Task force explores options on lake algae
Staff reporter
City, state, and federal officials did not find solutions but did determine a non-chemical treatment option was preferred for treating the algae outbreak at Marion Reservoir.
U.S. Senator Sam Brownback organized the meeting last week as a result of a letter written by the City of Hillsboro to Brownback and other legislators.
In attendance were representatives from the City of Marion, the City of Hillsboro, Marion County, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Kansas Water Office, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Tulsa District.
Hillsboro city officials had four key points of concern in the letter and those points were addressed at the meeting.
The consensus of the group in attendance was a non-chemical treatment approach of the reservoir water.
Tony Clyde, a limnologist or specialist in the study of freshwater ponds and lakes from the Corps, provided information to the group regarding the chemical and non-chemical options.
Two chemical options were copper algicide and aluminum aglicide.
Copper algicide would be toxic for fish in the reservoir and would kill all algae, not just the anabaena strain. This treatment had never been done on the size of Marion Reservoir.
Aluminum aglicide would be cost prohibitive at $1.5 million for a 15-acre lake recently treated.
Non-chemical treatments that were discussed were aeration and another treatment the Corps utilized in a small pond in Oklahoma. Information was limited for the treatments.
A report will be compiled and submitted to Brownback.
David Mayfield, Marion City Administrator, said the meeting was "very informative."
"I believe that we are headed on the road to possible recovery," Mayfield stated. "Hopefully an immediate treatment process will be decided on that may alleviate our current status."
City of Hillsboro Administrator Steve Garrett agreed.
"We did not come up with any hard and fast solutions," Garrett said, "but we eliminated some possible solutions. I didn't expect to walk out of there with any recommendations."
Garrett also said he was pleased with the open discussion about short-term treatments.
"The presence of the technical staff from the agencies was helpful," Garrett said.
David Brazil, Marion County Environmental Health Director, said he was encouraged by the meeting.
"I'm encouraged with the way the agencies are cooperating together this summer," Brazil said. "The wheels are moving toward a solution.."
At press time, the report had not been received by Brownback's office.
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality has addressed algae concerns at lakes and ponds in that state.
According to a news release from NDEQ, seven lakes have been closed to the public because of an algae outbreak.
NDEQ has taken aggressive action with continuous monitoring and public warnings being issued throughout the summer months.
In May, two dogs died after drinking water from a Nebraska lake and 22 cases of human illness were reported. The state began to take water samples and alerting the public of potential health risks.
