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Utilities ask Marion County for $20,000 to keep buoy monitoring for blue‑green algae running
Summary
A regional water-monitoring project using buoys that provides near-real-time early warnings about blue‑green algae and iron/manganese events faces a state funding shortfall; presenters asked the county to contribute $20,000 toward a $60,000 annual program so the 2026 monitoring season can continue.
Local water-system operators and partners presented the county with data and a funding request to maintain a buoy monitoring system that detects blue‑green algae and other reservoir water‑quality events.
Presenter Morgan Marlor, who described collaboration with the Kansas Biological Survey and the U.S. Geological Survey, said the buoy array provides minute‑by‑minute data on roughly 30 parameters and can give about a 12‑hour early warning between reservoir events and the appearance of problematic water in treatment plants. "These buoys can help us detect blue green algae issues up to 12 hours ahead of the time that that water reaches the city," Morgan said.
Presenters said the project cost for the season is about $60,000. The Kansas Water Office previously covered $20,000; bi‑municipal funding of $20,000 each from the cities (Hillsboro and Marian, including Peabody within Marian's system) was requested to cover the remainder. County staff and presenters also discussed the possibility of using funds from the Marion County Surface Water Advisory Board. Commissioners asked technical questions about which parameters matter most for treatment and whether long‑term fixes (dredging, watershed phosphorus reduction) are viable; presenters said the buoys allow targeted chemical dosing and can reduce continuous full‑time chemical feeding, which is expensive.
Presenters warned of treatment cost pressures and health concerns: one oxidant used in treatment was cited as costing roughly $26 per gallon, and high manganese residuals can pose developmental risks for small children. Presenters said the monitoring system has helped avoid some large treatment events by allowing plants to tweak chemical dosing in response to buoy alerts. The presenters asked the commission to consider an emergency or one‑time contribution to cover the 2026 season and to work with the Surface Water Advisory Board and affected cities for long‑term support.
Next steps: commissioners asked staff to pass the request along to relevant county funds and to continue the conversation at the next meeting; no appropriation was made at this session.
