Algae Blooms
Some lakes have long been plagued with toxic algae blooms that can kill fish and hamper summertime recreation.
But something as simple as manipulating the flow of water through dams that create lakes or support water level has showed some promising results in cutting down on the algae in some lakes around the country every summer.
The problem appears to stem from nutrients that settle into the sediments on the lake bottoms. In summer, when the weather is warm enough for algae to form, storms stir the phosphorus and ammonia-rich lake materials to the surface, where sunlight allows algae to grow.
But by releasing water from the bottom of the dam instead of the top, stagnant bottom conditions and resulting algae can be prevented. The early results are promising, a few more years of work would show whether dam manipulation was a sustainable long-term solution. The method depends on whether the lakes were created by dams that had bottom gates available, and if dam operators would be cooperative.
October 9, 2006 6:43 AM | Category: Lake, Watershed