Bastrop State Park
After much effort to obtain funding, Bastrop State Park in Texas installed a Vertex Aeration System in August to combat the effects of one of the worst droughts in the history of the area. Unfortunately, due to these exceptional drought conditions and a windy dry front that crossed the state, wildfires ravished the area.
The worst wildfire occurred in Bastrop County, which burned nearly 40,000 acres, rendering many homeless. Within the affected area, lies Bastrop State Park, which was 99% destroyed by the fire.
The devastating losses in this area included the Vertex system, installed less than one week before the fire. The loss of the system was minute in relevance to all losses during the entire event, but it still played an important role to conserve the fish and wildlife within the park.
The little pond survived the catastrophe and served as a water source to fight the flames with what little water it had left from the drought. Because the agency's primary focus is on vital park replacements for now, replacing the aeration system might have taken a very long time, causing further stress to the already fragile aquatic eco-system.
Most of the tubing and diffusers survived underwater but the pump house where the cabinet/compressors were located burned completely along with several feet of tubing leading to the water.
In an effort to help the park save Bastrop Lake, Vertex has donated a replacement aeration system with plans to follow up yearly as part of a scientific study on bringing lakes back after natural disasters.
