St. Albans Bay Harvesting Helps Reduce Nutrient Pollution

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 16:40:46 +0000

Weed growth in St. Albans Bay in Vermont was not as bad this past summer as anticipated according to Steve Cushing, President of the St. Albans Area Watershed Association (SAAWA).

Last year, high, turbid waters and a layer of sediment carried into the lake by flooding and rainfall reduced weed growth, explained Cushing. With clear water and low lake levels this summer, those familiar with the bay were expecting more weed growth than they’ve seen, but Cushing believes the sediment may also be helping to suppress weed growth this summer.

SAAWA removes 400 to 500 tons of weeds from the lake each summer with the help of an Aquarius Systems Aquatic Weed Harvester. The weeds contain a lot of water, Cushing explained and once they dry out, 40 to 50 tons of organic matter remains. Removal of the weeds prevents the weeds from dying and decaying in the water where they would release phosphorus and nitrogen, the very nutrients that feed algae blooms.

Currently the weed growth is outstripping our ability to pull them out of the lake, but we are convinced there are benefits to removing as much growth as possible, before it decomposes, spoiling water quality, increasing phosphorus as well as producing conditions for blue green algae growth.

Milwaukee River Revival Shows How Urban Waterways Can Recover

Fri, 27 Jun 2014 08:20:13 +0000

Each fall, elementary school students gather along the Milwaukee River to release fingerling lake sturgeon—an act that symbolizes just how far the river has come. Once written off as polluted and lifeless, the Milwaukee River now supports more than 30 native fish species and has become a model of urban river recovery.

Decades of environmental regulations, dam removals, and more than $5 billion in water quality and infrastructure improvements—including wastewater treatment upgrades, phosphorus reductions, and the Deep Tunnel system—have transformed the river into a cleaner, healthier, and more economically valuable resource. From cold-water trout streams near its headwaters to paddling, fishing, and wildlife habitat through downtown Milwaukee, the river tells a powerful story of restoration.

Yet challenges remain. Water quality varies across the watershed, development pressures persist, and the ultimate test—whether lake sturgeon can once again reproduce naturally—has yet to be answered.

phosphorus reduction – Aquarius-Systems

St. Albans Bay Harvesting Helps Reduce Nutrient Pollution

Milwaukee River Revival Shows How Urban Waterways Can Recover