Several media entities covered Tuesday’s community meeting with state directors who discussed the strategy for cleaning and maintaining Grand Lake St. Marys. The following details some highlights; follow the links for full coverage and videos:
The Dayton Daily News reports:
No answers in battle against bacteria at Grand Lake St. Marys
State officials will know in October if test projects have stemmed outbreak
"The expansion of the two projects could make the lake usable for summer 2011. The bacteria is fading naturally with the drop in temperatures as fall approaches.
The projects under way this summer include spraying alum or aluminum sulfate to reduce phosphorous that feeds the bacteria as well as releasing highly pulverized silica or sand into the lake that boosts the growth of diatoms, a beneficial green algae that could out compete and suppress the bacteria.
It is not known how much it will cost to expand the silica treatment to the 13,000-acre lake, but the alum treatment could cost up to $10 million if applied over the entire lake surface.
Both possible solutions are only short term.
Long-term farm runoff must be reduced to prevent more phosphorous from pouring into the lake."
WHIOTV reports:
New Questions & Options At Grand Lake St. Marys
"Celina Community and Economic Development Director Kent Bryan said, "We need multiple things moving over the years and one clearly must be dredging. Why wait ten years to get into the program? We really need to get started now."
Bryan said he’s put together a group of private companies that are willing to work with government to dredge the entire lake over several years. Bryan said the quality of the silt pulled out would pay for the cost.
"We can have dredging every year, improve the water quality, get more depth and use the product to pay for the process," he said.
ODNR Director Sean Logan said, "There is a significant focus on dredging, just not on the whole lake."
Residents say they don’t care how, they just want the lake fixed."
READ THE FULL ARTICLE and WATCH THE VIDEO
WCSM Radio reports:
State holds informational meeting about Grand Lake St Marys-Comments from EPA and ODNR
CLICK TO LISTEN
O-D-N-R DIRECTOR SEAN LOGAN WAS ASKED IF DREDGING WAS GOING TO PART OF THE LAKE’S SOLUTION.
CLICK TO LISTEN
LOGAN EXPLAINED THAT DREDGING WOULD FACE A CHALLENGE INVOLVING SEDIMENT.
CLICK TO LISTEN
WORK ON THE PILOT PROJECT USING SILICA TO STIMULATE THE GROWTH OF A BENEFICIAL ALGAE HAS STARTED NEAR THE LIGHTHOUSE IN CELINA. THE PILOT PROJECT USING ALUM TO ADDRESS PHOSPHORUS LEVELS IN THE LAKE WILL COMMENCE AT 6 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE LAKE ON SEPTEMBER 20TH.