Bassnman Mike
08-03-2013, 02:01 PM
A friend and I went bass fishing up in the Owens Valley on Tuesday July 23, we stopped at Narrow Gauge road and proceeded to catch and release over 100 bass. We had so much fun I went back Thursday July 25 when I pulled up I saw dirty, chocolate milk looking water that appeared to be considerably higher flow than normal and a “sulfer” smell. I noticed several dead fish, bass and carp. I took a picture of the water as well as a dead bass.
While there I observed a man and lady there. I asked if they were fishing and they stated that they were there testing the water, they told me about the aqueduct being drained for repairs and that the water was diverted at the Alabama Hills pumping station. I don’t know who they were but they had a big suitcase with testing equipment. There were no markings on the truck and I didn’t get a license plate number. I watched the lady take a few pictures and she asked me what kind of fish one of the dead ones was, I told her it was a bass. As you can see by the picture, it was in very bad condition.
Saturday July 27 a friend text me saying he was fishing up by Boulder Creek but couldn’t get the fish to bite and wanted tips so I shared some tips with him. Later he said he caught 10 so I thought all was well. A few days later, after he saw my Facebook post he sent me a text saying that the bass he caught were all caught well above Lone Pine. He also stated “At the pump house east of the Boulder Creek campground the fish were dying, hundreds were sitting at the top with their mouths out of the water.” So obviously the damage had been done.
Wednesday July 31 my friend and I went back to see if we could have a day like we had a little over a week back. We stopped at Narrow Gauge and while the water was not “Chocolate Milk” looking it was dirtier than normal. We fished there for awhile but didn’t get anything, not even a bite. We then went further north and caught some bass well north of Lone Pine. Later in the day we went to the pump house by Boulder Creek Campground. When we pulled up we saw a lot of dead bass along the shore and in the road, some were in the 5-7 pound range and the stench of death was so bad that it literally made us gag. After leaving the area we had to roll the windows down to get it out of my truck.
I then called my contact at LADWP, explained our findings, and it sounds as if they were as just as upset at the situation as I am, at least he was. He told me that yes they did divert the water to make repairs to the aqueduct, which they have done in the past, but it happened at the same time as all the recent flooding and mud slides in the area.
I think that the combination of those 2 events with the addition of the link that I found at the LA Times the “Perfect Storm” happened and killed everything. I don’t believe just one organization is totally responsible for the die off but I do feel that with some planning steps could have been taken to avoid this tragedy.
I have contacted WON and they are looking into it. Bottom line, everything in the Owens River from Lone Pine south is dead, very sad.
Link to the LA Times article:
http://articles.latimes.com/1993-07-31/sports/sp-18775_1_owens-river
4222442225
While there I observed a man and lady there. I asked if they were fishing and they stated that they were there testing the water, they told me about the aqueduct being drained for repairs and that the water was diverted at the Alabama Hills pumping station. I don’t know who they were but they had a big suitcase with testing equipment. There were no markings on the truck and I didn’t get a license plate number. I watched the lady take a few pictures and she asked me what kind of fish one of the dead ones was, I told her it was a bass. As you can see by the picture, it was in very bad condition.
Saturday July 27 a friend text me saying he was fishing up by Boulder Creek but couldn’t get the fish to bite and wanted tips so I shared some tips with him. Later he said he caught 10 so I thought all was well. A few days later, after he saw my Facebook post he sent me a text saying that the bass he caught were all caught well above Lone Pine. He also stated “At the pump house east of the Boulder Creek campground the fish were dying, hundreds were sitting at the top with their mouths out of the water.” So obviously the damage had been done.
Wednesday July 31 my friend and I went back to see if we could have a day like we had a little over a week back. We stopped at Narrow Gauge and while the water was not “Chocolate Milk” looking it was dirtier than normal. We fished there for awhile but didn’t get anything, not even a bite. We then went further north and caught some bass well north of Lone Pine. Later in the day we went to the pump house by Boulder Creek Campground. When we pulled up we saw a lot of dead bass along the shore and in the road, some were in the 5-7 pound range and the stench of death was so bad that it literally made us gag. After leaving the area we had to roll the windows down to get it out of my truck.
I then called my contact at LADWP, explained our findings, and it sounds as if they were as just as upset at the situation as I am, at least he was. He told me that yes they did divert the water to make repairs to the aqueduct, which they have done in the past, but it happened at the same time as all the recent flooding and mud slides in the area.
I think that the combination of those 2 events with the addition of the link that I found at the LA Times the “Perfect Storm” happened and killed everything. I don’t believe just one organization is totally responsible for the die off but I do feel that with some planning steps could have been taken to avoid this tragedy.
I have contacted WON and they are looking into it. Bottom line, everything in the Owens River from Lone Pine south is dead, very sad.
Link to the LA Times article:
http://articles.latimes.com/1993-07-31/sports/sp-18775_1_owens-river
4222442225