Treasureton kill

[Poky_fan]

Some interesting ideas proposed about the causes of the Treasureton winter kill. Given the enormous level of aquatic plant growth that occurs there during the spring/summer, it might be a classic case of plant decomposition by microbes, which consumes oxygen and occurs as plants die due to reduced sunlight during the fall/winter, depleting available oxygen in the water and also, exceeding the input of "new" oxygen by surviving plants (remember that weird term "photosynthesis" in high school biology?). Because of warm summer temperatures last year, which probably stressed both fish and plants, and the fact the reservoir was covered by snow and ice for many months, it seems possible that continuous decomposition, and low levels of oxygen renewal, led to oxygen depletion resulting in fish mortality. Whatever the cause, all of us are sorry to read about the apparent loss of this great fishery. Let's hope for a rapid recovery!
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