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Question about lake water terminology:
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| By: Wally Romsos, Richmond, Wash. |
November 18, 2009 |
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Your Nov. 4th issue reported on a meeting that was held in Eau Claire regarding the reason that the lake study was not funded.
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The article cited many very valid concerns and several suggested approaches to the overall problem of improving the water quality in the chain. One point that I do need clarification on however is Ms. Bartilson's statement that improving the quality "confronts centuries of internal loading--" Just what is meant by "internal loading" in this context and could she provide a definition?
I can only surmise that it includes many pollution sources and is a much more "politically correct" term than to say sewage and manure.
Kathy Bartilson responds:
The term "internal loading" refers to release of phosphorus from sediment in the lakes and from dead aquatic plants as they decay. Essentially, the beds of the lakes in the Chetek chain are likely very fertile, with phosphorus stored up in the sediment from both recent and historic runoff. Some of the phosphorus may date back to what was in the native soil before the lakes were formed by building the dam, and some of it has since come in from farm fields, shorefront lots, and street drainage over time. "Internal loading" refers to the part of the load already in the lake itself, separate from what is coming in from tributaries each year. Phosphorus and sediment can be resuspended in these shallow lake basins through wind and waves, making the phosphorus available for growth of algae and plants.
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©The Chetek Alert 2010
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