# Paint Cr - Lowering of Lake Orion lets trout thrive



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Lowering of Lake Orion lets trout thrive

LAKE ORION -- The upper part of Paint Creek, teeming with rainbow and brown trout, is for some anglers their best-kept secret in Metro Detroit.

But trout in that stretch of stream have not always been so abundant. With sun-baked surface water flowing over the dam from Lake Orion, the water was too warm for trout to thrive.

So state conservationists and Lake Orion officials found a solution that involves a cold water pipe and the periodic lowering and refilling of Lake Orion, a process that's under way. 

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071127/METRO/711270352/1409/METRO


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## back2spool (May 7, 2005)

I find this article preposterous.

The Upper Paint? Teeming with trout? NO, I repeat, NO part of the Paint is "teeming" with trout. Yes, there are trout to be had, particularly when the DNR trucks drive away in April, but "teeming?' C'mon now...

Reading this article would make you believe the Orion DPW has a heart of gold and cares deeply about the river. The same DPW that dumps snow/salt mixture into the creek in downtown Lake Orion during heavy snows.

The dropped the water in 5 weeks. And while, yes, it is better than doing it in 2, the fact is this could have been done incrementally since July when there was little water to go around.

This article makes it sound like dropping lake levels every 5 years benefits everyone! What a great idea!

No where is the Paint in WORSE shape than in the village. Severe unchecked erosion.

You could walk across the creek in my backyard and not get your feet wet. Maybe not dropping the lake level in one of the worst drought years we have had in recent memory would have been a better idea. Why? Because after the drop down, the lake has hoarded EVERY single drop! Who could have foreseen the lack of fall rains? Anyone who has been following weather patterns since March...

Ridiculous.


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

back2spool, I couldn't agree with you more.


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## nmufish (Sep 11, 2007)

The lake owners couldnt care less about this stream.


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## flyfishinchristian (Oct 5, 2006)

I also agree with you Back2Spool.

Teeming...

Abundant...

Trout-laden...

This article angers me. 

While I did enjoy the graphic that explained how the bottom draw works (a subject debated here before), I think that the author of this article has probably never fished the Paint (currently wondering if they've ever fished). 

I would like the author to back up their choice of words with hard statistics about the amount of trout in the creek, and the amount that is affected by the bottom water draw.

That might be more news worthy then throwing out some nice adjectives indicating that there are hoards of trout jumping around in the Paint, which will more likely just increase the fishing pressure on the one of the only cold water fisheries left in South-eastern Michigan. Unfortunate.


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## back2spool (May 7, 2005)

Here's the letter I sent to the author of the article...

Hi,

As an avid fisherman and member of the Clinton River Watershed Council, I really cringed when I read your article last week on the lowering of Lake Orion.* It really promoted some misconceptions about the stream and the lowering process.

Misconceptions:

1)* Upper Paint Creek is teeming with brown and rainbow trout.

"Teeming" is a powerful word.* When you use a word like that fishermen take notice.* It sounds like they will jump on your hook if you drop a line in.* Nothing could be further from the truth.* There are very few brown trout and even less rainbow trout in the Upper Paint.* The dam pipe helps a bit, but hoarding of water for the lake ensures a very low survival rate for the fish the DNR stock annually as summer water levels drop considerably, flows decrease and the temp of the water skyrockets.* Consult Jim Francis of the DNR and I am SURE he will tell you the numbers of fish, but the Paint is a very fragile little creek in terms of trout survival/population.

The creek is threatened by low summer water levels and SEVERE erosion in and around the village's parks.* Very little has been done to help or stifle this.*

As a resident of the village of Lake Orion, I see the abuse the creek gets (road commission trucks dumping salty road snow into the water at the bridge downtown).* Salt+Freshwater Stream don't mix.* The creek is neglected and although the drawdown is done only every 5 years, they still; bring the water down every fall.* It's the same story every year.* Creek gets flooded in spring and the one day the water just disappears (when they raise the dam).* The opposite happens in the fall.* No water all summer and then "Bam!" Deluge when they lower the dam level.

I know you are a writer and just trying to do your job, but the picture you painted of a creek filled with fish and a town that really cares for it are way off base.

2)* Lake homeowners enjoy the lowering because they can do repairs.

Reading the "Letter to the Editor" section of the Lake Orion Review throughout August and September, one would think otherwise.* NUMEROUS lakefront homeowners were FURIOUS about the lowering and hate that it cuts their boating season short.

Finally, the last quote about "It's all in Mother Nature's hands," from the DPW superintendent is kind of ridiculous.* Any simpleton who has followed weather patterns for the last year or so would have realized this might not have been the best year to do this.* Since the drawdown the creek has seen very little, if any, water.* There are parts that have been submerged for years that are now exposed.* Perhaps a little foresight, or a little less "drawn down" would have helped.* No rain.* No water.* Pretty simple.* However,* I do understand lake levels have been legislated in and there is no way around them.*

Just wanted to give you an insider's point of view.


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## kype138 (Jul 13, 2006)

There was no mention of how riparian owners frequently dump all of their yard waste into the creek? I've done work along that stretch, and it's a lot more commonplace than the author might believe.


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## WILDCATWICK (Mar 11, 2002)

Back2spool, Kudo's to you for taking the time and effort to not only express your beleifs here but to follow up and send it to the paper as well. To many just complain to fellow sportsman, instead of letting those who truelly need to hear it, hear it!

Let us know if it get's published or you receive any response.


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## back2spool (May 7, 2005)

Thanks Wildcat. I will let you know if I hear back.


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