Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Lake Yale Alum topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lake County Water Authority wins permit for whole‑lake alum treatment on Lake Yale
Summary
Staff announced the authority secured an ERP permit to apply alum across Lake Yale in a phased, four‑year program; staff estimate about 5 million gallons of alum spread over four years, with DEP monitoring requirements.
Lake County Water Authority staff briefed trustees that they have obtained the environmental resource permit (ERP) required to apply alum treatment across Lake Yale and begin implementation as soon as next spring in a phased four‑year program.
Justin Elkins (director of water resources) explained the measure is intended to bind legacy phosphorus in the lake's sediments and reduce harmful algal blooms. "We finally have gotten this permit in hand," Elkins said, adding the whole‑lake treatment is designed to be implemented over four years with DEP monitoring to assess effects and safety.
Elkins described Lake Yale as a roughly 4,000‑acre water body that has long suffered from nutrient loading and organic sediment; staff estimate the project will use on the order of 5 million gallons of alum across the four‑year program (roughly 1.25 million gallons per year) and that application will be staged with DEP oversight. The board expressed strong support for staff work to implement the treatment as permitted and for continued monitoring of ecological outcomes and public‑health implications.
No legal or policy changes were made at the meeting; this item was an informational update and next steps will include operational planning and scheduling of field applications subject to DEP conditions and monitoring requirements.
