Algal Blooms 101 – Part 3

  By David Ernes – Lake Management Committee

The only way to make informed decisions regarding lake management is to have accurate data. Whether it is the level of nutrients, or toxins, or even a Secchi disk depth measurement, each value requires testing. Testing itself is a multistep process. It involves (1) planning – to decide what to test; (2) sampling; (3) the actual analysis, and finally (4) the interpretation – or what does it all mean. Each step is just as important as the next.

The testing that has been done and continues to be done on our lake is designed for specific purposes. Nutrient and transparency testing (Secchi disk depth) is done to monitor the condition of the lake to see if it is changing. Toxin testing is done to establish the safety of the water for recreational activities. In each case, the testing is done in a specific area selected by an expert to help make informed decisions. But what about the rest of the lake? Based on a listing of Ohio Lakes in Wikipedia, the surface area of Lake Roaming Rock is 464 acres. This calculates to 2.9 billion square inches of water. It is obviously not possible to test at every point on the lake.

However, it is possible for you to become involved. The Sierra Club has a program known as Water Sentinels. Although limited in the testing that is done, this organization can give you proper training – and even the supplies to do the testing. There is also a national program known as the Secchi Dip-In. In this program, people from across the nation take a Secchi depth reading on a specific day each year. You can compare your result with others across the country. There is also a program within the Ohio Lake Management Society known as Citizen Lake Awareness and Monitoring or CLAM. This is a more detailed program involving Secchi disk measurements and bloom identifications. Finally, EnviroScience, Inc., our consultant, has a sampling kit for collection of a water sample for toxin testing. The kit runs around $40, and the toxin testing is an additional $120 per toxin.

Doing your own testing gives you an appreciation for what is involved. If you are interested and want to get your hands wet, there are many options available to you. The Lake Management Committee can put you in touch with each of these programs.

BE LAKE RESPONSIBLE