The heavy algae bloom is believed to have been generated by the higher than normal air temperatures that quickly warmed up the lake, along with the short heavy rains causing runoff from farm lands during planting season.

SYRACUSE — The waters of Lake Wawasee have been unusually “clear” this spring and early summer; the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation water clarity testing regularly revealed 12 to 18 feet of visibility, so the recent green “haze” in the water was especially jarring.

Although an occasional algae bloom is not an uncommon sight in Lake Wawasee, the WACF always takes any change in the water quality very seriously. The WACF immediately consulted with the DNR and its exclusive WACF consultant, Dr. Jerry Sweeten. Sweeten is a recently retired limnology professor at Manchester University and a recognized expert in watershed ecology.

Dr. Jerry Sweeten, retired limnology professor at Manchester University and expert in watershed ecology, is an exclusive WACF consultant.

In this case, the DNR feels the heavy bloom has been generated by higher than normal air temperatures that have quickly warmed up the lake and several short but heavy rains during the planting season when neighboring farmland is more susceptible to runoff. An important DNR conclusion is that the algae is green in color and is not the potentially dangerous blue-green type.

Sweeten observed that roughly 80 percent of the nutrients that “feed” the algae and seaweed enter the streams and lakes during 20 percent of the heavy rain events.

Over Memorial Day weekend, in addition to the algae, many residents noticed an above average number of dead fish floating in the lake. The experts at Aquatic Weed Control attributed this to the spike in heat the prior week.

Another reported abnormality was a large mass of slimy looking algae near the outflow of Dillon Creek into the lake. This algae is likely a species called spirogyra that grows underwater during the spring and normally rises to the surface when there is enough sunlight.

WACF is continuously on the alert for any changes in water quality and responds with appropriate action when needed.