I read that the chair of the Board of Supervisors considers lake algae our number one problem.
Indeed, taxpayers are footing the $1 million priority, some businesses are hurting, and in some places algae blooms are stinky.
However, dog poop is also stinky and may play a role in algae blooms. Thousands of pounds worth along our dear lake”s 100-mile shoreline, if our one community beach is a common example. It”s enough to pollute most of the lake. No law, nor monitoring prevents this incursion.
Nor is there any attention to cattle grazing near the lake, some careless grading, poor septic tank monitoring, vineyard and other farm run-off and use of nutrient-rich herbicides.
The planting of tule reeds around the lake isn”t happening except in very small areas. This is a proven way to filter out nutrients, and the Middle Creek restoration project needs a big boost forward.
Just focusing on chemical treatment and algae harvesting isn”t productive.
All this, however, isn”t addressing our real No. 1 problem: preventing the invasion of quagga mussels.
Wendy J. White
Glenhaven
