by:  Matt Campbell, President  Lake Watch
 Appeared in July 2023 issue of Lake Magazine

Now that summer is in full swing, Lake Watch volunteers are back to work providing twice-a-month water quality testing at sites across Lake Martin. Results of our bacteriological testing are posted to the Lake Watch Swim Alert webpage at Lakewatch.org/swim-alert and to the Alabama Water Watch statewide database at aaes.auburn.edu/alabamawaterwatch. Our testing this season confirms excellent water quality throughout Lake Martin; however, if our testing does identify areas on the lake that do not appear to meet ADEM safe swimming standards, that information can be used by persons recreating on the lake to make their safe swimming decisions. 

Now that summer is in full swing, Lake Watch volunteers are back to work providing twice-a-month water quality testing at sites across Lake Martin. Results of our bacteriological testing are posted to the Lake Watch Swim Alert webpage at Lakewatch.org/swim-alert and to the Alabama Water Watch statewide database at aaes.auburn.edu/alabamawaterwatch. Our testing this season confirms excellent water quality throughout Lake Martin; however, if our testing does identify areas on the lake that do not appear to meet ADEM safe swimming standards, that information can be used by persons recreating on the lake to make their safe swimming decisions. 

Lake Watch monitors water quality at numerous swimming beach sites across Lake Martin, including the beach at one popular restaurant in the lower lake where geese and ducks may often be present in significant numbers. Some patrons delight in feeding the waterfowl and turtles at this swim beach. At this site, Lake Watch monitors identified E. coli levels above the ADEM safe swimming limit on two occasions in the 2022 swim season and again in May 2023. Presence of waterfowl, particularly Canada geese in significant numbers, could be expected to produce fecal contamination at a swim beach, be it public or private. Also, be aware that E.coli would persist in the sediment for a fairly long time after the geese have left.

Lake lovers need to make their own informed decisions about wildlife management and when and where to swim. Lake Watch recommends that lake lovers discourage the presence of geese at their swim areas. We all know that this is easier said than done. Geese are very persistent about getting to a food source, such as a nice green lawn or fruit trees near the water. Above all, feeding of food pellets and table scraps is discouraged.

Canada geese are magnificent creatures. Most of us delight to see them on Lake Martin and believe that the resident population is at a healthy natural level. Lake Watch inquired at the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division. They referred us to a very thorough article on their website addressing the problem presented by Canada geese. On page one, this article offers a control measure, “Ban public feeding of geese,” as the first listed item under Habitat Modification. Read the article at outdooralabama.com/sites/default/files/Wildlife/Nuisance/CanadaGeese_Final.pdf.

Oversight of upcoming industrial discharge from Alabama Graphite Products, LLC 

It is understood that the Alabama Department of Environmental Management has issued a State Indirect Discharge Permit to Alabama Graphite Products, Inc., at Lake Martin Regional Industrial Park in Kellyton. AGP will produce a coated spherical graphite product to be used primarily in electric vehicle batteries. AGP is expected to go online as the first graphite processing plant of its kind in the U.S. The company has represented that it will use proprietary technology that is environmentally friendly and specifically will not use hydrofluoric acid in the processing. AGP is to receive fresh water from Alexander City and, after pre-processing the waste at the plant, return a stream of wastewater to the Alexander City Sugar Creek municipal wastewater treatment plant. The Sugar Creek plant effluent discharges into Lake Martin. 

Lake Watch was delighted that ADEM Director Lance LeFleur provided representatives from Lake Watch and from Lake Martin Homeowners and Boat Owners Association a meeting at ADEM with himself and six ADEM program managers to discuss the AGP permit. This very thorough and informative meeting lasted two hours. We learned that the AGP construction has not yet reached its final stage. No effluent is being discharged as yet.

The SID permit provides that the AGP plant must submit an updated comprehensive analysis of the plant’s actual wastewater within six months from initiation of discharge. Currently, there are no specific EPA federal effluent guidelines governing this categorical discharge. Until now, the industry hasn’t existed in the U.S. ADEM uses best professional judgement, evaluations of the municipal wastewater treatment plant and water quality standards in developing the permit. ADEM will review the permit to AGP after commencement of discharge. The Alexander City Sugar Creek WWTP also has a final say on the volume and composition of the wastewater that will be accepted into the plant. The ADEM permit issued to Alabama Graphite is subject to review by the EPA.

