Lake Lariat Clam Project
"From Green Water to Clean Water"
| Below the Thermocline By Don Statter |
The untrained observer who stands at the edge of Lake Lariat doesn’t realize the water quality problems
that exist beneath the surface. As a fifteen year resident of the community I have witnessed the slow and
gradual deterioration of the lake. I can claim the indicators at the surface are subtle. The events of this
past week confirm they are real (11-17 September 2005).
With help from a member of the community, Sandi Sullivan, and a business partner, Richard Pelz, a non-
profit corporation was formed, dedicated to the cleaning of Lake Lariat. Called the Lake Lariat Clam
Project, Inc, our strategy is to resource the placement of floating clam reefs, solar powered pumps, and a
scientific study to quantify and publish the results of efforts to clean the lake using shellfish systems and
solar powered pumps as components of a controlled engineering process.
The theory we operated under to develop the plan is a lake model that suggests that the water column is
stratified and stagnant with a strong thermocline throughout a significant part of the year. Solar powered
pumps will be placed over the deep channels of the lake. A long vertical pipe will pull cold, nutrient
enriched water that is likely anoxic and acidic from below the thermocline to mix with the warm, oxygen rich
water at the surface. A horizontal pipe will direct this mixed water to induce algal blooms within the shallow
water coves. Floating clam reefs placed within the coves will consume the algae and convert it to nodules
of feces and pseudo-feces that will drop to the bottom of the lake. The proteins and amino acids within
these nodules will be consumed by worms and aerobic bacteria and converted to nitrates if the reefs are
located in shallow coves, where oxygen produced by photosynthesis bathes the sediment/water interface.
Beneath the thin aerobic zone, anaerobic bacteria will convert the nitrates to nitrogen gas that will bubble
to the surface and return to the atmosphere.
There are members of the local community that have debated the water quality model on which the Project
is operating. The debate is now over and the events of the past week have confirmed what many of us
have believed for many years. Lake Lariat below the thermocline is a septic disaster that became evident
when a significant leak in the lower portion the dam could not be controlled and water from the deep
portion of the lake entered the pond below the dam. This pond is where the first set of three clam floats
were placed from May through September 2005. The images below confirm our water quality model and
explain the mysterious algal blooms that have occurred below the dam over the past few years.
that exist beneath the surface. As a fifteen year resident of the community I have witnessed the slow and
gradual deterioration of the lake. I can claim the indicators at the surface are subtle. The events of this
past week confirm they are real (11-17 September 2005).
With help from a member of the community, Sandi Sullivan, and a business partner, Richard Pelz, a non-
profit corporation was formed, dedicated to the cleaning of Lake Lariat. Called the Lake Lariat Clam
Project, Inc, our strategy is to resource the placement of floating clam reefs, solar powered pumps, and a
scientific study to quantify and publish the results of efforts to clean the lake using shellfish systems and
solar powered pumps as components of a controlled engineering process.
The theory we operated under to develop the plan is a lake model that suggests that the water column is
stratified and stagnant with a strong thermocline throughout a significant part of the year. Solar powered
pumps will be placed over the deep channels of the lake. A long vertical pipe will pull cold, nutrient
enriched water that is likely anoxic and acidic from below the thermocline to mix with the warm, oxygen rich
water at the surface. A horizontal pipe will direct this mixed water to induce algal blooms within the shallow
water coves. Floating clam reefs placed within the coves will consume the algae and convert it to nodules
of feces and pseudo-feces that will drop to the bottom of the lake. The proteins and amino acids within
these nodules will be consumed by worms and aerobic bacteria and converted to nitrates if the reefs are
located in shallow coves, where oxygen produced by photosynthesis bathes the sediment/water interface.
Beneath the thin aerobic zone, anaerobic bacteria will convert the nitrates to nitrogen gas that will bubble
to the surface and return to the atmosphere.
There are members of the local community that have debated the water quality model on which the Project
is operating. The debate is now over and the events of the past week have confirmed what many of us
have believed for many years. Lake Lariat below the thermocline is a septic disaster that became evident
when a significant leak in the lower portion the dam could not be controlled and water from the deep
portion of the lake entered the pond below the dam. This pond is where the first set of three clam floats
were placed from May through September 2005. The images below confirm our water quality model and
explain the mysterious algal blooms that have occurred below the dam over the past few years.
| Images 1 to 6 were collected from below the Lake Lariat Dam on September 15, 2005, and represent the condition of the water below the Thermocline. |
1. Two of three clam floats that were deployed below
the dam. These floats have since been removed to
the lake above the dam.
the dam. These floats have since been removed to
the lake above the dam.
3. There is no light penetration.
5. The water has to be very filthy to kill a carp.
7. Oblivious to the water quality problems just a
few feet below, these swimmers are enjoying
what they think is a clean lake, a few hundred
feet from the Lake Lariat dam.
few feet below, these swimmers are enjoying
what they think is a clean lake, a few hundred
feet from the Lake Lariat dam.
Lake Lariat Clam Project
"From Green Water to Clean Water"
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3
5
4
6
2. These are the two channels that drain from
Lake Lariat Dam. The water is dark and oily
before it reaches the pond.
Lake Lariat Dam. The water is dark and oily
before it reaches the pond.
7
4. Septic foam forms below the concrete apron as
the filthy water enters the pond below the dam.
the filthy water enters the pond below the dam.
6. Another dead carp has been
partially consumed by a carrion eater.
partially consumed by a carrion eater.