The Lake Preservation Committee is conducting a test to determine if barley straw may help to suppress the growth of filamentous algae growing in North Bay and the West Bay Cove. Barley Straw is thought to have chemical properties that will suppress the growth of algae spores and has been used successfully in other bodies of water.
Jim Lombard from the Harts Section has led an effort to install 4 mesh tubes of loosely packed barley straw measuring 20’ x 2’ in three lake locations impacted by the extensive infestation of Green Filamentous Algae during the 2008 season. The mesh tubes are anchored below the surface of the water with cement blocks and marked with a floating bottle. One of the mesh tubes has been installed in the West Bay Cove and a second tube is in the North Bay Cove. The other 2 tubes are in the shoreline waters in front of Jim’s camp in the northern end of the Harts Section.
The impact of the Barley Straw on the growth of the algae will be evaluated during the 2009 season as well as other research which is currently underway in relation to this issue.