Infusion of sub-aquatic plants at Indian Lake in 2010
 Indian
Lake State Park Manger Frank Giannola said the
most successful approach is spraying to contain the
plant growth. This type of application and weed control
has been done for years and years throughout the country
and at other locations. Before 2005 there was not a
need to spray for water weeds at Indian Lake.
Spraying has increased each year since 2005 at Indian
Lake and this year they are experimenting with increased
spraying to control the excessive growth. Property
owners may contact his office for assistance in making
arrangement for spraying boat basins and channels
surrounded by private property, it will be at the
property owners expense. The state will be responsible
for spraying aquatic areas surrounded by state property.
The state park tried dredging up to
nine feet deep to help control growth, but that has not
been effective. The third approach to controlling the
weeds is to harvest the weeds. There is only one
harvester machine for all 74 state parks. This web site
encourages residents and boaters to contact their state
representatives to encourage the purchase of a harvester
which can be used exclusively at Indian Lake State
Park.
Indian Lake boaters have
experienced more plant and algae growth in the lake than
in previous years. Nate Robinson of Aqua Doc, a Lake
and Pond Management company, says that 80% of the plant
growth is coontail. Most of the floating plants are
called duckweeds or water lentils, plants which float on
or just beneath the surface of the water.
Indian Lake State Park Manager
Frank Giannola contributes the explosion of weed growth
over the past three years to the improved water quality
and clarity in Indian Lake waters. Unlike conditions at
nearby Grand Lake St. Marys, Indian Lake is benefiting
from over 20 years of watershed management and
cooperation from the agricultural community.
 Vicki
Boots, Watershed Coordinator for the Indian Lake
Watershed Project, said the watershed project initiated
in 1990 is celebrating its 20th anniversary
this year. She said the 178 miles of tributaries that
flow into Indian Lake are benefiting from “no till
practices” which is a way of growing crops without
disturbing the soil through tillage, it increases the
amount of water in the soil and decreases erosion.
Buffer zones along the tributaries help to filter out
pesticides and fertilizer and stream bank stabilization
projects help to prevent erosion of the banks. These
agricultural practices plus the cooperation of lake
residents and business have greatly increased the water
clarity. Boots said that in 1990 approximately 80,000
tons of sediment washed into Indian Lake annually, today
less that 15,000 tons enter the water and efforts are
ongoing to reduce that amount.
Park Manager Giannola said that the
Indian Lake watershed is much larger than Grand Lake St
Marys which results in a faster turnover of water and
essentially flushes the lake more frequently keeping the
lake cleaner and less polluted. Corodinator Boots said
that her office was told that it takes about 6 months
for the water in Indian Lake to “turn over” while Grand
Lake takes more than 18 months to flush.
While Indian Lake boaters and
residents are concerned about the comparisons made
between Grand Lake and Indian Lake, the challenges are
greatly different with the two bodies of water. Indian
Lake is a healthy lake that is experiencing plant and
algae growth as the result of years of watershed
conservation. Giannola reported the growth actually
started about five years ago and they have been able to
manage some of the growth through dredging and
harvesting. The lake is much like the rest of Ohio
experiencing a very healthy crop growth this year as the
result of the conditions in March and April.
A bacteria called cyanobacteria is
the problem at Grand Lake, the blue-green algae has
grown in record amounts this season prompting the Ohio
Environment Protection Agency to post warnings against
swimming and contact with the water at Grand Lake. The
Grand Lake problem is the result of pollutants,
pesticides, and fertilizer entering the lake from
agricultural runoff and residential properties.
Fortunately the efforts begun in 1990 at Indian Lake are
helping to prevent the type of problem seen at Grand
Lake. Indian Lake is a healthy lake that is
experiencing plant growth as the result of water clarity
and the reduced amount of sedimentation and pollutants.
More information is available from
the Indian Lake Watershed Project at
http://co.logan.oh.us/ILWP/. For information about
spraying
http://www.aquadocinc.com/ or call 1-800-689-5253.
You may contact the Indian Lake State Park office at
(937) 843-2717.
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