How to Pick Freshwater With Good Visibility?

[Dont_Hold_Your_Breath]

I wanted to test out some gear today so I did a test dive in a local lake in the northeast USA, a lake where I tpically swim during the summer. I figured that because it hasn't rained that heavy recently and the water has been cold (currently 45F or 7.2C) that the visiblity would be fantastic. Nothing should be stirred up and algae shouldn't be growing so I expected the water to be very clearn. For the most part vsiblity in the lake was 2ft! How could this be and what did I miss? When looking for clear freshwater locations to dive, what should I look for to pick the body of water with the best water clarity?

 

[happy-diver]

Shhhhhh whatever you find out keep it a secret and rent it out, upside down periscope and a boat?

 

[Rilelen]

Most lakes and freshwater sites aren’t going to have great vis - neither do lots of ocean areas! Best way to gauge is just to look from the surface - how far can you see down to the bottom? If you can’t see clear to the bottom at ten or fifteen feet, horizontal vis will be even worse.

In general, spring-fed lakes and rivers have clear vis; as do glacier-fed areas. But even someplace like Florida that has tons of clear springs also has lots of seepage lakes (murky, dark) and rivers fed by rainwater and basins (brown, tannic). How the body of water gets its source is a huge factor above and beyond water temps.

Observation and asking other local folks is the way to go.

 

[Johnoly]

How could this be and what did I miss?

I live on a lake also and it's always lower visibility in the winter. Every lake is different from runoff, plant life, up stream inflow, springs and a combination of all. But it's the submerged shoreline plants and grasses that do all the filtering work. In winter/spring time, the plants are mostly dormant and not working alot. In summer they awaken and really get active to filter all that suspended particulates. But by late summer, all the warm water has the hyper growth algae over powering the aquatic plants ability to filter. It takes a 'balance' of the right amount of plant growth/control versus overgrown plants that limit recreational activity like boating and swimming. Just ask anyone who lives on a lake>>it's very difficult to manage with so many variables.

 

[34109411]

I wanted to test out some gear today so I did a test dive in a local lake in the northeast USA, a lake where I tpically swim during the summer. I figured that because it hasn't rained that heavy recently and the water has been cold (currently 45F or 7.2C) that the visiblity would be fantastic. Nothing should be stirred up and algae shouldn't be growing so I expected the water to be very clearn. For the most part vsiblity in the lake was 2ft! How could this be and what did I miss? When looking for clear freshwater locations to dive, what should I look for to pick the body of water with the best water clarity?

if there is no current it doesn't help. Is it a sandy or mud bottom ? If it s the case current is not strong and sediment or whatever you stir will stay in place . On the other hand if you dive in a river like a do the viz is pretty good cause of the moving water.

 

[Nick_Radov]

Buy a Secchi disk and dip it in the water from a dock or something.

 

[broncobowsher]

Ask at your local dive shop.

 

[Dont_Hold_Your_Breath]

if there is no current it doesn't help. Is it a sandy or mud bottom ? If it s the case current is not strong and sediment or whatever you stir will stay in place . On the other hand if you dive in a river like a do the viz is pretty good cause of the moving water.

Where I was diving was very silty, most of the time I couldn't tell I was touching the bottom it was so soft but even in new areas where I hadn't stirred anything up, the visibility was very poor.

 

[BRT]

Where I was diving was very silty, most of the time I couldn't tell I was touching the bottom it was so soft but even in new areas where I hadn't stirred anything up, the visibility was very poor.

Most of our lakes here have good viz. Looking in you can see the bottom clearly 10' down. In the summer, at 25' everything goes brown and you really can't see at all.

 

[rjack321]

I wanted to test out some gear today so I did a test dive in a local lake in the northeast USA, a lake where I tpically swim during the summer. I figured that because it hasn't rained that heavy recently and the water has been cold (currently 45F or 7.2C) that the visiblity would be fantastic. Nothing should be stirred up and algae shouldn't be growing so I expected the water to be very clearn. For the most part vsiblity in the lake was 2ft! How could this be and what did I miss? When looking for clear freshwater locations to dive, what should I look for to pick the body of water with the best water clarity?

Its April the days are comparatively long, stuff is blooming and growing already. Sunlight and nutrients are what limit algae/plant growth not temperature.