The permitted discharge volume is 400,000 gallons per day. The Sugar Creek WWTP has 8.5 million gallons per day capacity. Regarding the character of the discharge, we learned that the most significant regulated pollutant is expected to be a concentration of dissolved salts. Dissolved salts are mostly from calcium, magnesium and sulphur. It is represented that these salts are common components in soil and in seawater. ADEM stated that the volume of salts being added by the Alabama Graphite discharge is a small in relation to the design capacity of the WWTP.

ADEM said that heavy metals, if present in the graphite ore, precipitate out in the graphite purification and pH adjustment processes. If metals are present in the waste, they will be at levels similar to those in domestic sewage, based on the data provided in the application. The SID permit estimates that the discharge pH will be approximately 8.0. ADEM said the common range of allowable pH for the discharge for SID permits is 5.0 to 10.5. Regarding concern about “forever chemicals,” such as PFAS in the Alabama Graphite discharge, ADEM stated that there are no significant levels of forever chemicals expected in the discharge and that higher levels could likely be found in everyday residential wastewater.

ADEM said that they have no serious concerns about the pollutants listed in the Alabama Graphite wastewater as characterized in the Alabama Graphite permit application. The SID permit was developed to be protective of the receiving stream and protective of the municipal WWTP itself. ADEM is confident in the multiple layers of water quality protection for the lake, which include:

• wastewater pretreatment at the plant by Alabama Graphite as required by the ADEM permit;
• routine testing by AGP of their discharge as required by ADEM;
• unannounced testing of the Alabama Graphite discharge by ADEM;
• routine testing of discharge at the Sugar Creek WWTP;
• review of discharge monitoring reports submitted monthly by Alabama Graphite and the Sugar Creek WWTP to ADEM.

Lake Watch has conferred with Alexander City’s Mayor “Woody” Baird, who said that, at this time, the City has no issues or concerns with the effluent expected to be produced by AGP. Baird said the AGP effluent post processing through the Sugar Creek WWTP is expected to be drinkable by the time it goes into the lake. It has been calculated that Lake Martin has about a 190-day retention time, meaning the water in the lake is renewed every 190 days, primarily by incoming flow from the Tallapoosa River and outgoing flow through Martin Dam. At this point, Lake Watch is rather confident that we may expect Lake Martin will not be adversely impacted by the Alabama Graphite discharge and that ADEM and Alexander City are on top of the current  situation.

To join Lake Watch or renew your membership, to get involved as a partner in the Tallapoosa Clean Water Priority, to get involved in Lake Watch as a member or monitor or sponsor, visit the Lake Watch website at lakewatch.org. 

Matt Campbell is president of Lake Watch of Lake Martin, Inc. Learn more at info@lakewatch.org.

by:  Matt Campbell, President,  Lake Watch
 Appeared in April 2023 issue of Lake Magazine

Lake Martin water quality monitoring

Now that swim season is upon us, Lake Watch volunteers are back to work providing twice-a-month water quality testing at 17 or more sites across Lake Martin. Lake Watch Swim Alert Director Eric Reutebuch said test results will be posted on the Lake Watch Swim Alert webpage.

“Results of our bacteriological testing will be posted at Lakewatch.org/swim-guide and to the Alabama Water Watch statewide database. We expect our testing will confirm excellent water quality throughout Lake Martin.” Reutebuch said. “If our testing identifies areas on the lake that at the time do not appear to meet ADEM safe swimming standards, that information can be used by persons recreating on the lake to make their safe swimming decisions.” 

Testing on tributary streams

 This swim season, Lake Watch will further expand bacteriological testing on the Tallapoosa River and its tributary streams and report data to the Alabama Water Watch data bank, as well as directly to ADEM. We find that, on many of our tributary streams, testing reveals E. coli measurements that do not meet the applicable ADEM minimum standards.

