An update about the state of the state’s lakes starts with pollution, bacterial blooms and invasive species.
Those issues in Pennsylvania lakes mirror water troubles worldwide.
Climate change plays a role.
Water temperatures rise, winter ice packs decline, more water evaporates.
Heavy storms or long droughts disrupt layers of hot and cold water and food webs in lakes.
Invasive species include zebra mussels, rusty crayfish and the microscopic alga Didymo, disparagingly called rock snot.
To slow the spread, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission reminds owners to wash boats with hot water and a pressure spray before moving between lakes or basins. Don’t dump bait from one lake into another, either.
Lisa Borre will review protective strategies that she has learned by traveling to lake communities.
She is a researcher with the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and board member of North American Lake Management Society.
Her program on June 27 is sponsored by the Lacawac Sanctuary based at a Lake Lacawac, where the water is so pure that researchers use it as baseline to compare degradation of other lakes.
The program, however, won’t be held Lacawac, but at another institution that relies on pure water as an ingredient, the Wallenpaupack Brewing Co., Hawley.
Cheers.
Even after three decades as a reporter at the Standard-Speaker, Kent Jackson still enjoys meeting people, learning more about the community and sharing stories with readers. He currently covers schools but has reported on local government, health, police and the environment. Regularly, he writes about outdoor sports, wildlife and conservation for the Wildlife page on Sundays. Contact: 570-455-3636; kjackson@standardspeaker.com