Wednesday a meeting was held with our lake manager/biologist, three board
members, our G.M., our assistant G.M., and a representative from the lake
management commission. The purpose was to discuss options to remediate
the lake’s situation as well as to start to develop a plan going forward through the lake management commission to
address possible future lake issues.
Our biologist told us this year is “the perfect
storm.” We are not alone in our toxic algae situation. Other lakes are fighting
the same situation. A combination of phosphorus load, temperature, lots of
sunlight, and the drought have all worked together to bring on this toxic
bloom. A couple points I had not considered were the lack of heavy ice on the lake
last winter, the early lake thaw, and the hot March, all leading to a longer season
and hotter lake for algae to thrive. Next year who knows?
Remediation topics discussed were an alum
treatment, wells being drilled or the existing one drilled deeper to provide a constant
stream during dry periods, SolarBees, and skimming the dead algae. Regarding
the skimming, Joe (biologist) indicates this is really just cosmetic, not cost
effective, and the toxins will still be in the lake. When the algae dies it
eventually just falls harmlessly to the bottom of the lake and the scum
disappears.
The alum treatment cost would be about what I
guessed here a few weeks ago, around $200,000.00. The same company and even
the same person in charge of the last treatment is still available so we
should be able to count on the same procedure if this is accomplished. That is
a lot of money but our lake is our centerpiece and personally I don’t care if
we have to do this every few years, we must maintain our lake.
The lake management commission will be working on a
plan to present formally to the board soon. This year we have to just ride it
out until tests come back with acceptable results. That shouldn’t be much
longer as it appears we are over the worst unless something unexpected happens.
Some of our water is still like green paint.
Only certain strains of blue/green algae become
toxic and it is impossible to tell if there is a problem without testing. There
frankly is not a lot of information on the topic currently available. We
continue to test. Our biologist indicates from the samples just taken he feels
sure the water is not yet safe without even sending them in for lab analysis.
If lake management comes back with a recommendation
for the alum treatment it will probably not happen until next spring or early summer.
The other remediation possibilities will take a lot of research and you guessed
it, engineering and government input. I would like to see us start with a clean…or
cleaner lake then move forward with the other possibilities for future
maintenance of our lake.
Ken Dillenburg (This post
is from my meeting notes and more detailed information will be available from other sources as
things progress)