Apparent sources of this pollution include the expanding poultry industry in our watershed, storm water runoff from cattle pastures and shortcomings in community wastewater treatment. Lake Watch is seeking to confirm sources of pollution in the river and streams and to address measures that would protect and improve our clean water. Water quality advocacy for our streams is good for Lake Martin. Fishing, kayaking and eco-tourism on the river contribute economic value to our rural communities; moreover, the pure recreational value of our river and streams is fundamental to our Alabama heritage and our lifestyle. Property owners, farmers, foresters, business owners, local government ...  are urged to help develop best practices to prevail throughout the watershed. Get involved as partners in our Clean Water Priority. 

Alabamians, don’t take clean water for granted. Celebrate your clean water and protect it.  

Oversight of industrial discharge from Alabama Graphite Products, LLC

Lake Martin area citizens are concerned over Lake Martin receiving industrial pollution from the Alabama Graphite Products plant now under construction in Kellyton. Citizens have asked Lake Watch to provide a measure of oversight regarding this industrial discharge. Lake Watch has resolved to do so. Our Alabama State administration and local government have been delighted to welcome Westwater Resources, Inc., and its subsidiary, Alabama Graphite Products, LLC, to the Lake Martin Regional Industrial Park to produce graphite product for use primarily in electric vehicle batteries.

We understand this will be the first graphite processing plant of its kind in the U.S. and that it will use environmentally friendly, patent pending, proprietary technology. The graphite processing plant is to receive fresh water from Alexander City and, after pre-processing the waste at the plant, will return a stream of wastewater to the Alexander City Sugar Creek municipal wastewater treatment plant. The Sugar Creek plant effluent discharges into Lake Martin.

ADEM has issued to Alabama Graphite Products, LLC, a State Indirect Discharge (SID) final permit, dated Sept. 29, 2022. The public wants to be informed about what will ultimately be discharged into Lake Martin. Lake Watch is concerned that, at this point, the characteristics of discharge and the acceptable wastewater profile referred to in the SID permit may still be open questions.

Prior to issuance of a permit, representatives from Lake Watch and Lake Martin HOBOs attended an informative and reassuring meeting of executives and engineers from Alexander City and Alabama Graphite. Lake Watch will request a follow up meeting with ADEM soon. We want EPA, ADEM and Alabama Graphite to provide the very highest standards of environmental protection for this new graphite processing technology. We want Westwater Resources, Inc., and Alabama Graphite Products, LLC, to spare no cost in providing clear, clean discharge from its operations. 

Clean Water Bouquet Awards 

A Clean Water Bouquet goes out to the Camp Hill Wastewater Treatment Plant project. Lake Watch understands that ADEM is poised to award a very substantial grant to the Town of Camp Hill for construction of a first class WWTP. Over past years, Camp Hill’s settlement ponds have drained into Sandy Creek and then on to Lake Martin. Thanks goes to all persons who are making this project happen, especially including ADEM Director Lance LeFleur, Rep. Ed Oliver, County Commissioner Emma Jean Thweatt and Camp Hill Mayor Williams-Cole. This is great news for Sandy Creek and Lake Martin. 

A Clean Water Bouquet goes out to the Wind Creek State Park project for construction of a forced main to Alexander City’s Sugar Creek WWTP. Lake Watch understands that ADEM is poised to award a very substantial grant for this infrastructure project. The Wind Creek State Park settlement ponds have drained into Lake Martin. Thanks goes to all persons who are making this project happen, specially including ADEM Director Lance LeFleur, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Rep. Ed Oliver, County Commissioner Steve Robinson and Alexander City Mayor Baird. This is great news for Wind Creek State Park and Lake Martin.

Matt Campbell is president of Lake Watch of Lake Martin, Inc., a non-profit, all volunteer, 501(c)(3) environmental organization working to protect the clean water of Lake Martin and the Tallapoosa watershed.

by:  Mat Campbell, President,  Lake Watch
 Appeared in January 2023 issue of Lake Magazine

Lake Watch celebrates the clean water of Lake Martin, and we work to protect it. Likewise, we recognize the importance of the streams of the Tallapoosa River watershed, and we celebrate their clean water, beauty and recreational value. 

