If you’ve seen a boat dropping sediment into the lake in the last few weeks, it’s The Lake Anna Advisory Committee (LAAC) treating the Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB). The Lake Anna Cyanobacteria Mitigation and Remediation Program (LACMRP) is a five-year effort aiming to create a safe and balanced ecosystem in Lake Anna’s upper reservoir.

This program has two main goals: reducing excess phosphorus and lowering cyanobacteria cell counts. The phosphorus reduction is being done gradually to avoid sudden environmental changes. The LACMRP is a patient, long-term effort to meet these goals.

After a competitive process, LAAC awarded one-year contracts to two organizations: EutroPHIX and Clean Streams Rivers and Lakes (CSRL). EutroPHIX, a division of SePRO Corporation, consists of experts focused on restoring water resources affected by nutrient pollution and harmful algae blooms. CSRL, founded in 2021, focuses on research, education, and remediation to achieve clean water quality.

What They’ve Been Doing

The treatment plan involves using special products and systems to lock phosphorus in the lake sediment and monitor the water quality. Different areas of the lake are being treated and monitored to see how effective these efforts are.

Two of the three main tributaries are included in the first year of the LACMRP. EutroPHIX is working in the upper North Anna River and CSRL is concentrating on Terry’s Run. Due to funding limitations, Pamunkey Creek will be included in future phases of the LACMRP.

Updates by Region

Pamunkey Creek

• Will be included in future phases of the treatment plan due to funding constraints.
• Serves as a control area in 2024 to compare current conditions with past data.
• Data from this area will help evaluate the effectiveness of treatments in other parts of the lake.
• LAAC will use data from DEQ, USGS, and LACA to assess phosphorus levels.
• Regular updates will be provided throughout the 2024 recreational season.

North Anna River

• EutroPHIX and SOLitude Lake Management are treating the upper part of the river.
• Treatment involved applying a lanthanum-based product to lock phosphorus in the sediment.
• 88,000 pounds of the product were applied, causing a brief color change in the water.
• Water quality samples were collected before, during, and after treatment.
• Monthly monitoring will continue through the recreational season.

Injection and Monitoring System

• A system upstream from the lake handles phosphorus from the watershed.
• Includes pumps and sensors to monitor and inject a phosphorus-binding product.
• Installed on a farm about 1.5 miles upstream from the lake with the landowner’s permission.
• Provides continuous water quality data to the management team.
• Monthly monitoring will continue through the recreational season.

Terry’s Run

• CSRL is treating this area with Calcium Silicate, which binds phosphorus in the sediment.
• 9,000 pounds of Calcium Silicate were applied, causing a brief color change in the water.
• Issues with lab analysis for water samples are being addressed.
• Additional bioreactors with beneficial bacteria are being installed to consume phosphorus and nitrogen.
• Initial bioreactor installations were completed, and larger ones will be in place by the end of July.

The efforts to treat HABs at Lake Anna are ongoing, with different methods being used to lock phosphorus in the sediment and monitor water quality. Regular updates and data collection are key to ensuring these treatments are effective and have no unintended impacts on the ecosystem.

For the full June update, download the PDF. For questions or comments, contact Harry Looney at [email protected].

Jen Bailey

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