Quote:
Originally Posted by Nickt87
That the biologists/scientists that actually track and maintain the data for the weir system have no control if it is open or closed. They just submit the info to a panel of people that then make the decision. And it just so happens that that panel has a vast interest in that marsh behind the weirs staying as fresh as possible.
I'm not saying the weirs should be open or closed more or less frequently, I am saying that it should be regulated by scientific data and analysis related to coastal erosion and aquatic habitat, not by a group of hillbilly landowners who favor a certain decision for a biased reason.
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Following the State of the Lake meeting in July, some colleagues and I contacted Leigh Anne Sharp (who gave one of the weir talks) and requested the detailed CPRA weir opening data. The good people at CPRA took some time to compile the data for us in a spreadsheet format and review its accuracy, but by September, we had complete opening and closing data of every weir gate going back to 2012.
This data not only allowed us to correlate weir openings over that time period with our independent assessments of fish condition, it also allowed us to compare weir openings with salinity measurements and other scientific factors and hard data that purportedly go into the decision whether or not to open the weirs.
Assessment of the data makes it very clear that since CPRA took over weir operation in 2012, the weirs have been operated in accordance with the management plan and the best available scientific data.
There is a lot of anecdotal and circumstantial evidence to suggest that weir openings were not based on scientific data or established management principles prior to 2012, but we've had a good look at the hard data that shows that the weirs are being managed responsibly now and have been since 2012.
Progress in the area of weir openings now depends on lowering the salinity in the main lake to allow greater openings without allowing more salt back into the marsh. "W" is on top of this and efforts here should be much more productive that criticizing weir operation or sending $$$ to CCA: