Before I dive into the water quality report, I wanted to share some exciting news. This will be my last year as Lake Health Chairperson. My husband and I have decided to move to a warmer place. I’ve loved learning about what healthy lakes look like and sharing that knowledge with all of you. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the volunteers who have poured their hearts and souls into keeping our lakes thriving.
Now, let’s wrap up our beautiful lake season with the final water quality testing report. After a warm start, the water cooled down and looked and felt fantastic!
Testing sites are normal in their respective areas, but the E. coli level is still higher than last year near the Betts Ditch channel opening at Rose Lake. Shallow water in that area concentrate causing the higher reading. It also led to an increase in Total Suspended Solids. Obtaining a sample proved challenging due to the sediment. On a positive note, the E. coli count at Grass Lake Road is lower than the previous year.
Thank you,
Robin Wegman
pH is an indication of our lake’s acid level. Neutral water, like distilled water, has a 7 pH level. Any measurement below 7 is considered acidic. Low pH levels affect fish spawning to the point of extinction. For humans, low pH levels increase the concentration of heavy metals like aluminum, zinc, and mercury.
When there are high E. coli counts there are three indicators in a lake to consider rain, large presence of waterfowl, and many people. Rain produces ground water that runs into the lake and carries with it E. coli. Bird feces contribute disease causing bacteria to the water. And, beach areas with many people swimming tend to have higher levels of E. coli.
Dissolved Oxygen (O2) is undoubtedly the most important of the gases, since most aquatic organisms need it to survive. The solubility of oxygen and other gases depends on water temperature. The colder the water, the more gases it can hold. Boiling water removes all gases. Oxygen is produced whenever green plants grow. Plants use carbon dioxide and water to produce simple sugars and oxygen, using sunlight as the energy source.
The Total Suspended Solids numbers relate to water clarity, especially the amount of algae present.
Nitrogen is second only to phosphorus as an important nutrient for plant and algae growth. Precipitation is usually the main nitrogen source for seepage and some drainage lakes. In most cases, however, the amount of nitrogen in lake water corresponds to local land use. Nitrogen may come from fertilizer and animal wastes on agricultural lands, human waste from sewage treatment plants or septic systems, and lawn fertilizers used on lakeshore property. Nitrogen may enter a lake from surface runoff or groundwater sources.