It has been known for quite some time that Grand Lake St. Mary's in Celina is somewhat of an unbalanced ecosystem. Toxic algae blooms have plagued the lake since 2009 due to high levels of phosphorus in the water, which has many people concerned about the watershed.
For a few years now, the natural resources conservation service along with the US Department of Agriculture have been actively working to improve water quality at the lake. This month the Lake Improvement Association welcomed State Conservationist Terry Cosby to talk about improvements on the upland side of the lake.
Approximately 8 million dollars will go toward manure storage facilities to prevent run-offs, and cover crops, both things that aid in water quality. Many contribute high phosphorus levels in the water to local farms, but Cosby says there are a number of factors.
The money also funds a liquid manure waste transfer program which takes run-off from farms to areas that can better use it. These continued efforts at cleaning up are something all lake enthusiasts can appreciate.
