Ultrasonic Buoy Deployment Notice

Boaters take notice, the RomeRock Association has deployed ultrasonic buoys for the season.

What are the ultrasonic buoys? These buoys use solar panels to power ultrasonic emitters that are suspended in the water. The sound waves disrupt the ability of blue-green algae to rise to the surface, depriving them of the sunlight they need to survive. As a result, they will die and drop to the bottom of the lake. This is a non-chemical alternative to the algaecides we have employed for the past few years and have been shown to be safe to non-target organisms.

The presence of these buoys (about the size of a 50 inch television set) can become an object that boaters will need to be on the look out for. The picture at the right shows what these buoys look like. They are equipped with a blue light for visibility.

There are five of these positioned throughout the lake (see map below), primarily adjacent to No Wake Zones. Please use every effort to avoid coming in proximity to these buoys. They are expensive to replace. In addition, the lead time for a replacement is about a month, so if they are damaged, that area of the lake will not have any protection from the growth of blue-green algae.

Thank you for your vigilance.