Will the Toxic Algae be Back Again This Summer?

Only time will tell, and it will depend upon the temperature and the amount of rainfall we get this year. But most importantly, it will depend on what the nutrient levels are in the water when temperatures reach the upper range for an extended period of time.

These are facts that a group of residents learned back in April when they gathered at the Indianapolis Yacht Club to hear presentations from IUPUI, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH). The April 29th public meeting was organized by three state legislators who are particularly concerned about the future of Geist Reservoir.

The involvement of Representative Bosma, and Senators Gard and Merritt in this issue was instrumental in not only bringing in the experts from various agencies, but also helpful in attracting a crowd of over 40 citizens interested in learning what is being done to tackle the algae problem.

As folks heard at the meeting, there is still much to be studied about how to confront the situation. IUPUI’s Center for Earth and Environmental Science (CEES) will be deploying a series of monitoring devices attached to a buoy near the dam which will record water temperature, pH levels, oxygen and dissolved compounds, including phosphorus. The data will be collected every two weeks until mid-October for analysis, and will be used to issue periodic reports through a new website launched by the State of Indiana - www.in.gov/idem/algae/. It will be at this website that residents can find out if any warnings about toxic blue-green algae contamination have been issued.

This is only the first step in gathering the data necessary to develop a long-term plan for minimizing and managing the lake’s potential for future toxic algae blooms. In the meantime, however, the director of CEES, Dr. Lenore Tedesco, emphasized that at the present time, the most effective measure in combating the problem is to halt the influx of phosphorus-rich lawn care fertilizers that run off into the lake from homes throughout the Geist area. She pointed out that you do not have to actually live on the water’s edge to be contributing to the problem. Storm sewers all around the area carry fertilizers and other harmful contaminants directly into the lake, such as lawn clippings, leaves and other organic matter. These contaminants actually serve as food for the algae.

  Another factor that is significantly contributing to the high nutrient levels is soil erosion. At the April 29th meeting, Bowden Quinn of the Sierra Club’s Hoosier Chapter announced a June 5th workshop he was organizing for ‘Runoff Rangers’ which would educate residents about what they could look out for while walking or boating around the reservoir. As a Runoff Ranger, citizens would be trained on how to identify one of the most common sources of sediment entering the lake: soil erosion at construction sites.

The Runoff Rangers workshop was incredibly informative and helpful for citizens concerned about reducing the amount of ‘algae food’ in the water. Unfortunately, there were only two members of the Geist community who turned up at the event where instructions were presented on how to determine if improper or inadequate erosion prevention measures are installed at the construction site. The workshop also provided information about how to report violations of “Rule 5,” which is the federal code mandating such measures.

The photographs with this article cannot summarize the workshop entirely, but they do demonstrate one easy-to-find example of a construction-related soil erosion problem affecting the reservoir. They show the type of things that citizens can look out for and report if they want to do their part in keeping the lake a healthy place for living, recreation and drinking water. If you happen to see an area of concern, you can report suspected violations to IDEM www.in.gov/idem/5275.htm or (800) 451-6027 ext. 24464. Reports can also be made to Glenn Lange of the Soil & Water Conservation District at 786-1776 or glenn-lange@iaswcd.org.

Additional information about the Runoff Rangers program is available from the Sierra Club’s Bowden Quinn at bowden.quinn@sierraclub.org.