phoslock-eu

Small waters have a Big impact

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 07:15:19 GMT

Let us not ignore the significance of all the ponds, ditches and streams say a group of 20 scientists to the UK government's 'Natural Capital' committee

A letter signed by 20 scientists in the UK has been sent to the Government highlighting the importance of not ignoring the significance that even some of the smallest water courses and bodies have in supporting an abundance of natural life. Cumulatively making up 80% of England's freshwaters and supporting an estimated 70% of freshwater species, the scientists are appealing for urgent action to help protect these vulnerable areas.

The full article can be read her e as published on the BBC News website.

More information on the "Freshwater Habitats Trust" can be found here .

Behlendorfer See, Germany: Eleven years on - highly desirable aquatic plant species have returned to the lake ..."a very positive sign showing that the lake is improving ecologically"

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 07:46:31 GMT

Nearly 11 years after being treated, the Behlendorfer See near the city of Lübeck in Northern Germany is still reaping the benefits of Phoslock.

The 63ha, 15m deep lake, which received a single treatment in 2009, had suffered from nutrient enrichment for many years from its predominantly agricultural catchment. As a result, the lake experienced regular blue-green algal blooms which led to a reduced aquatic plant community. Consequently, the lake was not meeting European legislation for ‘good ecological status’ outlined by the Water Framework Directive (WFD).

Several catchment management measures were initiated to help improve its water quality. However, the impact of years’ worth of nutrients entering the lake had taken its toll and the lake failed to recover due to ongoing release of phosphorus from the lake sediments, a process called internal loading. A Phoslock application of 214 tonnes was applied in in December 2009 to an area of approximately 40ha which was deeper than 7m.

Since the application, the lake has been regularly monitored by the region’s State Office for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Areas (Landesamt für Landwirtschaft, Umwelt und ländliche Räume (LLUR)). Results from the official website for the lake show total phosphorus and phosphate concentrations have significantly declined since the application and remain low nearly 11 years later.

Indirect effects from the treatment have also been positive. For example, water transparency has increased and the algal community has shifted away from blue-green species. So much so, that Behlendorfer See’s WFD status for phytoplankton in 2019 was stated as “good” by the LLUR.

According to a recent report by lanaplan (2020) who assessed the Behlendorfer See’s WFD compliance in 2019 against previous years for aquatic plants, “a total of twelve species occurred, of which three are classified as endangered”. This is an increase of 3 new species since the application. Although the lake remains dominated by eutrophic plant species, charophyte species have been returned to the lake since the treatment. Charophytes are a highly desirable plant species and their return to the lake is a positive sign, showing that the lake is improving ecologically.

Source of information: Landesamt für Landwirtschaft, Umwelt und ländliche Räume ( https://www.schleswig-holstein.de/ )

lanaplan 2020. Monitoring the quality component of macrophytes for the WFD and Habitats Directive in Schleswig-Holstein lakes: vegetation of the Behelndorfer See, the Bültsee, the Garrensee, the Great Plöner See, Great Pönitzer See, Great Segeberger See, of the Ihlsee (Krs. Segeberd), the Kollsee, the Langsee (Kosel), the Pinnsee, of Schluensee, Suhrer See and Wittensee on behalf of the Landesamt für Landwirtschaft, Umwelt und ländliche Räume. P278.

Update: Lake Pampulha, Brazil - Promising water quality improvements after four years of regular Phoslock applications

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 09:24:16 GMT

After four years of regular Phoslock applications, Lake Pampulha is showing promising water quality improvements.

Lake Pampulha is a tourist hotspot which lies in southeastern Brazil within the urban area of one of Brazil’s largest cities, Belo Horizonte. Since the 1970s, urbanization has led to a decline in its water quality making the system very nutrient-rich. This UNESCO world heritage site has experienced regular cyanobacterial blooms since the 1980s due to nutrients entering the system. The lake was historically used as a water supply reservoir for the City of Belo Horizonte, however the use of the reservoir for potable water supply was stopped some years ago due to the ongoing issues with cyanobacterial blooms.

To improve the water quality in the reservoir, in April 2016, the local municipality implemented a treatment program which comprised of regular Phoslock applications. Approximately 1,800 tonnes of Phoslock have been applied to the lake since the commencement of the treatment

According to a recent publication by researchers from the University of Minas Gerais (Barçante et al., 2020), total phosphorus “showed a trend of decreasing concentration with significant change especially in the second year of treatment, indicating a positive effect”.

