press release about Diamond Lake that came out today.
Subject:
ODFW News: Aug 17 - Diamond Lake
Date:
Fri, 17 Aug 2001 18:22:52 -0700
From:
"Anne Pressentin" <Anne.M.Pressentin@DFW.STATE.OR.US>
To:
odfw-news@sparkie.osl.state.or.us


Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us (http://www.dfw.state.or.us)

For Immediate Release August 17, 2001

Tui Chub to Blame for Diamond Lake Closure

ROSEBURG - The U.S. Forest Service closed Diamond Lake to all activities involving personal contact with water today due to the confirmed presence of a neurotoxin released from algae that is harmful to humans.
While the toxin remains in the water, swimming, wading, and all forms of boating are not allowed. Health officials advise people to keep pets away from the water as they may drink it or lick algae from their fur.
Millions of tui chub, an illegally introduced fish, are to blame for the closure, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) said today.
Tui chub, most measuring one to four inches, eat microscopic zooplankton that would normally graze on algae in the lake. The decreased zooplankton population resulted in uncontrolled growth of several forms of algae, including the blue-green algae anabaena, which released the toxin anatoxin-a into the water.
"The link between tui chub and this very serious and saddening closure is obvious and, unfortunately, has resulted in more severe problems than predicted," said Dave Loomis, ODFW fish biologist who has worked on Diamond Lake restoration for several years. "The effect of tui chubs is now more than the loss of fishing opportunity. They are affecting water quality, overall recreation use, and causing serious public health concerns."
Loomis said Diamond Lake residents and visitors can expect additional water quality problems as the algae begins the normal process of dying and decaying this fall. The decay process uses dissolved oxygen, which is also used by fish. Due to the amount of algae, the decay cycle will reduce the oxygen to levels where fish cannot survive. Trout will die first, as they require higher oxygen levels than chubs. The expected fish kill will number in the tens of thousands of trout and chubs and will only add to the existing serious water quality problems.
Due to the Diamond Lake closure, ODFW will stock another load of 1,000 legal-sized rainbow trout at nearby Lemolo Reservoir to provide fishing opportunity over the next month. ODFW will delay the scheduled stocking of trophy-sized rainbow trout into Diamond Lake until the water clears. Loomis expects this will occur later this fall with cooler weather. ODFW has spent more than $100,000 this year to stock the lake with trophy and legal-sized rainbow trout.
ODFW will continue to work closely with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, U.S. Forest Service, Douglas County Health and Social Services, Diamond Lake Resort, Diamond Lake Homeowners, and anglers to monitor the environmental and public impacts to the lake over the next several months.
All other facilities around the lake remain open and activities such as camping, bicycling, and hiking are not affected. Drinking water in Forest Service campgrounds, Diamond Lake Resort, Diamond Lake RV Park, and other public facilities comes from deep-water wells and is safe to drink.
Water quality problems similar to today's were last seen at Diamond Lake in the late 1940s and early 50s when chub were previously in Diamond Lake. Oregon officials treated the lake with the chemical rotenone in 1954 and eliminated the chub. The treatment also allowed the lake ecology to return to a more balanced system.
ODFW has worked with state and federal agencies and the public for the past several years to develop a restoration plan for the lake that meets all environmental laws. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission recently withdrew a proposal to again treat Diamond Lake with rotenone, and adopted an interim fishery strategy that reflects experimental fish introductions to control the tui chub and acknowledges the overall concern of the impacts from the chub. The Commission encouraged ODFW staff last week to seek the best solution possible. However, Loomis said, tui chub continue to create a chaotic situation that makes a solid course of action difficult to find.
Additional information about the closure may be found on the Forest Service website at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/umpqua/news_rel/nr081701.html.