The Lake Restoration Commission has released the final version of an action plan designed to restore Grand Lake St. Marys.
The plan outlines strategic actions recommended by the LRC and offers a functional timeline for the implementation of each strategy, spanning a period from 2011 through 2020. Highlights of the action plan include:
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Demonstrate the financial impact of Grand Lake St. Marys on businesses and economy, and establish the need for an aggressive strategy for improving lake conditions
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Detail conditions that have jeopardized the health of Grand Lake St. Marys for wildlife, tourism, business and economy
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Outline strategies for reducing the flow of phosphorus, silt and nutrients into Grand Lake St. Marys and removing current phosphorus sources from the lake
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Outline strategies for encouraging public and legislative involvement in Grand Lake St. Marys’ restoration
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Outline strategies for maintaining a restored Grand Lake St. Marys for future generations
Some, but not all, of the LRC action plan components have been initialized through local initiatives and recent activity by Gov. Kasich and state department leaders, including the state’s commitment to:
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Test new treatment methods to evaluate their effectiveness and determine if they should be rolled out on a larger scale (alum tests will begin in targeted areas this spring as soon as the ice melts);
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Provide funding to assist with the installation of additional water quality improvement technology within the three main feeder tributaries to reduce phosphorous input into the lake;
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Increase the scope and duration of dredging: add a third dredge, begin dredging earlier and continue later into the season (goal is to go from dredging out 140,000 annual cubic yards to 200,000 annual cubic yards);
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Protect game fish species while facilitating the removal of less desirable species that are believed to stir up and release phosphorous contained in lake sediments.
The entire Lake Restoration Commission Action plan can be downloaded here: https://lakeimprovement.com/wp-content/uploads/files/glsmrc-plan.pdf