Friday, April 10, 2009







A grand experiment, this is, for an old "big iron" computer programmer. The primary reason for being here is to create a (better) way to share photos with friends and relatives. Seems like Cousin Tom's photos look so much better on his Blogger site that I'll try this route too. It's free, aint it!?

These photos are a "Stump Study" taken at the Big Eau Pleine Resevoir in north central Wisconsin on April 4, 2009.

Old pine stumps are a feature in many Wisconsin reservoirs. First the land was logged off, then the Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) and WI Public Service (the power company) built dams and created the reservoirs in the 1930's, 1940's. The stumps have been underwater many years (a boater's bane), but recent drought and water draw-downs have exposed them. Also, water currents removed sand/silt from the lower roots, exposing them more completely.

2008-2009 Winter fish kill was very severe (80% + die-off) in Eau Pleine Reservoir due to: (1) low water level -- DNR does annual drawdown to only 22% of capacity, (2) fertilizer and manure runoff encourages vegetation growth on the bottom, which dies and rots which in turn "eats up" oxygen and (3) old aerators can't keep oxygen levels up in winter. Elected not to show photos of dead fish!