Lake Murray Dive

[Kunk35]

Spent the weekend camping with the fam and managed to get in a couple dives. Yep, it was Murray. Viz, same as always. Temp, same as always. I think we actually saw the same bass at the platform that followed us on our dive. It was great to get back in the water regardless of viz, and even better since I was with my beautiful bride. It has been waaayyyy too long since we've been diving!

Did a second dive with a new friend named Steve from Oklahoma. Steve has a sweeett little compressor that he filled my tank with. Steve, if you peruse Scubaboard, thanks again for the ride on the pontoon boat, it was a very enjoyable dive with you and your wife.

Heard a story at the dive shop in Sherman that someone was reporting viz in TEXOMA at 20 feet!! Frank, we may have to just go and see for ourselves!

 

[ZzzKing]

Heard a story at the dive shop in Sherman that someone was reporting viz in TEXOMA at 20 feet!!

They were probably talking about their backyard pool.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

I heard the same report about Texoma in the shop the other day. They guy was diving the Texas side from his boat.

 

[Timeliner]

20 feet ? That just don't seem right but who knows.

I think that rumor got started when Kory over heard Brent talking about what a visionary his boss Ross P. was.

 

[tk trekers]

I will say that the zebra mussels are probably helping clear things up. Our dock in Eisenhower has a cross member that runs across, probably in the 8' deep range and I can clearly see it standing on the dock. First time in 5 years that we could see it. I haven't been diving in there this year but from the top, the viz is looking really good. I'll take a tank next time and jump in if nothing else and get a better look.

 

[Crazyduck]

This could be a serious situation. Oklahoma has sued Arkansas over very high levels of nitrogen from chicken farmers waste that was being washed down the watershed into Lake Texoma. You add in the filter feeders of the zebra mussels and you could change the entire ecosystem. The high nitrates lead to more blooms and algae and then the filter feeders will consume the bacteria and clean the water. Everything to a certain depth will be covered with mussels that are very sharp. Wow... this could change the entire watershed.

 

[Kunk35]

Crazyduck, That's what I've been hearing. I know the last two times I dove between Eisenhower and the dam, there was a drastic difference in the number of zebra mussles. In fact, the dives were only a couple months apart, and on the first dive, there weren't any attached to the cables or breakwater I was inspecting. A couple months later, and this was before I really had ever seen the little boogers and didn't know what they were, they were all over the cables. I'm all for good viz, but it sounds like they do alot more bad than good.

From what I understand, there really isn't any way to stop them?

 

[ZzzKing]

Korey, all you gotta do is scrape a potful off and boil them in some crab boil. MMMMMMMMMMMM...tasty! I think Frank's grandson, Gable, has some good recipes for them as well. I hear they are farming them in the tunnels in Paris now.

 

[Crazyduck]

I am unaware of any process to remove them or control them.
Back east they have used screens to try and stop them around dams and water controlled sites. Also they do not seem to inhabit deeper water to my basic understanding of the organism. I am not sure about eating them as they are freshwater filter feeders and who knows what residue they hold in the absorption process.

It would be interesting to clean a 3ft by 3ft section on a flat wall or surface and see how long it takes to recover the same area.

Anyone seen any springs in Texoma? I have heard of a few springs in the area.

Andrew

 

[Timeliner]

Andrew, it would take more then just a few square feet to collect enough mussels of any kind to feed the two of us. We should plan on establishing a bigger plot to harvest when it comes time for the great feast.

What do you say ?