Another positive outcome reported by Barçante et al., (2020) from the application was that, “by the end of the second year until the interruption of the treatment, cyanobacteria dominance was significantly reduced and replaced by a more diverse phytoplankton community rarely seen in this environment”. By the end of the 21-months, “the number of species groups other than cyanobacteria increased, characterizing more than 80% of the total species”. Thanks to a diminished cyanobacteria biomass, other phytoplankton species were able to become established post- treatment.

Despite the early positive results, Pampulha reservoir remains heavily impacted due to the intense urbanization in its catchment. Consequently, the system still receives high concentrations of phosphorus from external inputs and as a result, the improvements in water quality require continued applications in order to be maintained. Thanks to the foresight of the City of Belo Horizonte, Phoslock applications continue, however actions are also being undertaken in an attempt to reduce the high external nutrient load.

Source of information: Barçante et al., 2020. Cyanobacteria dynamics and phytoplankton species richness as a measure of waterbody recovery: Response to phosphorus removal treatment in a tropical eutrophic reservoir. Ecological Indicators, 117, 106702. ( https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106702 )

Phoslock application takes place in the picture postcard beauty of northern Italy's Dolomites region

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 06:35:09 GMT

Shifting low clouds reveal the majestic backdrop to the Völser Weiher

Phoslock applications have taken place in numerous locations around the world – some big, some small.

Whilst the same focus and commitment is applied to all jobs, occasionally one cannot help but stand back in awe at the gorgeous surroundings in which some of these water bodies are located. One such location was a very recently completed application in a small lake in the South Tyrol. The “Völser Weiher” – a very popular swimming lake, just one hectare in size with a maximum depth of 3.5m and sitting amongst the ‘Tolkenesque’ peaks of the Dolomites in Northern Italy, the Phoslock team were tasked with applying 10.5 tonnes of product over the course of two days in early October.

The ecological balance of the lake had suffered since the introduction of grass carp - an alien fish species. The fish had eaten up the entire aquatic plant population of the lake and prevented the growth of young plants resulting in increased turbidity and the subsequent emergence of harmful algal blooms. Following on from detailed water analysis and discussion with the customer, it was decided the best course of action would be an application of Phoslock once the grass carp had been removed, and then the re-introduction of local aquatic plants to the lake - primarily the endemic Characea species, to restore the lake and re-establish the ecological balance.

A mid-size lorry with on-board crane was used for the transportation and loading of the product on to the motorised pontoon

Planned for earlier in the year, the Coronavirus pandemic had delayed the application until early October when the Phoslock team were finally able to swing in to action. Thankfully the heavy rain forecast a few days before did not materialise and the team were left to work in very calm conditions with just the finest drizzle at times….

...restoring the balance to a healthier state

Empty bathing platforms stand waiting in readiness for the next summer season

Botswana: Cyanobacteria now proven to have caused tragic death of over 300 elephants

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 09:39:55 GMT

Global warming and shrinking water holes

Aerial photo from July taken in the area of the ‘Okavango' pan handle of northwest Botswana

The mysterious discovery from the air of over 300 elephant carcasses, back in July of this year, sent alarm bells ringing to conservationists within Africa and much further afield.

Whilst over 300 deaths from an estimated population of 130,000 elephants roaming around Botswana was not deemed a serious threat to their existence, the very nature – the concentrated area and the closeness between the timing of their deaths did warrant serious investigation. It has now been concluded after thorough tests and examinations that cyanobacteria was indeed the cause of these deaths.

Explaining why it was possible that other animals, apart from one horse, had not appeared to suffer the same fate, Mmadi Reuben, Principal Veterinary Officer (Botswana Department of Wildlife & National Parks) hypothesised that the elephants using their trunks are drinking water from a lower level and therefore "closer to the silt where the anaerobic toxins are contained".

The concluding report featured in major news outlets around the world just this week including those listed below. Click on the links to read their respective articles.

BBC News (UK) ABC News (US) ABC News (Australia)

Reflections - Three years on, a press release issued by the "Action Conservation du Bassin Versant du Lac Bromont" confirms their aims...

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 07:32:41 GMT

“The ACBVLB is an organization whose mission is to protect and rehabilitate the health of Lake Bromont and the ecosystems of its watershed”

Lac Bromont photo: Anne Joncas

Three years after an application of Phoslock, the results are looking positive for this lake in Quebec, 90 km to the east of Montreal.

