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Ohio Senator Keith Faber
State Moving Forward
with Modified Grand Lake St. Marys Alum Treatment Plan
The State of Ohio is moving forward with plans to treat Grand Lake St.
Marys this spring with aluminum sulfate and a buffering solution of
sodium aluminate in an effort to prevent harmful algae blooms and to
improve water quality within the lake.
Heavy, prolonged rainfalls in late winter and early spring are
contributing to high levels of nutrients and algae in Grand Lake St.
Marys, resulting in revisions to the state’s initial plan for a whole
lake alum treatment.
An
expedited bid process is underway to avoid delays in the alum
application. The goal is to begin applying the alum no later than the
first week of June.
Instead of treating the entire lake with a low dose of aluminum
sulfate, a more concentrated treatment will focus on 4,900 acres in the
central lake area where phosphorous levels are highest. This
concentrated treatment will help to inactivate phosphorus that
contributes to the harmful algal blooms in the lake.
The
adjusted alum treatment is one step in a multi-faceted, multi-year
approach to improve water quality at the lake.
Dredging and rough fish removal efforts, along with installation of a
treatment train and other water quality initiatives continue – action
steps the state and the lake community consider integral to helping
improve the water quality of the 13,000-acre recreational lake in
western Ohio.
“While we are disappointed that we cannot complete the entire alum
treatment as originally designed, Grand Lake St. Marys Restoration
Commission members are encouraged by the adjusted alum application
being implemented yet this spring,” said Grand Lake St. Marys
Restoration Commission facilitator, Tom Knapke. “Our community cares
about a successful outcome and will pursue new innovations and
opportunities to improve our local economies surrounding the lake. By
working together, environmental renewal is possible, and the benefits
of regional growth – economically and recreationally – will be our
reward.”
Grand Lake St. Marys Employees Receive Gazelle Award
COLUMBUS, OH – A team of employees from Grand Lake St. Marys State Park
received the state park system’s 2010 “Gazelle Award,” according to the
Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
The
Gazelle Award honors park managers and staff who demonstrate the
ability to respond quickly and skillfully under difficult or urgent
circumstances. When cyanobacteria from algae blooms was detected in
Grand Lake St. Marys last summer, the park staff mobilized quickly to
determine the public health threat and provide information to park
visitors and the local community. The park also worked with local
businesses to soften the impact on the area’s vibrant tourism industry,
and opened a dialogue with local landowners to address the sources of
nutrients in the watershed that contribute to the algae blooms.
“The
issues facing Grand Lake St. Marys are serious, and we are working
diligently with a number of partners to solve this difficult problem,”
said David Payne, chief of Ohio State Parks, in presenting the award.
“The Grand Lake St. Marys park staff has done a great job of involving
the local community in the solution, and keeping the emphasis on
visitor safety.”
Grand Lake St. Marys sprawls across 13,500 acres in Mercer and Auglaize
counties. In addition to boating, swimming and fishing
facilities, the park offers a 204-site campground with electrical
hookups and getaway rentals, a dog park, and picnic areas with shelters
that may be reserved. The regular rates for camping, getaway rentals,
picnic shelter rentals, and seasonal state dock rentals are discounted
by 50% through September 1. Campsites and picnic shelters can be
reserved by calling 1-866-OHIOPARKS or on-line at
www.ohiostateparks.org.
The
ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural
resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at
ohiodnr.com.
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