what y'all make of this?

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by Smalls

At one point, I could have offered that information pretty accurately. I'm out of the loop now.

I can answer some of those though.

The weirs are bid out now, at least they were at one point. USFWS quit operation after many years of dealing with disgruntled public. I do not know who is in control now. Call LDWF, NRCS, or USFWS. I'm sure one of them knows. Or the Cameron-Creole Advisory committee.

I have a few different documents outlining the plan, or variations of it. Maybe I can upload them one day.

Salinity levels are based on isohaline lines. There is a 5 ppt and 12 ppt line. When the salinity reaches 5 ppt at the 5 ppt line, closure is triggered. Water depth, as far as I know, does not dictate closure.

Look up USGS Water Resources and CRMS. Those systems both have monitoring stations in the lake and Marsh. I do not remember exact sstations anymore, but I was very familiar with those systems during my research.

Its not as simple as just knowing the salinity though. Its about vegetation salinity tolerances as well. There are reports out there on the Cameron-Creole, monitoring reports, that outline the history if the area. Several thousand acres of fresh Marsh were lost because of excess salinity.

MG, you are more than welcome to come to my house sometime and look at these things. I have more information than I care to even try and upload and post. Old vegetation maps, reports, etc.

The weirs are not there to manage duck food, although the Marsh does provide duck food, habitat, fish habitat, fur bearer and alligator habitat, etc. The primary purpose was to maintain a viable ecosystem, which was dieing at a rapid rate.

Again, these things are in various reports I've read over the years.

Most of this I have stated before. I've always used facts to back up my argument.

Thanks for such a detailed answer, truly appreciated.

5 ppt is a pretty low salinity for closing the weirs, no wonder they stay closed most of the time. I'm sure that threshold is justified based on the needs of the vegetation behind them, but wow! It would be nice if greater consideration could be given to the needs of the ecosystem as a whole, not just the vegetation behind the weirs. I think we need to work to bring the salinity in the lake down. If 35 ppt is common in the lake, then the oysters are in danger too.

I took the liberty of posting a big fish for you. It would make a great profile pic.

[Smalls]

Originally Posted by MathGeek

Thanks for such a detailed answer, truly appreciated.

5 ppt is a pretty low salinity for closing the weirs, no wonder they stay closed most of the time. I'm sure that threshold is justified based on the needs of the vegetation behind them, but wow! It would be nice if greater consideration could be given to the needs of the ecosystem as a whole, not just the vegetation behind the weirs. I think we need to work to bring the salinity in the lake down. If 35 ppt is common in the lake, then the oysters are in danger too.

I took the liberty of posting a big fish for you. It would make a great profile pic.

But the most that can be done from an ecosystem standpoint is being done. Without control over salinities in the lake, you have to get control over them in the marsh. If that marsh dies, you have no nursery, you have no duck habitat, you have no hurricane protection, and it is also a source of water for farmers and communities.

If you can get the lake conditions under control, maybe the weirs aren't as important to maintaining that marsh.

[MathGeek]

Originally Posted by Smalls

But the most that can be done from an ecosystem standpoint is being done. Without control over salinities in the lake, you have to get control over them in the marsh. If that marsh dies, you have no nursery, you have no duck habitat, you have no hurricane protection, and it is also a source of water for farmers and communities.

If you can get the lake conditions under control, maybe the weirs aren't as important to maintaining that marsh.

I've attached USGS salinity graphs for the last four years at Hackberry and in the lower Calcasieu. I'm not exactly sure of the lower Calcasieu sampling location, but it might be the station I've noticed at the fishing pier. The lake salinities by the weirs (SE corner of Big Lake, not the West Cove structures) are probably closer to the lower Calcasieu readings.

Notice how seldom these readings are below 5-10 ppt (parts per thousand) and how much time the salinity is above 20 ppt. Getting to full Gulf salinity (35 ppt) is a rare event and only occurred briefly in late summer/early fall 2011. Nevertheless, separating the lower lake from the ship channel is key in lowering the lake salinities which would allow opening the weirs more often to allow fish and bait to move more freely back and forth into the marsh to the benefit of both marsh and lake systems.

Less Than 10 PPT or Bust should be the new slogan for improving the fishery by opening the weirs more days per year.