July / August  2008, Page 6

Reservoir Conditions

by Bob Andry

Rodman's environment is starting to settle down to normal following last winter's drawdown. Hydrilla is starting to reach the surface in the shallower areas thus better defining the safe boating channel through the transitional zone.

For two or three months after the water level was restored above eighteen feet there were areas that were quite hazardous to travel through because of submerged stumps bordering the channel. The problem was that without the normal floating vegetation around the stumps it was hard to tell where the channel edge stopped and the stump field started. The map below shows the general area of the problem.

The most northern "Underwater Hazard Area" shown on the map does have channel markers through it, however, some of the markers are too far apart so that the stump field juts into the straight line bearing between markers. As long as you stay in the center of the channel you are normally all right, but finding the center of the channel with no plants to mark the edge is most difficult. One way to make it through safely is to keep your eye on your depth finder and stay in the deepest water, but if you don't have a depth finder your only alternative it to go very, very slowly.

This is not a new problem. After the 04/05 drawdown it was apparent we needed more channel markers, but nothing has been done to make this area safer or to replace the missing channel makers knocked down further north around Orange Springs. Winter storms blowing large tussocks knocked down several markers between Orange Springs and the old Fort Brooke site.

If you plan on launching your boat at Eureka West it would probably be a good idea not to mess with the plant life. There seems to be an abundance of toxic plants thriving in the area. The path from the ramp parking lot and the trees west of the ramp are covered with poison ivy, and in the water between the

Poison Ivy by the ramp.

ramp and fishing pier is one really big patch of water hemlock. We ran an article last year about this time about water hemlock. It is easily identified by its white lacy, flat flower. I was told by the LakeWatch plant expert that there is no plant more toxic so if you have to pull weeds from your motor around any of the stuff make sure you wash your hands well and don't get them near your mouth until you do.

It may be that we will not have to contend with channel blockages this year caused by water lettuce packs; the drawdown has killed back vegetation along the sides of the old river channel, thus widening the open water.

Loose Lettuce at Eureka headed for Rodman

Even though I saw loose lettuce at Eureka during my June LakeWatch trip, there was little evidence that lettuce was accumulating in the bends and narrows of the channel and might become blockages. Only a few small "puddles" of lettuce were noted.

A small lettuce patch beside the channel.

Through April, May and part of June we had really dry weather. Here on the south bank of the reservoir where I live we got NO rain during this time. When the drought broke it did so with a vengeance, so I was surprised at the clarity of the water in some locations. You could see seven and a half feet into the water at the Eureka LakeWatch site, but at this depth the Secchi Disc was blurry looking because of the tiny alga particles suspended in the water. If it wasn't for the excessive nutrients in the Ocklawaha River the water would have been crystal clear. By the time the river got to between Cracker Landing and Orange Springs the water had lost much of the "green fog" look and the disc was in much sharper focus. Elsewhere things were not as good. Both Deep Creek and Orange Creek had low visibility because of tannin. The heavy rain when the drought broke had evidently flushed the flood plane of its unwanted decaying matter. Below the dam the visibility was poor because of the turbulence. All sorts of stuff was being stirred in the water. When I strained a water sample for the chlorophyll test the filter looked like it contained a miniature log jam.