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Department of Ecology News Release - December 29, 2008
08-344
OLYMPIA – In a move to protect lake health, and the health of people and animals who use lakes, the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is awarding nearly $500,000 to control toxic algae blooms and non-native plants in 2009.
The state’s investment for healthy lakes also protects property values and local economic gains from lake recreation.
Freshwater Algae Control Program grants combat toxic blue-green algae (also known as cyanobacteria). Humans, pets and livestock can die or get sick from drinking lake water that is contaminated with toxic algae. Toxic algae blooms can force lakes to be closed to public recreation.
The 2005 Legislature established funding for this program through an annual $1 license fee assessed to recreational boat owners.
The funding program boosts local efforts to reduce pollution that feeds algae growth.
For example, reducing stormwater and polluted runoff is a major education focus because it carries nutrients into lakes, rivers and streams from pet waste, failing septic systems and from over-use of lawn and garden fertilizers. People can help reduce nutrients by paying attention to these pollution problems, and by planting vegetation that soaks up rainwater and prevents it from sending nutrients into downstream waters.
In 2007, the Ecology algae-control program began paying for laboratory tests to help local health officials identify toxic algae blooms. Test results allow officials to warn people and their pets to stay out of the water if an algae bloom is toxic.
Here are summaries of five algae-control projects for 2009, totaling $205,438:
Kitsap County Health District will use $50,000 to investigate sources of phosphorous pollution in Kitsap Lake and conduct phosphorous-reduction education projects. Phosphorous feeds algae blooms.
Foster Creek Conservation District in Douglas County will spend $48,750 to investigate sources of nutrients that are getting into Rock Island Lakes. Nutrients, like phosphorous, feed algae blooms.
Lakewood will spend $12,650 for an experimental treatment of two creeks and a spring that feed Lake Steilacoom to reduce incoming sources of phosphorus that feed algae blooms.
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department will spend $45,901 to improve monitoring and communication about toxic algae blooms in the county. The project will coordinate sampling in 10 lakes with a federal grant, assess quick-test methods, and expand work in its algae-watch program.
Clark County Public Health will spend $48,137 in coordination with the Vancouver Lake Watershed Partnership and Washington State University – Vancouver, to study Vancouver Lake’s toxic blue-green algae blooms and their relationship to tiny lake animals called zooplankton.
Here are summaries of the five aquatic weed control projects for 2009 worth a combined $289,380.
Thurston County Noxious Weed Control Board gets $51,937 for a project to hand-pull and diver-dredge Brazilian elodea from the Chehalis River in Thurston County.
The University of Washington will use $75,000 to for its botanic garden staff to reduce and manage garden loosestrife in Union Bay Garden.
Seattle Parks & Recreation will use $46,543 to control garden loosestrife in the shoreline areas and wetlands in Lake Washington and the Lake Washington Ship Canal area.
The University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences will use $40,900 to test an innovative management tool to forecast the invasion of three aquatic noxious weeds in lakes throughout the state.
Ocean Shores plans to spend $75,000 to purchase and monitor grass carp to control Brazilian elodea in the Duck Lake waterways system.
The 1991 Legislature set up the Freshwater Aquatic Weeds Account by adding $3 to annual recreational boat license renewals. Boats are an important source of the spread non-native weeds. Invasive, non-native aquatic plants impair fish and wildlife habitat, restrict recreational activities, and threaten the health of lakes, rivers, and streams throughout the state. The weeds can also lead to stagnant waters that create breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
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Algae Control Program: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/algae/index.html
Aquatic Weeds Management Account: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/grants/index.html
Media contact: Sandy Howard, 360-407-6408 (desk); 360-791-3177 (cell); srud461@ecy.wa.gov
Note to editors/reporters: Ask us for the local contact information.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
