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Report: Clarity better on area lakes
Published 11:37am Tuesday, February 5, 2013A survey of 21 lakes across the county produced positive results, according to East Otter Tail County Soil and Water Conservation District Manager Darren Newville.
“The trends are mainly improving or staying the same,” said Newville.
“The only exception was Round Lake, with an increase in phosphorous amounts.”
A report on a pilot grant, awarded in 2011, was given by Newville at the County Board of Commissioner’s meeting Tuesday. The grant allowed the EOT SWCD to review lakes for indicators such as chlorophyll and phosphorus, and the results on transparency.
Newville explained that if any issues are detected, the department does an analysis to see if there are any direct causes, such as storm water or runoff. If problems are detected, it may be an area where the department may do a future project.
The lakes included in the report include Big Pine, Clitherall, Dead, Eagle, East and Middle Leaf, East Silent, Fish, Lake Seven, Little McDonald, Little Pelican. Little Pine, Long, Pelican, Round, Rush, Stalker, Swan, Walker, Wall, West Battle and West Leaf. A report on each lake is available on the EOT SWCD website at www.eotswcd.org.
The Lake Assessments will be attached to the County’s comprehensive water plan.
The Lake Assessments was funded by the State of Minnesota through Clean Water Fund Grants, as part of the Legacy Amendment and the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund authorized by the Legislature.
An additional grant awarded in 2012 will fund the next phase of the project — reviewing the remaining 38 lakes in the county that are significant enough to have the amount of data needed for the survey.