For over 30 years, Lake Watch has worked with Alabama Water Watch to recruit and train volunteer Lake Watch monitors. Lake Watch submits accurate water quality data to AWW and to Alabama Department of Environmental Management. During swim season on Lake Martin, water quality test results from 15 Lake Watch Swim Alert sites are reported on the website at lakewatch.org/Swim-Alert. Sites on Lake Martin consistently confirm excellent water quality, as expected on our Treasured Alabama Lake; however, on occasions, a site shows E. coli levels beyond the safe limit set by ADEM, which also is reported. Testing on the tributary streams of the Tallapoosa River drainage into Lake Martin shows high E. coli levels following rain events.

Water quality monitoring on our streams is not just about keeping Lake Martin clean. It is important that Lake Watch monitoring and our clean water advocacy extends to the tributary streams of the Tallapoosa River basin. For example, Hillabee Creek at the state Route 22 bridge site is a lovely swimming and wading site where Lake Watch tests at the bridge. When the Hillabee is low and clear, it generally shows E. coli within safe swimming limits; however, when Hillabee rises following a rain event, it generally shows E. coli well above the ADEM safe swimming limit. 

Lake Watch monitoring on Hillabee, Emuckfaw, Sandy and Blue creeks has been long standing. These streams are major tributaries into Lake Martin. Hillabee, Emuckfaw and Blue creeks have been placed on the 2022 ADEM Sec. 303(d) list as impaired for pathogens, specifically E. coli. E. coli sources include cattle, human and poultry. Going forward, Lake Watch monitoring on these streams needs to be strategically assessed, expanded and supported.

Lake Watch has added test sites where ADEM is not testing, including rain event testing on these 303(d) streams at the same sites ADEM has been using. For example, ADEM has test sites on Hillabee Creek at state Route 22 and at Sanford Road. These ADEM sites are below the confluence of the Little Hillabee and the Enitachopco creeks. So, Lake Watch has recently established test sites above the confluence, one on Little Hillabee and one on the Enitachopco. Lake Watch tests these sites twice a month, including one rain event.

We report our data to AWW and to ADEM (Special efforts by our monitor Dale Campo are acknowledged), which helps to fill in a gap where ADEM data may be missing. It also helps to identify sources of E. coli pollution. Lake Watch works to maintain a good interface with ADEM staff who provide verification and response when data shows the need.

Lake Watch stresses the recreational importance of the streams of the Tallapoosa River watershed. A favorite local canoeing and kayaking run on the Tallapoosa River is from Horseshoe Bend to Jaybird Landing. During swim season, Lake Watch maintains Jaybird Landing as a Lake Watch Swim Alert site. Diligent testing year-round, including rain events, on the Tallapoosa River and on Emuckfaw Creek, provides data important to the clean water advocacy for this popular stretch of the river (Special efforts by monitor John Clements are acknowledged).

When their water level is right, the Chattasofka and Sandy creeks offer kayaking from Dadeville beyond Agricola Road past state Route 49 and down to Lake Martin. Likewise, the upper and middle Tallapoosa River and Crooked Creek in Clay County offer exceptional kayaking and fishing opportunities. The story of the beauty and recreational value of these streams is best told by their adjoining private property owners and those who live and play in these streams. The story includes the potential for economic value to private property owners who provide conservation measures and increased public accessibility for kayaking and fishing. 

Accurate data is a necessary component to a water quality improvement plan that requires many partners up and down the line. Lake Watch is seeking watershed stewards in our Lake Martin and Tallapoosa River Clean Water Priority program. We believe the Alabama Watershed Stewards Program, sponsored by Alabama Cooperative Extension System, AWW and ADEM, is the best available forum for advocacy by Lake Watch and its partners. We are asking state and local government and the university community to join us and help lead us in this program. We are asking Lake Martin and Tallapoosa River area businesses and our county tourism representatives to join us as program partners and sponsors. 

