Dave Ernes – Lake Management Committee

As many have been noticing, the lake is experiencing a return of blue-green algal blooms. We have been monitoring the situation and have obtained some additional testing results. What we are experiencing is the equivalent of the perfect storm.

We have discussed in the past the that the lake stratifies during the summer. This results in the release of phosphorous from the lake bottom sediment in the lake below 12-15 feet, which typically stays in the lower levels of the lake unless we have a major rain event. At the end of the season, typically in October, we experience what is called a turnover. This is when the surface lake temperature drops, causing the lake to mix. This allows the lake bottom water with high nutrient levels to blend with the surface waters, resulting in a feeding ground for algae. We have confirmed that a turnover has already occurred, a month early.

The second thing that is acting against us is the lack of rain. This, along with the reduced boat traffic, is causing the lake to become somewhat stagnant. The stagnant conditions, preferred by the algae, are often seen in the coves, which is why they tend to see algal blooms first. The lack of rain is also preventing the flushing of the high phosphorous waters from the lake.

The last thing is that the phosphorous level in the southern end of the lake is also elevated, driving the algal blooms there. We have also seen duckweed in the southern end of the lake, which can look like algae from a distance. Duckweed is often originating south of the Route 6 bridge.

Based on reports from around the country, many lakes are experiencing this as well. So, this situation is not unique to us.

What can we do? Unfortunately, until there is rain to flush the lake, not much.  An algaecide treatment could exacerbate the situation. It would cause a rapid die-off of the algae, which could result in hypoxia and the situation we saw a few years ago with odors, etc. And the algaecide does not reduce the nutrients driving the algae growth.

The best advice is to limit direct contact with the lake as much as possible. If you do travel on the lake, avoid high speeds as it can cause splashing. Make sure your pets to not come in contact with the lake, as they are more susceptible to the algae.

Mother Nature gave us a bonus early in the year, by delaying the appearance of algae for almost a month. Unfortunately, it is making us pay for this at the end of the year.

Be Lake Responsible

Conditions on the lake have resulted in a decision to schedule an algaecide treatment on the northern half of the lake for Tuesday, August 26th. This includes a line from about Sugar Creek north. The southern half of the lake will not be treated at this time. Therefore, those in the untreated areas, please stay vigilant and avoid any signs of algal blooms.

*Please note that these plans can change due to weather conditions, so please be alert to any updates.

1) The lake level will be lowered if necessary to comply with the Ohio EPA requirements for this application. We hope to only lower it 2-4 inches. Please adjust your boat tie downs to accommodate the water level change. 

2) Please turn off all fountains or other devices that agitate the lake water in the application area on Tuesday AM.  They may be turned back on Thursday morning.

3) The application will be applied during the day of August 26th.

4) Please refrain from any activities on the lake, including boating, jet skis, etc, starting Tuesday August 26 to allow the treatment to be effective and to spread in a predictable manner. Boat traffic may resume on Thursday morning, August 28th. The boat ramp will be closed from Tuesday AM until Thursday AM.

5) While the lake is deemed safe following the application, we are closing the beaches Tuesday August 26, and reopening them on Thursday, August 29^th.  While unlikely, if you observe any undisposed product (a white powder with a bluish tint) after Thursday morning, avoid direct contact and let the office know where it is observed.

6) Do not water your property with water from the lake during the application period.

7) If you live in the southern end of the lake, please avoid contact with any active blooms.  

While these steps may be inconvenient, they are necessary to ensure the best chance for a successful application.

Conditions on the lake have resulted in a decision to schedule an algaecide treatment on the southern half of the lake for August 13th. This includes a line from about Sugar Creek south. Because of EPA requirements, the northern half of the lake will not be treated at this time. Therefore, those in the untreated areas, please stay vigilant and avoid any signs of algal blooms.

*Please note that these plans can change due to weather conditions, so please be alert to any updates.