It doesn’t take long scrolling down the Facebook page of the ACBVLB to realise just how passionate the local residents are about their lake – delightful photos show some of the nature of the lake and many more photos highlight the activities of swimmers across all age groups enjoying the water.

Some of the photos from the ACBVLB Facebook page

However, prior to the treatment, the recreational, hypertrophic waterbody regularly suffered from cyanobacterial blooms.

Blue-green algal blooms within the lake

The treatment of Lac Bromont with 179 tonnes of Phoslock in October 2017 was the first ever Phoslock treatment in Quebec. Water quality in Lac Bromont had long been of paramount importance to local residents and recreational users of the lake and a very active stakeholders association (the ACBVLB) was formed in 1989 with the aim of identifying and implementing measures to improve the ecological condition of the lake. The ACBVLB and the Town of Bromont worked closely with researchers from the University of Quebec a Montreal (UQAM) for many years investigating the causes of the blooms of the lake, before finally settling on Phoslock as the preferred method to reduce the phosphorus concentrations in the lake in order to help improve its water quality. In addition to Phoslock, considerable efforts were made to reduce external inputs of phosphorus to the lake.

July 2020 photos: Anne Joncas

Three years later and the positive effects of Phoslock are clear. According to Michelle Champagne, the President of the ACBVLB, “the incidence of cyanobacterial blooms observed in the lake decreased by almost 80% between 2017 and 2019”, while Dolors Planas, a researcher and Professor Emeritus at UQAM says that “total phosphorus concentrations at the deepest point in Lac Bromont have decreased by more than 70% compared to the pre-Phoslock concentrations, despite the duration and extent of the oxygen deficit during these periods.” The lake is 7.2m deep and phosphorus would normally be released from sediments during periods when oxygen levels drop in the deeper zones of the lake. “To see such large declines in concentrations is a very encouraging result of the treatment” continues Mme Planas.

The development of Lac Bromont following the application has been summarized in a report and a press release issued jointly by the ACBVLB, UQAM and Laval University. Both can be downloaded from the Association’s website ( www.lacbromont.ca ). One of the most positive outcomes of the treatment has been that phosphorus bound through the Phoslock application has shown to be “sequestered in large quantities in the sediments of the lake after the treatment” , a clear sign that Phoslock has been successful. This result was observed across all sampled sediment sites in the lake, with the deepest sampling site storing phosphorous up to “five times greater than before treatment” (personal communication Wessam Neweshy, PhD student of Professor Couture at Laval University).

The monitoring program of the lake is in place for another 2 years to investigate long-term impacts post- application. Work also continues to assess the influence of external phosphorus inputs to the site and the long-term effectiveness of the Phoslock treatment.

The application was supported by the Environmental Ministry of Québec (MELCC) and continues to serve as a pilot project for lake restoration with regards to the blue green algae problem in many lakes of the province.

Source of information: ACBVLB, 2020. Lac Bromont press release 2020 ( https://www.lacbromont.ca/ )

Planas, et al., 2020. Lake restoration project Lac Bromont: review of the 2 ^nd year of Phoslock pilot project.

Neweshy, et al., 2020. Devenir du phosphore dans les sédiments du Lac Bromont suite à un traitement de restauration au Phoslock®

More than just a few dots on the landscape

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 21:00:40 GMT

Alarming rate of reported Algal blooms over the last 10 years highlighted on recent map from the Environmental Working Group

A new report out by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) focusses attention on the reporting of over 300 algal blooms in the US so far this year and warns people heading out over the Labour Day weekend to be aware of potentially toxic algal blooms.

Whilst official figures show the number of reported blooms as lower than the same time last year this is largely thought to be due to the lack of monitoring taking place during the Coronavirus crisis.

This report has also been picked up by the UK’s Daily Mail. Read their full article here .

As Phoslock Environmental Technologies continues to steadily expand its’ projects across the globe with the backing of solid, proven scientific results of our product, we aim to become a ‘go to’ choice for water authorities and lake & reservoir managers who seek to combat this ever increasing issue of lake eutrophication.

A rising population, the subsequent urban growth and agricultural demand, together with climate change all in some way directly or indirectly affect the world’s water supply. We need to take care of it.