Everyone on the lake and on the river needs to consider best practices and up their games. Lake Watch and our Lake Martin partners are to identify their advocacy regarding on-lake matters that require conservation measures, such as county supervision of new high-density real estate development, private septic system maintenance, construction and post-construction management of storm water runoff. Likewise, we want upstream partners to join in. Agriculture, forestry and our rural communities should expand their best practices to improve the water quality of tributary streams draining into Lake Martin. 

We are familiar with the statement: “Lake Martin is the economic engine of our community.” It is interesting to ponder the examples that make that true. Businesses and organizations in the Lake Martin community should please become Lake Watch program partners and financial supporters.

Contact us by email at info@lakewatch.org to become a monitor, a partner or a program sponsor. Lake Watch acknowledges the good work of its members and the good work of AWW, HOBOs, LMRA and all the lovers of Lake Martin who contribute their time, energy and money. We share in common our advocacy for the clean waters of the Tallapoosa River basin and our Treasured Lake Martin.

Matt Campbell is president of Lake Watch of Lake Martin, Inc., a non-profit, all volunteer, 501(c)(3) environmental organization working to protect the clean water of Lake Martin and the Tallapoosa watershed.

by:  Eric Reutebuch, Director, Lake Watch
 Appeared in October 2022 issue of Lake Magazine

Lake Watch of Lake Martin partnered with Auburn University last year to conduct a scientific study of surface water draining from Lake Martin’s watershed into the lake (see Lake Watch goes hi-tech with AU microbiologist, Lake Magazine – July 2021). The study was funded by a grant from the Alabama Water Resources Research Institute and matching contributions from Lake Watch and Lake Martin HOBO. The study focused on four streams that drain landscapes with mixed land uses and flow into the Tallapoosa River, which then flows into the upper lake.

We observed a proliferation of new chicken houses popping up above the lake and were concerned about what impacts the chicken waste (litter) would have on the waters flowing into Lake Martin. Lake Watch had been testing these streams for a couple of years and had found high levels of E. coli in the streams following significant rain events.

E. coli is a bacterium that inhabits the gut of warm-blooded animals (livestock, wildlife) and humans. Its presence in water indicates fecal contamination – a health risk to those that recreate in the water.

Once Lake Watch discovered the presence of high E. coli in streams above the lake, the next questions were: Where’s the poop coming from, and is it impacting the lake? The AU researchers, Dr. Feng and her graduate student Wenjing Ren, used microbial source tracking to analyze water samples from the four streams and the Tallapoosa River at Jaybird Landing, where Lake Martin begins.

MST employs genetic marker analysis to identify the critters from which the fecal contamination or animal tissue originated – like the testing used on NCIS to identify criminals. The researchers analyzed water for the presence of four different genetic markers: a human bacterial marker; a cattle bacterial marker, a chicken bacterial marker and a chicken tissue marker. E. coli concentrations were also measured.

Water samples were taken on 11 dates from September 2021 through May 2022. Half of the sampling targeted rain events when the streams had elevated flow, and the other half targeted dry periods when the streams were at normal level.

AU results verified Lake Watch monitor test results showing high concentrations of E. coli in the streams mentioned above in the Lake Martin watershed after significant rain events.

To our surprise, humans and cattle were the main sources of fecal contamination in the streams and the river at Jaybird Landing regardless of rainfall/streamflow levels. Both sources were found in all four streams and at Jaybird Landing and were highest after significant rain events. Crooked and Timbergut creeks usually had the highest concentrations of human and cattle genetic markers, as well as the highest concentrations of fecal contamination.

Timbergut Creek had the highest levels of fecal contamination, with six of the 11 sample dates having E. coli levels above EPA standards, mostly after rain events.

Chicken bacterial genetic markers were detected much less frequently, only on three sample dates in only three streams, Timbergut, Emuckfaw and Hillabee and at Jaybird Landing, after rain events.

Chicken tissue genetic markers were detected most frequently (on every sample date, 11 of 11 dates) in one stream, Crooked Creek, and also downstream in the Tallapoosa River at Jaybird Landing, on six of 10 sample dates, after rain events.

