IRLNews:2020/11/06/$1.7m Peroxide Algal Bloom Treatment Underway at Lake Minneola
“We look forward to seeing results from this innovative project as we work to discover new remedies to our water quality challenges,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director Dr. Ann Shortelle. “With Gov. DeSantis’ commitment and the state’s investment, we can continue pursuing science-based strategies to tackle algal blooms and nutrient reduction in our waterways.”
Funding for the $1.7 million project comes from a 2020 legislative appropriation providing grant funding through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Water Policy and Ecosystem Project’s Innovative Grant Program. The program funds innovative technology projects to test new processes for dealing with water quality challenges.
Using a combination of collected field data, water samples and remote sensing imagery, BlueGreen US Water Technologies (BGWT) Ltd. will identify algae-prone areas in Lake Minneola and deploy its LakeGuard® Oxy Technology in strategic locations to reduce current or forming algal blooms.
BGWT’s technology was demonstrated during the Governor’s Trade Mission to Israel in 2019. According to BGWT, the Lake Guard® treatment selectively eliminates and prevents cyanobacterial blooms in lakes, regardless of lake size or shape. Lake Guard® uses a proprietary new formulation of potent algaecides that allows the granular product to float and time-release the active ingredient on the water surface, while targeting cyanobacterial mats as they float on the water’s surface.
The same innovative technology is being deployed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management District to address blue-green algae caused by discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchie and St. Lucie estuaries.
The LakeGuard® Oxy Technology’s active ingredient, hydrogen peroxide, decomposes quickly to water and oxygen. Due the unique formulation of the Lake Guard® products, its ingredients dissolve completely in a few hours after application, is ecofriendly and does not persist or accumulate in the environment.
The pilot project is expected to be in operation for at least six months.
Lake Minneola Innovative Algal Bloom Treatment Project
Source: Lake Minneola Innovative Algal Bloom Treatment Project
Following recommendations from the state’s Blue-Green Algae Task Force with support from Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Legislature appropriated fiscal year 2020 grant funding for innovative technology projects to test new processes for dealing with water quality challenges.
Several grants were awarded for innovative projects across Florida, including a pilot project to control, eliminate and possibly prevent algal blooms from forming in Lake Minneola, in Lake County.
Lake Minneola, which has been plagued with cyanobacteria, or potentially harmful blue-green algae, is a prime candidate for a pilot remediation project to combat harmful algal blooms.
The St. Johns River Water Management District has entered into a grant agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to provide the support for contracting with BlueGreen U.S. Water Technologies, Inc. (BGWT) to test its technology’s ability to control and manage algal concentrations in Lake Minneola.
Using a combination of collected field data, water samples and a hydrogen peroxide-based product, the BGWT pilot project will work to identify algal-prone areas in Lake Minneola and then deploy its technology in strategic locations to reduce current or forming algal blooms.
The pilot project is expected to be in operation for at least six months with initial deployment planned for August 2020.
Status
Modica and Associates will begin a two-week monitoring period on Lake Minneola which will begin on Nov. 2. They intend to collect water samples and readings at least three days a week, from Nov. 2 through Nov. 16, 2020. During this time, no algaecide will be deployed in Lake Minneola.