Phoslock removes excess phosphorus from aquatic systems, thereby improving water quality. Elevated concentrations of phosphorus are the primary cause of undesirable changes to lake ecosystems, including the loss of aquatic plants and the increased incidence and severity of blue-green algal blooms. Read more here .

“Not enough testing. Not enough monitoring. Not enough prosecution of tippers and polluters. Not enough control of their own sewage farms’ loose bowels”

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 09:10:01 GMT

…so says Griff Rhys Jones, one of Britain’s best loved comedians, television presenters and nature lovers in a recent article written for the Mail on Sunday about the deteriorating state of Britain’s waterways. Read the full article here published in the Mail on Sunday (16th August 2020)

Utah Lake - water quality challenges facing one of the western United States' largest freshwater lakes

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 07:44:59 GMT

Trials are currently taking place on Utah Lake (surface area 38,445 hectares), one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in the western United States, to address the recurring problem of blue-green algae. SePRO Corporation and Aqua Technex under the direction of the Utah Lake Commission and partners, are working together to demonstrate technologies (including Phoslock) that could help the lake’s recovery.

Utah Lake ...as viewed from 40 miles high! (source: Google Earth)

Lincoln Marina

A lake ‘curtain’ is being used to contain and control the testing site of Lincoln marina whilst Phoslock is applied and monitoring takes place for algae ID & biomass, nutrients and general water parameters (Alkalinity, Conductivity, DO, Hardness, pH, Turbidity). Samples are being taken from two specific locations within the site on days 0, 1, 2, 7, 14 and 21. This will be followed up with a full report and data analysis. Click here to read the official press release from the Utah Lake Commission.

The bigger picture...

Map showing Jordan River Basin (source: Wikimedia)

Nearly 60% of the inflow to Utah Lake comes from two major tributaries – the Provo River and the Spanish Fork. The lake’s only river outlet is the Jordan at the northern end through a closely regulated pumping station. Evaporation accounts for 42% of the outflow which leaves the lake slightly saline.

As in many cases of lake eutrophication, a multitude of factors have combined over the years to varying degrees in Utah Lake to encourage the proliferation of blue-green algae. Specifically, agricultural run-off (particularly from land to the south) and high turbidity of the lake water caused by a combination of being relatively shallow and having an excessive amount of bottom-feeding fish (e.g. common carp). Common carp were introduced in the late nineteenth century and create a challenge for the lake’s authorities. These causes coupled with rapid urban development over the last 100 years have of course hugely affected the ecological balance of the lake, with raw sewage entering the lake up to as late as 1967. Improvements have been made since then but combined with groundwater run-off from almost 4,000 square miles, it is inevitable an excess of nutrients will have accumulated over many years into lake sediments. Whilst untreated, releasable phosphorous bound in sediments will continue to rise into the overlying water column and the symptoms of nutrient enrichment will likely continue.

No surprise then that Dr. Willis H. Brimhall’s (of Brigham Young University) study, carried out in the 1970’s … ”found that Utah Lake was less turbid in pioneer times. Brimhall’s study noted that since its inception, the lake has never been perfectly clear because it has always been shallow. This lack of depth contributes to its turbidity, large loss of water to evaporation, slightly saline water, warm summer temperatures, and abundance of algae. Brimhall also concluded that some 28 feet of sediment accumulated on the lake’s bottom over the past 10,000 years….” - This extract from part of a fascinating publication – “Utah Lake: Legacy” ( http://utahlakecommission.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Utah_Lake_Legacy.pdf ) written by D Robert Carter and produced by the June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program is well worth looking at for the rich history it provides on Utah Lake.

Carter’s section – “Characteristics of a shallow lake” on page 77 (of the 87 page pdf document) also provides a brilliantly clear written description of the significance that aquatic plants (macrophytes) play in creating stability in such a lake along with the devastating effects that can happen when non-native fish species are introduced in conjunction with the onward march of urbanisation surrounding a lake.

However, as the Utah Lake Commission emphasises, one should not let the algal blooms of this lake get out of perspective. This is a vast, if relatively shallow lake with a large variety of mini eco systems with in it. For example whilst one part of the lake might be suffering from an algal bloom, another part of the lake might have water clean enough to drink.

Today’s issues are nevertheless being taken extremely seriously by the Utah Lake Commission and as part of their ongoing program the Utah Lake Water Quality Study (ULWQS) https://deq.utah.gov/water-quality/utah-lake-water-quality-study was set up.

