Commissioners approve $60,000 match for West Boggs Lake treatment project

Daviess County commissioners voted to provide $60,000 from the county’s riverboat fund to help finance a comprehensive treatment and study of West Boggs Lake.

The approval came after a presentation by a park official (Speaker 9) who said the lake drew 299,200 visits last season and described a treatment program that uses an enzyme formula, paired with bacteria, to break down organic material and reduce phosphorus and harmful algae. Speaker 9 said last year the park secured $200,000 for treatment, the park itself can contribute $40,000, and with county matching funds the project would unlock an expected $250,000 in state and federal grants — a combined budget of about $550,000 for treatments, equipment and extensive water‑quality testing.

The presenter said a 2024 pilot treatment in one sediment basin showed dramatic reductions in cell counts compared with the main lake, and that toxicity trials up to 10,000 parts per million produced no observable effects on fish and crustaceans; planned treatment concentrations would be roughly 6–9 parts per million. "We had 299,200 visitors," Speaker 9 said, arguing the lake is both an economic and environmental asset for the county. On health risks, Speaker 9 warned that "anything over a 100,000 is kinda getting to the point where it can produce enough toxin to be very harmful to people, animals."

Residents and park representatives also discussed long‑term strategies, including forming a conservancy district to finance dredging and upstream sediment‑capture basins to limit future maintenance costs. Speaker 9 cautioned that dredging a dry basin can be roughly three times more expensive than doing maintenance when water is present.

After discussion, Speaker 8 moved to approve the $60,000 designation from riverboat funds; Speaker 9 seconded. The motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.

The project funding will cover lake treatments, 80 sampling sites for more comprehensive testing across the lake, equipment (including a vessel adapted for treatment application) and related studies. Park staff said Enzyme Solutions (Garrett, Indiana) is the vendor for treatments; the county's contribution will be disbursed to the park to combine with other funds before payment to vendors.

Next steps outlined by presenters include finalizing plans through March and beginning treatments when lake temperatures reach about 55 degrees in late spring. Officials said they will continue pursuing private and foundation matches in addition to the planned state and federal grants.