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Post by quackquackboom on Mar 22, 2016 20:37:58 GMT -5
Can anyone update what the water looks like around 4h camp? Still orange?
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Gator
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Post by Gator on Mar 23, 2016 7:06:18 GMT -5
Orange
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Post by coheasion on Mar 23, 2016 8:29:48 GMT -5
What clarity?
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Post by mwardncsu on Mar 23, 2016 8:58:00 GMT -5
I'm curious as I've not heard complains of water clarity on the upper BW in past springs when we've had lots of rain - at least not for extended periods of time. The Roanoke has its share of muddy water in high-rain events - and the other year when they clear-cut a bunch of timber on the Franklin side up-stream of Lynville it seemed to make Lynville MUCH MUCH worse after rains.
I've noticed as I drive up to the lake that each trip there are less and less tress in Pittsylviania county and I guess a bit of Franklin on that side - I'm not sure there is one tree left at this point actually.... is this perhaps what is leading to the increased mud into the Blackwater?
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Post by coheasion on Mar 23, 2016 9:03:19 GMT -5
Mike - those are some interesting thoughts as there is a TON of logging going on over there. The water up-river from Gills has been muddy/orange with trash in it for the last month....even fake alligator heads are showing up ;-)
Not sure the casue or the answer if there is one but it has made fishing tough in the area.
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Gator
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Post by Gator on Mar 23, 2016 9:58:34 GMT -5
It looks to be run off from logging. I cross both the Roanoke and Blackwater Rivers,almost on a daily basis, and notice the differences. The last several weeks the BW has been muddy as heck almost every day. In comparison the Roanoke River is flowing much cleaner water.
Coheasion, those aren't fake!!
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jmr04
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Post by jmr04 on Mar 23, 2016 10:07:32 GMT -5
I've never seen it as muddy in the 8 years I've lived on it. It seems the Roanoke side is always muddier. Not this year. Something seems to be going on.
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lund2
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Post by lund2 on Mar 23, 2016 11:04:48 GMT -5
This is extremely interesting to me, I did just graduate college with a degree in Environmental Studies. I would agree that the BW is the muddiest I have ever seen in the roughly 13yrs of coming to the lake. I know the VDOF(virginia department of forestry) has certain Best Management Practices (BMP) specifically put in place to maintain water quality. I am going to dig into the BMP technical guide when I have some more time (I am at work right now) and see if there is anything that is not compliant with this activity that is effecting my beloved BW. No promises on here but I would love it if I were able to stir up enough commotion in order to force VDOF to conduct a Field audit on the upper BW to ensure that all BMP are being met. If anyone has any more information regarding this I would love to hear from you.
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lund1
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Post by lund1 on Mar 23, 2016 14:08:54 GMT -5
Oh man...just a few brief years ago it was indignation at being banned from jumping off the cliffs ( you've never seen such anger at a big No Trespassing sign!)....now it's reviewing State Technical Guides to assure Best Management Practices related to water clarity in the hopes of prompting a Field Audit.....when I was 23 years old my biggest concern was where the cheapest draft beer was being served.....I'm getting old and my kids are getting smarter then me......sigh.
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Post by coheasion on Mar 23, 2016 14:54:55 GMT -5
Oh man...just a few brief years ago it was indignation at being banned from jumping off the cliffs ( you've never seen such anger at a big No Trespassing sign!)....now it's reviewing State Technical Guides to assure Best Management Practices related to water clarity in the hopes of prompting a Field Audit.....when I was 23 years old my biggest concern was where the cheapest draft beer was being served.....I'm getting old and my kids are getting smarter then me......sigh. Oh lord - that was funny right there!  |
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Post by smlfishing on Mar 23, 2016 15:21:13 GMT -5
I have not seen Gills Creek this muddy in the 13 years we have been here. I know the upper part would get dirty but it never seemed to get that bad down our way especially with the logs and brush. I will have to agree with Lund2 I enjoyed jumping off the cliffs and was hoping my kids could do it as well. Just a lake tradition. Hoping Ben has my boat ready for the weekend between him and bayside we have not been out yet does anyone know if clears up towards BR?
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Post by coheasion on Mar 23, 2016 15:30:06 GMT -5
Yes...Bulls Run is gin clear right now.
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lund2
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Post by lund2 on Mar 23, 2016 15:33:49 GMT -5
it does clear up down near Bulls. It got substantially cleaner around Chimney Island last weekend when I was up.
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Post by smlfishing on Mar 24, 2016 7:56:04 GMT -5
It looks like Gills is clearing up as well but I hear pretty bad at the bowl with the last rain. Thanks for the info lund2
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johnr
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Post by johnr on Mar 24, 2016 8:31:52 GMT -5
Another contributing factor is the number of expanding/new farm fields being developed on the upper blackwater where I live, above Rocky Mount. A few years ago, the river would flow muddy for a day after a good rain. Now it flows muddy for a few days to a week after a rain.
In the past few years, a lot of farms seem to be expanding their riverside fields, which I can only assume leads to an increased sediment load until those freshly cleared and cultivated lands can settle back down.
Plus the logging between here and the lake.
Also, there is no longer aquatic vegetation to act as a natural filter in the upper reaches of the blackwater tributaries.
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