You guys may already know this stuff, but apparently everything was fine with DO & trout on the White until additional turbines were installed to Bull Shoals. This is apparently when they began to run at such high flow fluctuations that the DO problems began to crop up. It is my understanding that Senator Hutchinson sponsored a minimum flow bill that will allocate 5 feet at Bull Shoals, 3 feet at Table Rock, 1.5 feet at Beaver and Greers Ferry. A two-year study was conducted by USCOE to determine the effects of the proposal, and has just completed it and delivered the results to AGFC. The rumor is the report is 100% in favor of tourism, recreation, and fish, and that the findings will be presented to D.C. early this year. A 45 day public comment period would then occur, after which Congress would be asked to act on it. I just found out about this, is it old news? Are these reasonable increases in minimum flows?

It is also my understanding that Bull Shoals only has a hypolimnetic intake for the turbines. If so, this would explain why there would be low DO levels during the conditions that John describes. The water is cold enough to have plenty of O2, but respiration during benthic decomposition in the lake used it up. The fix to this is that they install intakes at multiple levels. Then they can provide a blend of waters from different levels that best meets the needs of the fish downstream. Expensive, but the best long-term fix.

-- Rick