A brand new “phosphorus sponge” pilot undertaking within the Inexperienced Lake watershed will check the effectiveness of utilizing expertise to rapidly intercept phosphorus earlier than it has an opportunity to degrade the lake’s water high quality.
Pictured is an instance of CAPture expertise, the novel, small-scale filtration system, which can intercept phosphorus from an agricultural area detention basin within the Inexperienced Lake watershed.
As Inexperienced Lake’s water high quality deteriorates, the Inexperienced Lake Administration Planning Workforce is working throughout the 107-square mile watershed to put in conventional greatest administration practices. The buildup of those practices helps to scale back phosphorus, the most important risk to Inexperienced Lake’s water high quality.
But, the acceleration of local weather pressures in comparison with the tempo of greatest administration follow implementation might not end in enhancements quick sufficient to keep away from a possible ecological tipping level — some extent when an ecosystem can now not deal with environmental change, and the ecosystem immediately shifts to a much less fascinating state the place profitable intervention is sort of unattainable.
In response, the Inexperienced Lake Affiliation (GLA) is launching a pilot undertaking this summer season to check the feasibility of utilizing field-scale expertise to speed up the lake’s restoration.
“If we’re severe about enhancing Inexperienced Lake’s water high quality, we won’t achieve success if we solely depend on conventional lake administration practices,” GLA Govt Director Stephanie Prellwitz mentioned. “We’re quick on time to solely rely upon such a long-term method, which is why innovation and expertise should be a part of the image.”
The expertise, referred to as “CAPTure Phosphorus Interception,” is a novel filtration system that will likely be retrofit to the outlet of an current agricultural retention pond within the Inexperienced Lake watershed.
Throughout massive rain occasions, these runoff constructions typically fail to seize phosphorus air pollution, which is strictly when most phosphorus loading happens.
This one phosphorus sponge will intercept phosphorus air pollution generated from 96 acres earlier than it has an opportunity to stream downstream to Inexperienced Lake. If the CAPTure system is profitable in eradicating phosphorus from agricultural runoff, the GLA and its companions have recognized 50 different retention ponds the place an analogous method could also be utilized.
This undertaking will likely be performed as a trial over the subsequent three years by the GLA, along with the Inexperienced Lake County Land Conservation Division and consulting agency, Kieser & Associates.
The undertaking is funded via WDNR grants and GLA members’ donations.
“It’s a straightforward add-on and modification to make our basins extra environment friendly for capturing phosphorus,” mentioned Todd Morris, county conservationist for the Inexperienced Lake County Land Conservation Division (LCD).
The Inexperienced Lake LCD will modify the basin and set up the system. The LCD plans to make obligatory modifications to the basin by October and have the system put in by spring thaw subsequent 12 months, to maximise the quantity of phosphorus captured.
With the GLA’s just lately accomplished lake high quality examine confirming {that a} 50% discount in phosphorus loading simply to enhance lake situations to minimal requirements, and as much as a 70% discount to return Inexperienced Lake to the clear, oligotrophic lake, the GLA and its companions are stepping in with a bunch of phosphorus-reducing, lake-loving practices to assist meet this problem.
There isn’t any doubt: Inexperienced Lake is an unimaginable lake that has vital water high quality challenges. By broadening their focus, the GLA and its companions can higher deal with the lake’s declining water high quality.
To be taught extra or comply with the progress of this progressive expertise within the Inexperienced Lake watershed, join emails from the Inexperienced Lake Affiliation at www.greenlakeassociation.org.
