But officials don’t have plans to address unsightly problem
By Jason Arndt
Editor
An algae bloom on Echo Lake in the mill pond area between Echo Park and Rice’s Liquor store along Milwaukee Avenue in Burlington has city officials on alert, but hasn’t prompted any action.
City staff, who attributed the algae buildup to runoff and excessive rainfall, said they will only monitor the problem because of the expense associated with mitigating the issue along with possible unintended consequences.
“The algae formed due to run off of fields, a shallow stagnant body of water, compiled with a significant amount of rain this spring and extremely warm temperatures,” the city wrote in a statement on its Facebook page. “This problem is affecting numerous water bodies in the region.”
Director of Public Works Peter Riggs said city officials spoke with specialists with Racine County, Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and state Department of Natural Resources about how to resolve the issue.
The solutions, however, could be costly and could threaten aquatic life on Echo Lake and surrounding water bodies.
Current options include not taking any action, treating the algae through a $1,000 DNR permit and hiring a contractor for up to $8,000, or continuous monitoring of the situation.
City officials said securing a permit could take anywhere from four to six weeks followed by treatment.
“Treatment would last 10 to 14 days and has potential to result in a fish kill,” the city said. “This option will take time, a permit is not guaranteed, cost will be excessive, results will be temporary and has the potential for making the situation worse.”
To read the entire story see the July 18 edition of the Burlington Standard Press.
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