So what does this mean for the lake? For the time being, the proliferation of chicken houses above the lake appears to not be a threat to Lake Martin, according to the study. A major consideration is that the litter in chicken houses is only cleaned out once every two to three years. It is conceivable that the study may not have captured the impacts of chicken litter since the study was done over a limited time period (nine months) and could have missed impacts from chicken litter spread on local fields. Another possibility could be that chicken farmers are using appropriate best management practices that retain chicken waste on their fields so very little runs off into streams. And yet another confounding factor – when petroleum prices are high, manufactured fertilizer prices go up, and chicken litter becomes more valuable. Under these circumstances, poultry farmers sell their litter for use by farmers as fertilizer, and it is trucked out of the watershed and has no impact on local water quality. We don’t know the amount of litter spread during the study. Whatever the case may be, we need to keep an eye on the expanding poultry production in our watershed.

Based on the results of the AU study, it appears that we do have an issue with human and cattle waste in streams emptying into the river and ultimately into the upper lake. We need to work on tracking down these sources of contamination and get them resolved.

The detection of chicken tissue markers coming down Crooked Creek on every sampling date and detection at the beginning of the lake at Jaybird Landing was also a surprise. More testing is needed to determine the source of chicken tissue in Crooked Creek. We don’t yet know the implications of this finding and will need assistance to determine whether this poses any threat to lake users. We’ll keep you posted.

Be sure to check the Lake Watch Swim Alert at lakewatch.org/swim-guide to get the latest E. coli test results throughout the lake and at Hillabee and Emuckfaw creeks. Be safe and enjoy the water. And consider helping us out in our mission to protect our treasured lake, go to lakewatch.org/our-programs to learn more. 

Learn more about Lake Watch at lakewatch.org.

By:  Eric Reutebuch, Lake Watch Past President
 Appeared in Lake Magazine, July 2022 Edition

Lake Watchers have been hard at work initiating the new Swim Alert monitoring program since my last article describing our swim alert vision in April’s issue of Lake magazine. We have identified popular swimming spots in and around Lake Martin; built webpages for posting and accessing swim-site test results; initiated Lake Watch bacteria monitoring at the sites; and posted results on our Swim Alert website at www.lakewatch.org/swim-alert. Thanks to Lake Watch’s fabulous monitor coordinator, Ann Campbell, and dedicated water monitors, Lake Watch Swim Alert is now a reality.

We are working on getting the word out to the Lake Martin community so that all can avail of this information. Thus far, Swim Alert has been posted in many places online, including the Lake Watch website at lakewatch.org, the Lake Watch of Lake Martin Facebook page, lakemagazine.life,  nextdoor.com, the City of Alexander City’s Facebook page, Lake Martin Homeowners and Boat Owners’ website at lakemartinhobos.com and the Lake Martin HOBOs Facebook page. We welcome suggestions and help to spread the word about Swim Alert to the lake community.

As stated in our last article, we are testing for E. coli bacteria at swim areas. If E. coli is present, the water is contaminated with feces of a warm-blooded animal and considered unsafe for swimming (when the contamination is above 235 E. coli per 100 milliliters of water – about half a cup). I’m sure that none of us want to swim in poopy water.

Popular and regularly visited swim sites were at the top of the list for monitoring site selection. Several are developed swim beaches. They include Wind Creek State Park beach, D.A.R.E. Park beach, Camp Alamisco swim area, Camp ASCCA swim area, Kowaliga Restaurant beach, Willow Point Country Club beach, Big Beach and Villas on the Harbor Pier adjacent to Harbor Point Marina beach. Lake Watch volunteers also monitor the popular swimming area on Hillabee Creek right above the state Route 22 bridge and the popular canoe take-out site at Jaybird Landing in the uppermost reach of Lake Martin.

Additional testing sites include two on the upper lake above Coley Creek. One is near the community of Andrew Jackson, and the other is a bit above the confluence of Coley Creek and the lake. These last two sites are not swim areas; they are considered sentinel sites for detection of bacterial contamination coming from the watershed above the lake and flowing down the Tallapoosa River into the lake. We are still working to add monitors at other swim sites.