1) The lake level will be lowered if necessary to comply with the Ohio EPA requirements for this application. We hope to only lower it 2-4 inches. Please adjust your boat tie downs to accommodate the water level change. 
 
2) Please turn off all fountains or other devices that agitate the lake water in the application area on Wednesday AM. They may be turned back on Friday morning.

3) The application will be applied during the day of August 13^th.

4) Please refrain from any activities on the lake, including boating, jet skis, etc, starting Wednesday August 13 to allow the treatment to be effective and to spread in a predictable manner. Boat traffic may resume on Friday morning, August 15th. The boat ramp will be closed from Wednesday AM until Friday AM.

5) While the lake is deemed safe following the application, we are closing the beaches Wednesday August 13, and reopening them on Saturday, August 16^th as a precautionary measure. Swimming and other activities involving direct contact with the lake in and adjacent to the treatment area should be avoided until Saturday AM. While unlikely, if you observe any undisposed product (a powder with a bluish tint) after Friday morning, avoid direct contact and let the office know where it is observed.

6) Do not water your property with water from the lake during the application period.

7) If you live in the northern end of the lake, please avoid contact with any active blooms.  

While these steps may be inconvenient, they are necessary to insure the best chance for a successful application.

This past week, we have received reports of an algal bloom forming in the northern half of the lake. This was also reported by our maintenance department. Therefore, we are scheduling an algaecide treatment on the northern half of the lake for July 15^th. This includes a line from Sugar Creek north. Because of EPA requirements, the southern half of the lake will not be treated at this time. Therefore, those in the untreated areas, please stay vigilant and avoid any signs of algal blooms.

While we are also evaluating the ultrasonic buoys, they were just recently deployed (as notified in a separate communication). This treatment will also help to give the buoys the best chance to prevent further treatments in this area.

*Please note that these plans can change due to weather conditions, so please be alert to any updates.

1) The lake level will be lowered if necessary to comply with the Ohio EPA requirements for this application. We hope to only lower it 2-4 inches. Please adjust your boat tie downs to accommodate the water level change. 

2) Please turn off all fountains or other devices that agitate the lake water in the application area on Tuesday AM.  They may be turned back on Thursday, July 17^th.

3) The application will be applied during the day of July 15^th.

4) Please refrain from any activities on the lake, including boating, jet skis, etc, starting Tuesday July 15^th to allow the treatment to be effective and to spread in a predictable manner. Boat traffic may resume on Thursday, July 17^th.  The boat ramp will be closed from Tuesday AM until Thursday AM.

5) While the lake is deemed safe following the application, we are closing the beaches Tuesday July 15th, and reopening them on Thursday, July 17^th, as a precautionary measure. Swimming and other activities involving direct contact with the lake in and adjacent to the treatment area should be avoided during this time. While unlikely, if you observe any undisposed product (a powder with a bluish tint), avoid direct contact and let the office know where it is observed.

6) Do not water your property with water from the lake during this period.

7) If you live in the southern end of the lake, please avoid contact with any active blooms.  

While these steps may be inconvenient, they are necessary to ensure the best chance for a successful application.

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.

By D.Ernes – Lake Management Committee

There have been additional reports of pets encountering active blooms resulting in illness and in some cases death. It is useful to remind people of the risks to our for-legged friends.

First, these reports are talking about exposure to toxins that can be released from cyanobacteria [CB], which most people refer to as blue-green algae. As an organism, CB has been around as long as water has been on earth. It is present in a great many lakes in Ohio including ours. But why is this an issue with dogs?

Unlike us, dogs cannot read beach warning signs, or e-blasts and have no issues drinking water that has green swirls in it. The EPA website says “When in doubt, keep pets out”. Additionally, dogs (and other animals as well) may be more susceptible to the toxins that can be present. The most common toxin, microcystin, can cause liver damage that can be fatal in dogs. Here are some things that you should know.

