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By Erin Smith

After several years of studies and water quality testing, the town of White Lake is beginning the process to correct a discoloration issue with the water. Residents within one-quarter mile of White Lake have recently received letters from the town requesting they refrain from boating on the lake this weekend. The reason for the request is due to the fact the town will begin the process of applying a low dose alum treatment to the lake.

The treatment process will cost the town $522,352. The town is also preparing to have a study done of the Hydrologic Flows and Nutrient Inputs into White Lake with the Bald Head Island Conservancy at a cost of $78,135.82.

The Bald Head Island Conservancy study hopes to pinpoint the source or sources of nutrients entering the lake.

According to the letter sent to the residents and businesses, the town received an approval letter from John E. Hennessy with the NC Division of Parks and Recreation on April 11th to begin the alum treatment process which is aimed at correcting a discoloration issue with the lake. The letter indicates that the treatment process will begin around May 5th. Town Clerk Brenda Clark said State officials have assured town staff on numerous occasions the lake is healthy and there are no safety concerns.

The purpose of the request to boaters is to limit any potential interference with the treatment process as it is taking place.

It has taken the town several years of working with various agencies and private companies to determine the cause of the discoloration and establish a treatment process. According to a timeline provided by White Lake staff regarding the discoloration issue, in January 2018, Peter Moeller with the Harmful Algae Bloom Monitoring and Reference Branch of NOAA located in Charleston, SC, “found a toxin producer which can turn itself off/on depending on the environment.” This was found to be a type of algae.

Brenda Clark explained water samples were taken from the lake and submitted to Moeller’s lab for testing. The study of those samples revealed algae in the water which are known as blue-green algae. According to a separate document supplied to the town, cyanobacteria or blue-green algae can cause water quality problems and are the cause of some types of algae blooms in lakes. The algae feed on different types of nutrients namely phosphorus. Clark said the alum treatment will help reduce the amount of phosphorus and algae in the lake water. The alum treatment is used to treat bodies of water which are used for drinking water, according to the letter sent to residents by the town.

The alum treatment is applied using specialized equipment such as a modified barge which includes a 39-foot application boom, according to a document from HAB Aquatic Solutions. The modified barge has an application rate of 20,000 gallons per day.

In addition to an algae issue, it has been found that an aquatic plant called hydrilla is also present in the water. Hydrilla can impact recreational activities such as boating and it grows rapidly. Clark said hydrilla has also been found in Lake Waccamaw.

Officials recommend you thoroughly spray/rinse off your boat or personal watercraft and equipment to remove unwanted plant life or larva. It is also recommended you throw away unused bait and any unwanted aquatic plants. Do not put fish or aquatic plants from other areas into the lake as that is one method by which non-native and invasive species can be introduced into the lake.

The issue of discoloration in the lake was first reported to town officials in 2013. Since that time, the lake has undergone several studies and extensive testing in an attempt to identify the reason for the discoloration. In 2014, an aquatic plant study of the lake was undertaken to learn exactly what types of plant life were present in the lake.

According to a timeline provided to the White Lake staff regarding the discoloration issue, during the summer of 2016 and again in 2017, there were reports of skin rashes occurring involving people who claimed to have been swimming in the lake. However, no reports have proven the rashes were caused by the lake water. Town staff have also documented that in November 2017 photographs of algae present in the lake were taken and submitted to the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources for study. In December 2017, water samples were collected and submitted to Peter Moeller with the Harmful Algae Bloom Monitoring and Reference Branch of NOAA, where the blue-green algae was identified.

Residents are encouraged to visit White Lake Town Hall located at 1879 White Lake Drive to review any of the information regarding the discoloration issue and hydrilla.

White Lake preparing to undergo treatment