Why Did Sustained Flows Decrease Biomass?

Decreased light availability. From Mar 1 to Jun 30:
- Increased turbidity. Median turbidity 1 FNU in 2005 and 16 FNU in 2006.
- Increased depth. Median daily mean gage height at Kiona was 3.7 ft in 2005 and 6.1 ft in 2006.
Increased velocity (personal observation; no data yet).
Excellent timing? In one study in Michigan, water star grass began growing when water temperature exceeded 8ºC. At Kiona, temperatures began to consistently exceed 8ºC in early March 2005 and mid-March 2006.