Idiocy knows no bounds it seems

[DKSuddeth]

new pollution hazard

RENO, Nevada (AP) -- A group of property owners thinks there might be a new culprit behind Lake Tahoe's declining clarity: Goose droppings.

Members of the Tahoe Lakefront Owners Association want scientists to study whether the bird feces are contributing to pollution that's eroding the lake's clarity at an average rate of more than a foot per year.

The feces contain phosphorus and nitrogen, nutrients that may help fuel the algae growth that combines with sediments to reduce clarity.

"We're just surprised the agencies haven't taken this problem more seriously," said Jan Brisco, executive director of the property owners' group.

Brisco said she's raised the issue with officials from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, which is charged with protecting the Sierra Nevada lake famed for its clear, blue waters.

"Everyone just sort of chuckled or laughed as if it were funny," Brisco said. "We think it's far from funny."

Scientists at the University of California's Tahoe Research Group said that while the droppings could affect water quality where the birds are thickest, they're probably not a major source of pollution.

"In a lake like Tahoe, my gut feeling is they are probably going to have very little to do with the decline in clarity we're seeing," said group scientist John Reuter.

 

[OCA]

Uh goose shit? No unless they've got the whole wintering population of canadiens there. Lake Tahoe is so deep that they have actually never found the bottom of it so as far as we know there could be some sort of mineral seepage from the bottom such as oil or other thing coming up. Damn if anybody else has ever been there, i've been probably 100 times in my life since I lived so close, it is absolutely beautiful there.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

many of you will claim this is an out of context quotation.

I asked oca what flavor ice cream he wanted and he said "Uh, goose shit?".

 

[Isaac Brock]

Originally posted by OCA
Uh goose shit? No unless they've got the whole wintering population of canadiens there. Lake Tahoe is so deep that they have actually never found the bottom of it so as far as we know there could be some sort of mineral seepage from the bottom such as oil or other thing coming up. Damn if anybody else has ever been there, i've been probably 100 times in my life since I lived so close, it is absolutely beautiful there.

Not so. DK, I believe is right. As the artcle, geese feces is rich in Nitrogen and Phosphorous it will promote algal proliferation and blooms. It is not the feces that is reducing the clarity, it is the algea/sediments. It is also independent of the lake depth, since algae will only grow near the surface of the lake since it requires oxygen and light to survive.

It is a common problem in many lakes near my city, however, we have a better network of wetlands that are better suited for the wild fowl and they usually steer clear of our lakes.

 

[OCA]

Originally posted by Isaac Brock
Not so. DK, I believe is right. As the artcle, geese feces is rich in Nitrogen and Phosphorous it will promote algal proliferation and blooms. It is not the feces that is reducing the clarity, it is the algea/sentiments. It is also independent of the lake depth, since algae will only grow near the surface of the lake since it requires oxygen and light to survive.

It is a common problem in many lakes near my city, however, we have a better network of wetlands that are better suited for the wild fowl and they usually steer clear of our lakes.

Interesting didn't know that. Thanks for the info

 

[DKSuddeth]

Originally posted by Isaac Brock
Not so. DK, I believe is right. As the artcle, geese feces is rich in Nitrogen and Phosphorous it will promote algal proliferation and blooms. It is not the feces that is reducing the clarity, it is the algea/sentiments. It is also independent of the lake depth, since algae will only grow near the surface of the lake since it requires oxygen and light to survive.

It is a common problem in many lakes near my city, however, we have a better network of wetlands that are better suited for the wild fowl and they usually steer clear of our lakes.

Unless the goose population has taken a severe upwards trend, I fail to see how this is taking its toll. Geese have been around lake tahoe longer than this country has been called the USA. NOW its a pollution problem?

 

[OCA]

Exactly, I know the part about goose shit being high in nitrates because its a good fertilizer but I don't ever remember seeing a shitload of geese in Tahoe.

 

[remie]

Originally posted by OCA
Exactly, I know the part about goose shit being high in nitrates because its a good fertilizer but I don't ever remember seeing a shitload of geese in Tahoe.

Dont know about Tahoe, but goose populations are exploding in other parts of the country. Dont have any scientific data to back it up, but the theory of goose shit causing algae bloom sure makes sense.

 

[NewGuy]

Are we goin to put PCV valves up cow's butts to smog them too?

Should we off people for exhaling carbon dioxide?

Why can these guys never understand there is a constant in the planetary environment in that there are many different micro climates contributing to the whole that are always in a state of disintegration and recreation.

It is the very same argument they would use to ban goose crap.

 

[Isaac Brock]

Originally posted by DKSuddeth
Unless the goose population has taken a severe upwards trend, I fail to see how this is taking its toll. Geese have been around lake tahoe longer than this country has been called the USA. NOW its a pollution problem?

It is possible. It was been been documented with that with the reduction in wetlands with farmland, geese had less "attactive" places to go. This results in more geese stopping in less areas. Also, from what I understand, the geese population is much higher than what it was traditionally due to a lack of predation. So hunt a goose, you might be saving the environment :

 

[Isaac Brock]

Originally posted by NewGuy
Are we goin to put PCV valves up cow's butts to smog them too?

Should we off people for exhaling carbon dioxide?

Why can these guys never understand there is a constant in the planetary environment in that there are many different micro climates contributing to the whole that are always in a state of disintegration and recreation.

It is the very same argument they would use to ban goose crap.

Interestingly enough, you can reduce the amount of methane released by cows and other ruminants by adding a simple enzyme into their feed or reducing the quality and increasing the quantity of their forage. In fact, you could singlehandedly wipe out increases in greenhouse gases by reducing ruminant discharge. Strange, but true.

 

[Isaac Brock]

Originally posted by OCA
Interesting didn't know that. Thanks for the info

My pleasure, OCA.

 

[OCA]

Originally posted by remie
Dont know about Tahoe, but goose populations are exploding in other parts of the country. Dont have any scientific data to back it up, but the theory of goose shit causing algae bloom sure makes sense.

No kidding about the geese poulation. Its actually easier nowadays to bag a limit of geese than it is ducks. Last year on 1 day of duck hunting I must have seen 10-20,000 geese no exaggeration. They were everywhere and unfortunately I had put in for a duck blind instead of a goose blind out in the cornfields.

 

[winston churchi]

I just saw on an episode of the travel channel that Boarder Collies are used on Liberty Island to chase the geese away....because they litter.

They also do the same on Ellis Island.

When I lived in Virginia there was a major problem with these geese...so perhaps these Tahoe residents are not half cocked...or maybe they are???

 

[5stringJeff]

They are doing the same thing here - using dogs to chase away geese. If it was up to me, I'd shoot the damn things.