It’s hard to find something everybody can agree on. One thing all Wacoans have in common, though, is the bad taste in our mouths — we can all agree that a solution is needed for Waco’s foul-tasting water.

In 2007, a study of Lake Waco was released in which factors affecting water quality, algae, plants, fish and human use at the lake were evaluated. The study revealed that the main culprits behind Waco’s water quality problems are the dairies on the North Bosque River watershed. In other words, we’re down manure creek.

The lack of political will to deal with the dairy runoff has resulted in Waco’s water supply becoming an everyday annoyance to citizens and a topic of conversation among visitors. It’s embarrassing that “don’t drink the water” is part of the conversation about our town.

Fortunately, we’re not down manure creek without a paddle. A group of scientists and other experts has developed a plan to relegate Waco’s water quality issues to the history books. The city of Waco, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Army Corps of Engineers have put together a multifaceted strategy for improving Lake Waco’s water quality and boosting the quality of recreation at the same time.

It’s not a quick fix, and it doesn’t address the upstream source of the problem, but the plan does promise to create a healthier lake ecosystem with as few non-natural remedies as possible.

Here’s the plan in a nutshell:

* Planting beneficial vegetation: The Lake Waco system is slated for plantings to re-establish native vegetation throughout the lake. This will help sequester excess nutrients and will also provide habitat for game fish and their prey.

* Stocking predator fish: Hybrids, which feed voraciously on Gizzard Shad, will be stocked at five per acre. Reducing the numbers of shad will improve Lake Waco’s water because they feed on the beneficial zooplankton that eat the nasty tasting phytoplankton that make the water smell and taste bad.

Five hybrids per acre is the lowest stocking rate TPWD normally recommends. Lake Belton is stocked at up to 15 per acre.

* Reducing hydrilla: Hydrilla will be treated mechanically and chemically in sensitive areas like beaches and marinas. The overall plan is to allow access by swimmers and boaters in these areas, as well as to support the growth of vegetation in other areas of the lake. These methods are better alternatives than stocking grass carp.

A public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday at the Lake Waco Wetlands headquarters, located at 1752 Eichelberger Crossing. From Waco, take Highway 6 west across the Twin Bridges, then turn right on Farm-to-Market Road 185. Take the first left, which is Eichelberger Crossing. Continue for about 1 1/2 miles and the building will be on the right.

More spring than winter

This weekend’s cold front reminded us that it’s still February, but lately it’s felt more like spring than winter.

Even the fish have been getting in on the act, as white bass anglers are finding their prey already up the rivers in preparation for the spawn.

A morning trip to Eichelberger Crossing last week paid off nicely, and another angler got into several schools of sandies near the confluence of the South and Middle Bosque.

But tried-and-true white bass areas are producing good results on the main lake, too. Slabbing submerged road beds and along the old dam kept a number of anglers busy catching fish last week.

Mark Fallon had the catch of the week — a hybrid-striper weighing nearly 8 pounds. He caught it fishing cut bait on the bottom. How it got there is unclear, as the last hybrid stocking was in 1979. Chances are that the fish washed out of a stock tank and made its way into the lake.

Archery tournament

The 4th Annual Texas-National Archery in the Schools Program Tournament will take place Feb. 27 at the Waco Convention Center.

The program promotes participation in the shooting sports and provides archery training in fourth- through 12th-grade physical education classes.

Some schools also integrate archery into core content areas such as math, science and history in order to enhance learning and meet accountability standards.

The first TASP tournament in Texas was held in 2006, with 126 students representing 13 schools. Last year’s event drew 476 students, and this year’s tourney is expected to attract 700 students, teachers and parents.

Changes proposed

Regulation changes for white-tailed deer are being proposed for several counties across the state, including some local counties. The changes are part of a broader move by TPWD away from political boundaries and toward biologically based management.

Proposals include changes to bag limits and the expansion of antler restriction regulations. Proposed bag limit changes include increasing the limit to five deer (no more than two bucks) for Bosque, Hill, McLennan and Somervell counties.

Other proposals of interest are a statewide alligator gar bag limit and a blue catfish slot limit on Lake Waco.

More information can be found on the TPWD Web site.

A public meeting will be held at 7 p.m. March 3 at the McLennan County Courthouse, located at 501 Washington Ave. in Waco.

www.centexoutdoors.com

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