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Department of Ecology News Release - December 3, 2002
02-212
SPOKANE - Scientists and Moses Lake-area citizens now have the technical information they need to make decisions about how to reduce blooms of algae in Moses Lake.
On Dec. 12 the state Department of Ecology (Ecology) will present the results of a draft study conducted last year to local residents and a citizen's advisory committee. The meeting will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Moses Lake fire station, 701 E. Third Ave.
Phosphorus is a nutrient that has caused excessive growth of algae in Moses Lake. Some of the algae is the toxic "blue-green" algae. Algal blooms have interfered with recreational uses of the lake several times each summer. On warm days, the algae floats, forms into unsightly mats and can blow onto the beach, where it decomposes and smells bad.
The excess phosphorus may come from many sources, including septic systems, farms, fish hatcheries, underground water and more.
"We're grateful to the local people who are volunteering their time to review the study and discuss options that make sense for the local community," said Jim Bellatty who manages the water quality program in Eastern Washington. "Understanding the local issues is imperative for us to develop effective strategies for reducing the growth of algae in the lake."
A local advisory group has been working with Ecology to develop a water cleanup plan (also called a "total maximum daily load," or TMDL) that includes an assessment of the water quality problem and a technical analysis to determine how much pollution must be reduced to meet state water-quality standards.
The final cleanup plan also will include measures to control the sources of phosphorous into the lake.
Contact: Jani Gilbert, public information, 509-329-3495; pager, 509-622-1289
For more information:
Moses Lake water cleanup plan: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/tmdl/watershed/moseslake/index.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