Subsequently it is hoped the trials which are currently underway will eventually lead to a decisive plan of action to assist with the reversal of the lake’s increasing eutrophication. Intervention will help move Utah Lake towards a healthier ecosystem for everyone to enjoy for generations to come.

New Jersey's largest lake trials Phoslock

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 13:10:59 GMT

The largest freshwater body in New Jersey just 40 miles northwest of Manhattan, NYC, Hopatcong Lake suffered large-scale and persistent HABs (Harmful Algal Blooms) over the course of the 2019 summer season resulting in the closing of all beaches, creating significant negative impacts on the ecological, recreational, and economic resources of the lake.

Authorities needed to develop both short and long-term management strategies for the lake as soon as possible, resulting in a trial application of Phoslock.

“The negative effects of HABs in our lake last year were numerous, widespread, and in some cases devastating,” recalled Donna Macalle-Holly of Lake Hopatcong Foundation. “It is imperative for every stakeholder to pool our resources to keep it from happening again. Collaboration is the only way to protect public health, as well as the health of New Jersey’s largest lake.”

Read full article

In June this year, the water resource engineering and natural resource management firm, Princeton Hydro - a lake management consultant to Lake Hopatcong for over two decades—were tasked with implementing the first and largest innovative measure as part of the NJDEP HABs grant-funded project. This involved treating 20 hectares of the southern end of the lake with Phoslock.

“If this technology is deemed successful and cost-effective in Lake Hopatcong, we could set the precedent for large-scale HABs prevention in other lakes throughout New Jersey, and even across the nation” said Dr. Fred Lubnow, Director of Aquatic Resources at Princeton Hydro and leading HABs expert.

As part of the NJDEP HABs grant funding, the stakeholder group will be evaluating the relative effectiveness of this treatment strategy. Because of its shallow depth and separation from the main lake, the Landing Channel area was a good candidate for evaluation of this technology. Princeton Hydro will conduct pre- and post-treatment monitoring of the Phoslock treatment area in order to conduct an objective evaluation of the cost effectiveness of the treatment as a means of preventing the development and/or mitigation of HABs. If the study indicates that Phoslock is a cost-effective treatment, the Lake Hopatcong Commission may consider additional trials in other sections of the lake, if funding is available.

"The proliferation of algal blooms has become an increasingly urgent problem. Climate change prompts changing weather conditions that encourage cyanobacteria; New Jersey is one of the fastest warming states in the nation" , NJ.com reports , " and increasingly higher average temperatures make it easier for the blooms to thrive throughout the year. An influx of phosphorus, often caused by agricultural fertilizer and organic waste in sewage and industrial overflow, develops the cyanobacteria until it grows large enough to take over entire freshwater bodies — for example, a little over 80% of Lake Hopatcong’s phosphate load comes from stormwater and septic systems.".

Kitsap Lake gets the Phoslock treatment

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 12:34:31 GMT

Kitsap Lake - aka “Long Lake” is one of 101 lakes in Kitsap County, Washington.

Located just three miles west of the city of Bremerton not far from Seattle, Kitsap Lake is a relatively small body of water with a surface area of 101 hectares and an average depth of 5½ m. Popular for kayaking, swimming, and year-round fishing, over the last few summers however the lake has been closed multiple times because of cyanobacteria blooms. After some public discussion, and financial support from the city of Bremerton, Phoslock were called in.

For more information, please read the article " Blooms of Bremerton" by Bethany Meyer in The Planet Magazine .

AquaTechnex , based in Seattle (who previously carried out the Phoslock application to Laguna Niguel, California ) were contracted to carry out the application which took place between the 8th and 11th June. The cost of the project is $206,000 which includes treatment for the next three years, with half coming from the city’s general fund and half from the stormwater capital fund.

Why in-lake measures are becoming inevitable in eutrophic waters in the Netherlands

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 11:32:11 GMT

A recent review paper by Miquel Lurling and Maira Mucci from Wageningen University emphasises the need why “water authorities, municipalities and lake managers should spend more energy on proper diagnosis than on wasting public money by blindly believing the magic claims made by quick fix advocates”.

…And makes clear that whilst the aim should always be to reduce external phosphorous load when practically, politically and financially viable, correct ‘within-water’ body intervention is still very much relevant in combating the effects of excess nutrient load