1. This is not something new. There have been reports of animal deaths related to ingestion of lake water as early as 1878. It has become very visible in our 24/7 news environment.
2. Symptoms of exposure include: diarrhea, vomiting, drooling, weakness, seizures and breathing difficulties to name a few. If you notice these symptoms, take your pet immediately to the vet. Exposure can be fatal after a few hours to several days depending on the size of the pet and the quantity ingested. There is no cure, but treatments have been shown to be successful.
3. The Veterinary Merck Manual indicates that the greatest effect is from ingestion of a concentrated bloom. The amount of water ingested that can be fatal can vary from a few ounces to several gallons. For those of you with a health background, it states that the toxins have a steep dose-response curve where as much as 90% of a lethal dose can be ingested without measurable effect.

I have been unable to find any references regarding exposure limits for pets to toxins like there are for humans. So, if you see that there is a bloom on the surface of the water (often seen in the early hours of the day), keep your pet away from it. If they go in, don’t panic. Just get them out, rinse them off and keep an eye out for symptoms. If you send them outside, make sure they drink clean water before they go out, so that they are not thirsty. Have clean water available to them when they are outside, so they are not tempted to drink from the lake. Take care of our furry friends and …

BE LAKE (And PET) RESPONSIBLE

Some of you may have seen the recent articles in the paper and on the news about pets (mainly dogs) dying after exposure to algae in lakes and ponds. I want to relay some information I have found on this issue.

First, the articles are talking about exposure to toxins that can be released from cyanobacteria [CB], which most people refer to as blue-green algae. As an organism, CB has been around as long as water has been on earth. It is present in a great many lakes in Ohio including ours. But why is this an issue with dogs?

Unlike us, dogs cannot read beach warning signs, or e-blasts and have no issues drinking water that has green swirls in it. The EPA website says “When in doubt, keep pets out”. Additionally, dogs (and other animals as well) may be more susceptible to the toxins that may be present. The most common toxin, microcystin, can cause liver damage that can be fatal in dogs. Here are some things that you should know.

1. This is not something new. There have been reports of animal deaths related to ingestion of lake water as early as 1878. It has become very visible in our 24/7 news environment.

2. Symptoms of exposure include: diarrhea, vomiting, drooling, weakness, seizures and breathing difficulties to name a few. If you notice these symptoms, take your pet immediately to the vet. Exposure can be fatal after a few hours to several days depending on the size of the pet and the quantity ingested. There is no cure, but treatments have been shown to be successful.

3. The Veterinary Merck Manual indicates that the greatest effect is from ingestion of a concentrated bloom. The amount of water ingested that can be fatal can vary from a few ounces to several gallons. For those of you with a health background, it states that the toxins have a steep dose-response curve where as much as 90% of a lethal dose can be ingested without measurable effect.

I have been unable to find any references regarding exposure limits for pets to toxins like there are for humans. So, if you see that there is a bloom on the surface of the water (often seen in the early hours of the day), keep your pet away from it. If they go in, don’t panic. Just get them out, rinse them off and keep an eye out for symptoms. If you send them outside, make sure they drink clean water before they go out, so that they are not thirsty. Have clean water available to them when they are outside so they are not tempted to drink from the lake. Take care of our furry friends and …

BE LAKE (And PET) RESPONSIBLE

By Tim Langer, David Ernes and Richard D. Gainar, CEBS – Lake Management Committee

If you have seen the news articles and reports about the severity of algal blooms in Lake Erie and their predictions, you can imagine how much attention this topic is getting at the State and Federal level. As your Lake Management Committee has mentioned before, most of the regulations and training are focused for Northwest Ohio and those watersheds feeding Lake Erie’s Western Basin. Within the past six (6) months both the Ohio Senate and Ohio House of Representatives have passed legislation, Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 61 respectively. Unfortunately, both are aimed at the Western Basin watersheds.

