Alum treatment to resume next week in East Bay

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After a brief delay to wait for more ideal lake conditions, alum applications will resume in Canyon Lake next Thursday and Friday, April 9 and 10.

According to LESJWA Administrator Mark Norton, the past three alum applications have proved extremely effective in the main body of Canyon Lake, improving both water quality and clarity. Building on that success, water officials will focus the next round of applications on the East Bay.

Norton says, “Although we have seen improvements in the East Bay, they have not been equal to what we achieved in the rest of the lake. By concentrating our efforts in the East Bay, we hope to make significant strides in that area of the lake.”

As part of the April alum applications, water experts will be evaluating the effectiveness of using slightly larger quantities of alum dosage for future applications to the lake. A test of the increased alum dosage, still well below toxicity and within safe levels, will be conducted to just one of the East Bay cove areas of Canyon Lake with extensive monitoring before and after the treatment. The results from the cove will help determine if alum treatment levels should be increased for a future alum application in September.

Alum, a naturally occurring mineral that is safe for humans and marine life, binds with phosphorus and sinks to the bottom of the lake, becoming part of the lake sediment. Because phosphorus is a critical element needed for algae to bloom, alum generally helps reduce algae production.

The project is being funded by a state grant and by the Lake Elsinore and Canyon Lake Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Task Force, which consists of cities, the County of Riverside, agriculture and dairy coalitions and other organizations in the San Jacinto River watershed.

Implementation of the alum project is being coordinated by the City of Canyon Lake, the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, LESJWA, the TMDL Task Force and the Canyon Lake Property Owners Association. LESJWA is a joint powers authority entrusted with $15 million in state and local funds to improve water quality and wildlife habitats in Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake and the surrounding San Jacinto watershed. For more information about LESJWA, visit www.mywatersheds.com.