It’s that time of year when algae begin to grow in lakes. We have begun to see evidence of algae growth in our lake. It’s most visible in the early mornings when the water is calm.
On June 6th, we have begun our weekly testing for microcystin. Microcystin is a toxin that is released when we have cyanobacteria; which is blue-green algae. Not all algae growth is bad. Our goal is to monitor, sample, and control the spread of blue-green algae.
A baseline test was taken in George’s Fork on 5/30. The results came back as .33 ug/l. The advisory level to avoid water contact is set by the EPA at 8 ug/l.
We will publish the weekly testing results as they are returned. Our samples are picked up on Tuesdays. The lab runs all their microcystin test on the same schedule. We typically get our results back the following Monday or Tuesday. We have tried different labs and techniques. This is as quick of a turnaround as we have been able to get.
Looking ahead, we are planning a light treatment on Tuesday, June 27th. The plan is to treat the swim areas at the beach and Goerge’s Fork. We may also spot-treat a few other areas. All caution will be taken to avoid a drastic drop of dissolved oxygen in the water. We do not recommend swimming on our treatment day. Boating is fine. We will do our best to keep to the 27th as our treatment day. Please plan accordingly with family events or guest visiting.
Please contact Mike Casimir with any questions. 740-837-0833 or mcasimir@choctawlake.com