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Re: recent trip to lake eufaula, AL




On Mon, 23 Aug 1999, Ed Street wrote:

> Today I went to lake eufaula, AL in search of alligators. We just found a
> few tracks, HUGE tracks at that.

Cool.  Sounds like fun.

> I took some water samples and this is
> the results.  pH 7.2, alkalinity 2, GH 4, nitrates 5ppm, iron 0.5ppm,
> copper 0 ppm, ammonia 0.1 ppm.

The iron and ammonia numbers are unusual for natural water, though
sometimes natural organic iron complexes can produce high iron levels.
Possibly the test kits produced false positives for one reason or another.

> From observation I noted there was a distinct abscence of any aquatic
> plants,

How was the water color and clarity?  Possibly the lack of submersed
plants is due to grazing by carp.  Otherwise turbid water and floating
algae tend to discourage aquatic plants.

> Next trip I will be getting more into the grasslands and looking for
> tracks, markings and the like.  With luck I'll be able to spot this
> elusive repitle and get some very good photo's.

When last I was in alligator water we had more trouble avoiding them than
we did finding them.  That was in the coastal marsh south of Houma, La.
They liked to bask on clear ground near open water and they weren't very
shy of people - even people on noisy airboats.  The water there was clear;
fresh water was stained brown and brackish water was almost colorless.
Aquatic plants grew in all the reasonably shallow water.  I don't know if
you would want to do this (I wouldn't), but the locals there told me that
alligators could be baited with red winged blackbirds.


Roger Miller



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