Why does it have to be only Northwestern Ohio? It doesn’t! A way to influence and express your viewpoint is to contact those individuals we elected. If you think elected officials pay little or no attention to your letters and phone calls, think again. A concise, thoughtful letter from their constituents has a significant influence on elected lawmakers. Your vote helps elect them — or not — and that fact alone carries a lot of weight. A staff worker may read and answer your letter because hundreds of letters are sometimes received. But, be assured that your point is communicated and will influence the lawmaker. If you fail to make your interests known, your thoughts will not be represented.

We need to suggest to our Legislators that the current legislation and future legislation be modified to include all watersheds that feed Lake Erie, including ours. Therefore, the LMC asks that you help us and write to your state representatives and ask that they consider this change. A few suggestions for content are shown below.

• The intent is to improve water quality in Lake Erie, but current legislation ignores most of the Ohio coastline. All watersheds, which feed the lake, can affect the overall Lake Erie water quality.
• As a resident of Ohio’s largest private lake, we would also like to insure that the water quality is protected where we live. Our community is actively addressing fertilizers and cleaners that we control. We cannot affect the farming practices, which have the greatest effect on our lake.
• Although the blooms are currently worse on the western basin, that does not mean that, with time, the problem can extend to the rest of the lake, especially if nothing is done in the central or eastern watersheds.

What to write a letter? We are here to help! It’s usually best to send letters to your state representatives for local issues such as improving water quality. Our Ohio District 99 House representative and Ohio District 32 Senate representatives are:

Your letter does not have to be long or eloquent. It also helps personalize your letter by providing some non-emotional detail and facts in your own words. If certain legislation is involved, cite the title or number whenever possible and explain how it affects you and others. Be sure to include your name and address. Keep it short and simple and include evidence to support your position. Close by requesting the action you want taken: a vote for or against a bill, or change in general policy. Don’t forget to thank them for taking time to read your letter.

Here is an example.

Questions? Please email myself at: timattheshores@gmail.com. It’s believed your letters in support of keeping nutrients and sediment in the fields and not in our waterways will have a significant benefit for Lake Roaming Rock. If you agree with us, pick up a pen. For the price of a postage stamp, you can affect our future.

BE LAKE RESPONSIBLE

By David Ernes – Lake Management Committee

If you recall, not all algae are bad. Green algae usually pose no significant concerns, other than their aesthetic appearance. On the other hand, blue-green algae have the potential to generate toxins that can be harmful. How does one decide if what they see is green algae or blue-green algae? Unfortunately, the only accurate method is to examine the organism under magnification and assess its structure by experts in this type of analysis.

In spite of this, there are some general features that can help to differentiate the types of algae. Most informational articles include a significant number of pictures showing visually what each type looks like. One good source showing both types can be found on a New York web site (www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/81962.html).

Generally, green algae often look like floating rafts, and may appear as if it were a bubbling scum on the surface of the water that may entangle with other plants. There is also a type of green algae that is stringy, or silky and coat rocks and other areas. Duckweed looks like small disks and tend to clump into areas.

Blue-green algae, on the other hand, can appear as green streaks, as spilled paint or pea soup. It can also form as small dots that disperse when disturbed. Others types may look like grass clippings. Blue-green algae are often accompanied by a foul odor (described in some articles as “pigpen” odor).

Other observations one may see in the lake are not algae at all. You may recall a previous article about bryozoans, which are a beneficial organism. You may also see what appears to be foam on the water. This is caused by decomposition products from algae and other plants which, due to wind or agitation, can cause the foam. It can even be seen as parallel streaks in the lake in the direction of the wind. This is harmless and a natural phenomenon in lakes.

Common sense tells us not to swim in any waters that contain unusual amounts of algae. It is best just to avoid contact to insure that you minimize any adverse effects. When in doubt, choose a different spot or visit one of our inviting pools. Please enjoy our beautiful lake and have a safe summer.

BE LAKE RESPONSIBLE

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