On Monday October 28th, the GRAND LAKE WATER CLARITY TECHNICAL REVIEW AND WORK PLAN was released to the public.  This is the link to the website: http://www.usbr.gov/gp/ecao/cbt_ws_info.html (Final Grand Lake Water Clarity Technical Review and Work Plan in PDF (26.7MB)
 The below section says what we already knew, changing it will effect the fishery!  Please visit the site and take a look at 4.2 as well...they can't even make up their mind if quality of water is the same thing as clarity.  Our state has only one lake that currently has "water quality" standards....GRAND LAKE. Why is it the only one?  Because it is the only card they can play in order to get "water clarity" standards set.  Even the Grand County personnel have admitted it is all about making the lake more astatically pleasing!  oh please, I have NEVER heard any one say "wow Grand Lake is ugly!" 

4.3 Evaluate Effects on Aquatic Life Use  Colorado water quality standards
are developed to protect the most sensitive beneficial use for the
waterbody.  In the case of the Grand Lake water clarity standards, that use
is recreation which encompasses the scenic and uniqueness of Colorado’s largest
natural lake.  Nonetheless, it is important to consider the potential
effects to aquatic life use in the Three Lakes regarding the implementation of
any water clarity improvement alternative.  The bypass alternatives that
eliminate pumped inflows to Grand Lake will decrease the nutrient inputs and may
likely change the dynamics of the food web that supports the lake trout, kokanee
and brown trout fishery.  The fisheries in Grand Lake and Granby Reservoir
have been managed by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife to optimize the growth of
lake trout and kokanee because of the preferential habitat use of each species
(Ewert, 2013).  The deep water volume of Grand Lake and Granby Reservoir
offers a range of thermal habitats that supports different forage bases
(zooplankton – Daphnia and Mysis shrimp) for each fish.  Kokanee prefer the
warmer epilimnion water where their primary forage base (Daphnia) tend to grow
better, while lake trout and their forage base (Mysis shrimp) prefer the cooler
hypolimnion water.  Thus, the success of the forage base and each fish
species growth often relies on the thermal regimes as well as the primary
producers (algae) that support growth of the zooplankton.  Altering this
food chain dynamic by potentially changing the nutrient dynamics should be
studied more closely for Grand Lake and Granby Reservoir, to better understand
the potential responses of aquatic life use.

Recently I've heard that one of the reasons behind cleaning up Grand Lake would be to make it more "appealing" to tourists.   WHAT!   The first lake people see when the get here is Shadow Mountain.  (most visitors think it is Grand Lake)   If this is the reasoning behind the clarity issue on Grand Lake, shouldn't we make sure Shadow looks "appealing" TOO!?????

In August and early September of this year Shadow looked like pea soup with islands of weeds floating around.  Shadow Mountain is used for water skiing because of its warmer temps.  It was almost impossible to use during the stop pump period.  The osprey that nest there also struggled to feed.  They fish by sight, which is hard to do through moss! (wonder if that is why the chic count was down this year!) Is this what they want?  A green swamp next to a pristine glacier lake.  
                                                    
I just get more and more confused.  Everyone seems to have different motives.  Is it political?  Is it financial?  Why?   Back to that question again, Why?

My observation: Shadow Mountain has turned into a green sloppy mess.  Moss, weeds and algae are definitely out of control!  Why...maybe we should all contact the Three Lakes Water Shed Association or the Greater Grand Lake Shoreline Association (THEY).  After all that's who is responsible.  In their relentless effort to improve the clarity of one lake, (Grand Lake) they have actually destroyed the other. (Shadow Mountain) Not to mention those slimy conditions of the pump canal and the spillway below Shadow Mountain Dam.  These are some of the favorite fishing areas for visiting fisherman. 

How are "THEY" responsible?  Well back in June the Three Lakes Water Shed Association at their first meeting in quite sometime, reported that they had successfully lobbied to have the pumps turned off from July 25th thru September.   Why anyone agreed to turn the pumps off during the hottest part of the summer just doesn't make sense.
I'm no botanist or biologist but it seems to me that it should be common sense.  Warm, stagnant water with little or no current is not conducive for a healthy, thriving, beautiful lake. 

Where the water is pumped in from Granby, is deep, cool water that would naturally reduce this growth.

Bottom line, when the pumps are off, Grand Lake clarity is higher but you can see what it does to Shadow.  So what happens to Grand Lake when the pumps come back on?  Another toxic algae bloom with blame miss placed?   Maybe THEY should think things through next time. 

THE GOOD: This summer has been great for Grand Lake!  Studies have been done on Lake Trout populations, a nutrient and particulate study has been completed. 

What now?  I believe it will show the problem with changing the flow through Grand Lake and how devastating it will be for our area wildlife. 

THE BAD:  Local organizations have reported there will be a stop pump period from now until September.  For those who want to see a clear Grand Lake it is good, but for the fish and Shadow Mountain Lake, this is very bad news.  No flows are turning some of the most lucrative fishing holes into slimy, mossy warm water stagnate puddles.  My apologies to all of my fellow anglers...I'M TRYING!  Spread the word, let these organization know this is not the best idea!  We all just have to hope that the temps stay relatively low for the rest of the summer.  I don't want to see another algae bloom!  If it gets hot enough, that top layer of zoo plankton will suffer and with nothing to eat that algae.....well go ask the Three Lake Watershed, and Greater Grand Lake Shoreline Association what will happen!!!!!

An online poll that is being conducted currently is showing overwhelmingly that people want to catch lake trout.  (60%) WOW! Now we need to make sure we help protect these amazing fish in Grand Lake.  The Colorado Parks and Wildlife will conduct a new population study this fall.  The current estimate for lake trout 19"-24" is only 1800.  Compare that to Lake Granby which has 17.00 per surface acre.  Let's make sure we educate people on this and how to catch and release so these old timers can swim again!

A secchi disk is an instrument used for measuring the clarity of water, especially seawater. It consists of a circular plate divided into alternating black and white quadrants and attached to a long measuring tape. The plate is lowered into the water, and the depth at which it is no longer visible from the surface is recorded. 

Unfortunately, secchi disk data is not always the most reliable. This method can be misinterpreted in monitoring programs because of the number of variables.

For instance:  the person taking the measurement; is it always the same person taking the reading, at the same site, the same time of day and same conditions? 

Everyone has different eyesight that does change over time.  This testing is the predominant method for measuring clarity, but we must be careful and look at these variables before making extremely important determinations. 

These are the links to the organizations who presently measure this in Grand Lake.
http://www.gcwin.org/   
http://water.usgs.gov/

As always you questions or comments are welcome!