Canyon Lake’s 11th alum treatment completed

Canyon Lake’s 11th alum treatment wraps up today with clean-up. The treatments began on Monday with doses of alum applied to the main body, East Bay and the area north of the causeway. The lake remained open during the entire treatment process with little disruption to recreational users.

Being that Canyon Lake is located near the end of the watershed, it receives high levels of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, as a result of stormwater runoff. These nutrients encourage algae growth. By adding alum to the water, it immediately binds to the phosphorus causing it to neutralize and become inactive.

Alum, the method selected to provide the best results for Canyon Lake, is a naturally occurring mineral that has a proven track record of success. According to LESJWA, alum is safe for both humans and aquatic life and does not affect drinking water quality.

In order to comply with water quality regulations enforced by the State through the local Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board, the Lake Elsinore & Canyon Lake Nutrient Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Task Force using local stakeholder funding to continue alum water treatments in Canyon Lake. The TMDL Task Force evaluated several options during the CEQA process and determined that alum application provides the best option as a step to effectively treat the entire lake in a timely manner with minimal impact to Canyon Lake residents.

For more information about Canyon Lake’s alum treatments, contact Mark Norton at mnorton@sawpa.org.




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