Report: Lake Wallenpaupack water quality up
Palmyra Twp. (Pike) —
The latest water quality report shows that Lake
Wallenpaupack is slowly improving.
With the 2010 report now in hand and the
2011 report almost done, the Lake Wallenpaupack Watershed Management District
(LWWMD) is eager to share the findings with the public. A presentation is
scheduled by their consulting firm Aqua Link, Wednesday, May 16, at 6:30 p.m.
The meeting is to be held at the PPL Environmental Learning Center
auditorium.
At the Watershed District board meeting Feb. 15, Administrator Nick
Spinelli offered in summary that the 2010 report shows lake quality has
slightly improved. Breaking it down to a numeric scale, Spinelli commented,
“We’re in the border line of the upper third; not in super great shape but not
in terrible shape either.”
In terms that would make an aqua-biologist nod with
understanding, he noted that Wallenpaupack is mesotrophic, which is far better
than being eutrophic.
In other words, Wallenpaupack is far from being likened
in color to split pea soup.
A highly eutrophic lake has high biological
activity. Due to excessive nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, green
algae blooms are encouraged.
A mesotrophic lake is at an intermediate stage;
water is commonly clear and nutrients are at a medium level. Top quality lakes
are referred to as oligotrophic, with low nutrient levels, high clarity and
drinking water quality.
Katie Lester, who represents PPL on the board, was
quick to point out why even a slight improvement is very good news. “This is a
huge testament,” she observed, to the work done by LWWMD in the past three
decades, given the large amount of residential development in the area. The
lake is sandwiched between two of the fastest growing counties in
Pennsylvania.
With all the stress put on the environment by having human
habitation, with high nutrient levels entering the lake, the natural process of
eutrophication can be accelerated. Alex Zidock, District Chairman, said
that the water quality report shows the importance of the District, which has
been proactive. Without the active involvement of watershed stake-holders,
local governments and the financial support from the community and grant
sources, the lake could have been in much worse shape by now.
Weather has much
to do with year to year results. Spinelli said he is extremely curious to see
the affect from heavy rain storms and subsequent lake draw-down in 2011, and
the impact from lack of lake ice and snow cover this winter. The
draw-down flushed the lake, after huge amounts of nutrients were washing in
from the storms. The lack of ice and snow means the lake has continued to be
exposed to direct sun all winter.
Spinelli said it was possible there will be
more algae and possibly more fish kills in 2012, but stressed that nothing is
certain with nature. “There still will be swimming and water skiing this
summer,” he said.
• Grant funding has been identified that the District can use
to produce new brochures, and to arrange a bus tour. The latter is meant to
show county and township officials and others, various sites in the watershed
where projects had been funded to improve lake quality. The District hopes to
rekindle interest from some townships sharing the watershed that haven’t been
involved in recent years.
• Fifty signs were ordered, to educate the public
about the need to wash their boats and keep invasive species from entering Lake
Wallenpaupack. About 22 have been sponsored by marinas and other businesses.
Signs may be acquired for a $45 donation; a sticker on the bottom will give the
sponsor’s name, and the LWWMD logo.
• The Cost Share program will be offered
again this year, offering a maximum of $5,000 for approved projects such as
stream bank stabilization, barnyard management or runoff controls, to keep
nutrients out of the lake. This is a 50/50 matching grant. The total available
is $30,000, provided by PPL.
• A motorcycle run is being organized for
Saturday, August 25, which is during Wally Lake Fest. Proceeds from the ride
will benefit LWWMD. Brian Schan chairs their fundraising committee. He said
that the plan is to have bikers round the lake as close to the lake as
possible, leaving from and coming back to the Wallenpaupack Area High School
parking lot. The fee will be $25, and $15 for an added passenger.
T-shirts will be offered. Sponsors will be sought.
• LWWMD also expected to do
a raffle this year. They are considering raffling off a kayak, possibly two
(his and her), and secondary prizes. Lester proposed kicking off the raffle at
the Pike Wayne Earth Day Festival April 21.
• Research is underway to learn
what the District needs to do, to set up a field video camera to monitor an osprey
nest at the PPL dam. The goal is to have a live view on the District’s web
site, starting in the spring of 2013. It may take some time to get the needed
regulatory information from the PA Game Commission and US Fish & Wildlife
Service.
For more information about LWWMD, call (570)226-3865 or visit
www.wallenpaupackwatershed.org.
