RangerBob Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 A question directed for Tim, or someone else on FESA. How much a month (electrical/installation/maintenance) does it cost approximately to run the areation systems out at Muir over the winter? Inquiring minds wanna know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 In the Oct issue of Ab Outdoorsmen magazine, it has an article on Lake Aeration and it indicates that 'on average' power bill alone runs ~ $ 5000 per lake. As Muir has 2 aerators, I suspect this amount would be doubled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave robinson Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 I'll do the electrical engineering bit here. If you assume the aerator runs November to April (6 months). and runs 24 hours per day, that totals roughly 4000 hours. Thus each kw of motor consumes 4000 kWh of energy in a year. Energy rates are currently running between 7 and 8 cents per kWh. So that means each kW of motor costs at most $320.00 per year to run. To that you have to add transmission, distribution and service charges. So to be safe, double the figure to $640.00 per year per kW. I'm not sure, but Ithink the aerators are under 2 kw each, closer to 1 kw (1 1/2 horsepower) Timm should be able to confirm size. So no way would it cost $5,000.00 to run one. My guess is under $1,000. The Ab Outdorsman must be referring to the compressed air type of aerator which are much less efficient and more horsepower demanding than the propellor type we use at Muir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tys Flies Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 was wondering if the reason for having two aerorators is to increase the survival rate of the fish over winter? I used to ice fish lakes in kamloops with aerorators on them and they were close to the same size as muir and only had one on them. or perhaps there is different sizes that churn more water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisS Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 Don't quote me 100% but the reason for 2 was there is a narrows that is about 4ft deep running across the lake and they felt in a hard winter it might freeze to the bottom this way they could make sure both sides of the narrows got oxegen(sp) even if this happpened. Hope that helps Tight Lines Always Dennis S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratch Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 I think DennisS had the right answer there - or close to it. The narrows at muir is indeed very shallow - and as another side effect, under full ice, there is little water movement (no springs to feed movement - or wind to stir it up). This would certainly contribute to limited cross oxygenation. Interestingly enough - the next best way to oxygenate a lake without aerators is to keep the lake surface plowed. No snow == Good oxygen transfer through the ice. Strange but true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerBob Posted September 28, 2004 Author Share Posted September 28, 2004 (edited) Interestingly enough - the next best way to oxygenate a lake without aerators is to keep the lake surface plowed. No snow == Good oxygen transfer through the ice. Strange but true.I have a theory too.. how about a few hundred ice-augers holes, and some selective fish sampling done over the winter. For purely, scientific purposes of course. Where do I volunteer for that job? I'll be more then happy to donate dollars for areation at the next FNB... just for the pure joy that Muir has given me this year. But still, I'm curious. Did the project not have an operating budget for these expenses when asking the government for funding? Is that funding renewable, or was it just for start up of the project, and the rest left for such fundraising? If so, we all best open our wallets based on Dave's Dissertation. That, or go with wind power. Edited September 29, 2004 by RangerBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tys Flies Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 forget wind power. lets use man power. i say we hook up some treadmills or large hamster weels to the airators and run on them to turn those propellers. anyone want to volunteer for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisS Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Well you've seen my waistline so sign me up. I'm sure you could find a couple of more that could use the excersise. Tight Lines Always Dennis S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Tim could answer this better than I (haven't been to a FESA meeting yet) but I do beleive that the Gov't grant was a one time shot. Besides that, I beleive we are holding some money back for a second project maybe in the Stathcona or Sturgeon counties (Brian is best to ask on that one). And I also beleive the cost to aerate is not very much. Yes the "Bubbler" (condensed air) type of aeration cost considerably more than the de-stratification process used by fountain aerators. How much more? Not sure. On a side note: Got my wife a new car today (Seabring) and I can now put the smaller regulation signs up at Muir. Anybody got an afternoon free (fishing comes into play here as well) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimD Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Last year the cost was about $35 per month to aerate the lake. We also installed lights as well so the cost will go up a bit. Our advice on the lake was to put an aerator on each side of the narrows and the locations we picked were compromises due to cost. It would be easy to say that all we need is $500 per year for the aeration, but we also have to life cycle the education centre, casting platforms and aerators along with providing for new inductees. There is also talk of getting another lake going to take the pressure off Muir. Look for a donation kiosk at Muir next spring along with a fundraiser over the winter. Cheers, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave robinson Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Thanks Tim: I guess my calcaultaton on power costs were't far off. $35.00 per month at 12 months =$420.00 per anum. Not bad for all the fish it keeps alive eh! I'm with you in budgeting for ongoing maintence of dock, platforms, displays and possibly arerators (you need a slush fund in case something breaks). As as for another lake... Bring it on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerBob Posted September 29, 2004 Author Share Posted September 29, 2004 (edited) I'll glady donate a month then, here's hoping we can raise enough in one night at the next Flies N Beer to cover this winter off. Edited September 29, 2004 by RangerBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tys Flies Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 lets set up a sponsor a trout program. "for only a dollar month u will see this fish grow from a little minnow to a monster of a trout. each month we will send u a pic and a letter from ur sponsor and update u on his/her progress..." just curious though. will the "new lake" be similar to muir in that it once held fish and then was killed off. or will it be a man made lake like east pit. or is it a large slough that as the ability to house fish? when and where is it scheduled for. or is it still in its planning stages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimD Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 Any new lake, if it happens, is still in the conceptual stage. The FESA executive passed a motion for a member of the executive to talk to the local area biologist about the suitability of any lakes east of Edmonton. Any suitable candidate lakes will be evaluated and the best one will be selected. Then a project committee will be struck to take it from a barren piece of water to a suitable lake. There are a ton of issues to consider and many hurdles to jump between now and then. I started working on a lake west of Edmonton (it turned out to be Muir) in late 2000 and we got to fish it about 4 years later - there was no way in hell we could have pulled it off so fast without all the help from the 4 clubs. Thankfully just about everything everything went smooth. The next lake will not have a walk or education centre so it will (theoretically) be easier to bring on line. If anyone is interested in helping #2 move to the fishing stage they should contact Brian Bleackley. Many hands make light work. Cheers, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratch Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 For the record - I'd like to say good on ya Tim, and the rest of the crew - and for what it's worth - I'll gladly take part in the next venture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipperdan Posted October 16, 2004 Share Posted October 16, 2004 Well I guess a little snow will stop things. I took a drive out to Muir lake this morning assuming that the air for the little fishs was to be put in . There was noone out , humf <_ oh well just another wasted trip src="http://nlft.org/forum/uploads/emoticons/default_cursing.gif" alt=":curse:"> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimD Posted October 17, 2004 Share Posted October 17, 2004 Dan, We actually met in the heat of the day (around 3 pm) The aerators are happily humming along. But thanks for coming out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Posted November 9, 2004 Share Posted November 9, 2004 Re aeration project I can tell you what we have done on Millers Lake just west of Edson. The lake is 88 acres - we have run 1 & 2 aeraters different years with not a big difference in price. Two aeraters last year cost $ 1400 from October to April & it seems to vary around that amount pretty closely. Depending on temperature & snow depth you can almost reach critial O2s with 1 unit but you can pull down the temperature with 2 units in real cold weather. We opt for the 2 units cause we like the extra insurance. We got seed money from ACA initially but Sundance Forest Industries has covered the operating costs[ electrical ] every year todate. Anything else - just ask - it's been a very successful project. Norm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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