(Wheeler Lake Specific)
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(Wheeler Lake Specific)
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| Name: |
rainbow slough
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| Subject: |
Question for someone smart
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Date:
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9/4/2007 3:47:18 PM
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First, I hope all had a good Labor Day weekend. I have to agree with Sunset that is was a wonderful time at water's edge. We are quickly running out of water so I took the boat out for the winter, but had a grand time exploring the shoreline and all of our new found huge beach. It was odd for me boating in winter water and summer clothes though. Just the water gone in the last 3 weeks makes a huge difference. Any way, I see many had a cathartic weekend and there were hatchets were buried and love seems abounding...good news.
Now for my question. Is the lake facing an ecological danger from all the vegetation growing beyond the 490' mark? I know we get what I call mud grass every fall and winter but I noticed a great deal of weeds and vines, which would not normally see this ground, creeping into the lake. I read (scanned) an article about 2 fellows doing some lake bed farming in Lake magazine and it got me thinking about how thick the late summer growth is on land that we hope will someday be under water again. I also noticed it more in landscaped areas and less in natural areas. Just curious if all the folks who have landscape in their front yards shouldn't do some clearing over the winter or if it will go away by its self? Any educated comments?
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| Name: |
MythBuster
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Not sure I'm qualified
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Date:
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9/4/2007 4:12:54 PM
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But I'll at least offer my opinions.
First, I think it's obvious why you see more growth in front of the landscaped areas: fertilizer run-off. The nice lawns, ornamental flowers, and so on come with a price: they are usually heavily fertilized. And that fertilizer eventually runs off the lawns and into the lake. Now that there's no lake there, the fertilizer just runs onto the shore, creating very fertile areas for these new plants to grow.
Whether these new growths are problematic, I don't know. In some cases, I could see them as a definite benefit: the roots stabilize the soil, thereby strengthening the shoreline. And I would think that there is an added ecological benefit for the animals that will use them as food and shelter, both now, and when they are (eventually, we hope) under water.
I also think that fertilizer causing new plants to grow on the beach is much better than fertilizer causing an algae bloom; a friend who studies such things for a living assures me that a massive algae bloom in Lake Martin is one of those "not if but when" things. And he feels the same way about non-native aquatic plants, because so many people now use their boats in so many different bodies of water.
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| Name: |
Aardvark
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| Subject: |
Question for someone smart
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Date:
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9/4/2007 6:36:48 PM
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I don't know if there is any danger from the runoff, but I am concerned about some vines growing on my beach that look suspiciously like kudzu.
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| Name: |
Carnac
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| Subject: |
definitely unqualified
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Date:
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9/4/2007 7:13:49 PM
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but we talked about that very subject during the meeting of the Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership last week. Our intent is to collect photos and other information and ask Auburn University for help in identifying what we can't.
As we get further information it will be posted on the forum or added to this site as a news article.
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| Name: |
BayPineYankee
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definitely unqualified
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Date:
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9/4/2007 7:25:13 PM
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effects of fertilizer in the lake are definitely a when, not if. Phosphorous loading (ChemLawn and others) can lead to oxygen deprivation and, eventually, if left unchechecked, Eutrophia. Fortunately, the lake has a very high flush rate that will be in its favor. 2 or three years ago I made this same warning and was belittled as an unwelcome outsider. We need to all work together on this.
Jeff
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| Name: |
Feb
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| Subject: |
Question for someone smart
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Date:
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9/4/2007 8:09:47 PM
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I understand golf courses are one of the major contributors of fertilizer to waterways. Does anyone know how well the Lake Martin local courses are managed in this aspect?
Another interesting question is whether sub-standard septic systems at private residence are more noticeable with the water down. I would assume they are more obvious with seepage into the Lake. It mIght be something else to take pictures of and document. As JIM would say, the grey water.
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| Name: |
BayPineYankee
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| Subject: |
Question for someone smart
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Date:
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9/4/2007 8:20:12 PM
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Feb - the effluent from these systems won't be gray water - it will be much worse and yes, it may be a great opportunity to document some of the offenders
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| Name: |
Osms
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| Subject: |
Question for someone smart
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Date:
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9/4/2007 8:26:23 PM
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Good point in looking for seepage along banks as a sign of bad septic, but the problem becomes worse when we have a lot of rain and the ground water rises and competes with septic lines--that's when it seeps out of the ground.
BTW, the Dadeville Treatment Plant has been in violation of nitrogen and ammonia levels many times. Both promote algae I believe.
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| Name: |
MartiniMan
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| Subject: |
Question for someone smart
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Date:
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9/5/2007 10:36:49 AM
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I am not sure you need someone smart but how about educated enough to be dangerous? I am in the environmental business and we regularly deal with ecological issues associated with surface water bodies, wetlands, etc. My view is the new growth around landscaped areas may be a function of fertilizers but also it stands to reason that there will be dormant seeds of lawn grasses near the shore and when the water recedes in the summer they will sprout. It is usually not something you observe because the water level drops in the winter when the seeds would remain dormant.
The presence of these grasses is likely not a big issue. Remember that this was all uplands surrounding the Tallapoosa and its tributaries until they built the dam. Nature has a strong tendency to return to its normal state when conditions allow.
Of greater concern would be aquatic invasive species that have gotten into a number of inland lakes. I am not aware of this being an issue with Lake Martin but that is a much greater concern than temporary growth caused by the drought. As water levels return to normal (God willing!) these grasses will eventually die and decay as they are not aquatic species. There could be some localized problems with lower than normal oxygen content in some sloughs that don't have a lot of flow as these grasses decay but that should only be a temporary problem.
Not sure this was helpful but I am guessing that claiming ecological disaster as a result of the lower lake levels won't pass scientific scrutiny. The only exception to this might be the cypress trees that occupy some of the undeveloped sloughs. These are protected species (i.e., don't get caught cutting them down!). I don't know enough about them to know if one summer of drought conditions will cause them permanent harm.
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