For most of the lake, bacterial contamination is not an issue, but there are a few areas that have issues. Thus far, at the time of submission of this article, two areas have repeatedly had E. coli contamination at unsafe levels this year: Jaybird Landing has tested high in E. coli in six out of nine tests, as did the swimming area at Hillabee Creek in six out of 10 tests. Jaybird Landing had a high of 1,800 E. coli per 100 milliliters in early April, more than seven times the level considered safe for swimming, and Hillabee Creek had a whopping high of 4,600 E. coli per 100 milliliters in early April, almost 20 times the safe level. These levels of fecal contamination are definitely unsafe for human contact. E. coli levels have declined in the most recent tests at these two sites but are still over the safe level.  

The ultimate goal of Lake Watch is to identify the sources of fecal contamination and get them resolved. Until then, please help spread the word about Swim Alert. Send the link lakewatch.org/swim-alert to family and friends to keep your loved ones safe while recreating in the lake. Check Swim Alert regularly for updated test results for your favorite swim areas, and support Lake Watch of Lake Martin so that we can continue this effort throughout the lake.

Enjoy our beautiful Treasured Lake this summer and be safe. 

Eric Reutebuch is past-president of Lake Watch Lake Martin

By:  Eric Reutebuch, Lake Watch President
Appeared in Lake Magazine, April 2022 Edition

Eagerly awaiting another summer of fun in the sun and in the water, Lake Watch of Lake Martin remains committed to protecting our lake and all who recreate in the lake. Last fall, Lake Watch tested and reported high E. coli for the first time in the lake upstream of the U.S. Route 280 Bridge, above the lake’s confluence with Coley Creek. We sent out a call for help to recruit more water monitors and, to our delight, around 30 people answered the call. Since then, 17 have gone through training and been certified by Alabama Water Watch in either bacteriological monitoring or water chemistry monitoring, or both. This new batch of volunteers more than doubles the number of water monitors we now have on the lake and its watershed.

You may wonder – what’s the big deal about a few bacteria in the lake? A few are not such a big deal, but when you get 100s to 1000s per cup of lake water, and they are E. coli from feces of warm-blooded animals or humans, that becomes a problem – a public health problem. If contacted and ingested (by swallowing some contaminated water), E. coli may result in serious illness, including fever, nausea, vomiting, hemorrhagic diarrhea, anemia, dehydration, renal failure, seizures and even death (www.medicinenet.com/e_coli__0157h7/article.htm). E. coli could certainly ruin a weekend on the lake.

Lake Watch has identified about 20 strategic sites on the lake, streams and the Tallapoosa River flowing into the lake to assign to these new monitors. Several of these will be Swim Alert sites that we will upload to the Swim Guide at www.theswimguide.org. We plan to use Swim Guide as the medium to broadcast bacteriological test results to the Lake Martin community and beyond. Swim Guide is a web-based one-stop shop for swimming-area water quality information and the most popular beach information service in the world. It provides free up-to-date water quality information for more than 8,000 beaches, lakes, rivers and swimming holes throughout North America and several other countries. 

Our Swim Alert sites will be locations that are regularly used for swimming and typically have a swim beach, such as Wind Creek State Park, DARE Park, Camp Alamisco and Camp ASCCA or swimming areas on streams like the one at Hillabee Creek above the state Route 22 bridge. We plan to monitor the sites regularly and will promptly post the results on the Swim Guide website. We plan to sample monthly and after significant rain events. The post-rain event sampling is particularly important since that is when we typically find higher levels of bacterial contamination in the streams, the river and the lake. This is because of fecal material flushing off the landscape into the water with runoff during rain events.

We plan to feature the Swim Guide postings on a Swim Alert webpage on our website (www.lakewatch.org). The page, featuring the latest bacteriological test results, will be shared with Lake Martin Homeowners and Boat Owners Association, Lake Martin Resource Association, municipalities and others, so results will be widely available to the public in a timely manner. 

Our bacteriological test results will be posted as easy-to-interpret icons used by Swim Guide: green for safe – go swimming; and red for not safe – stop and consider swimming elsewhere since the water is contaminated with E. coli. Following the Alabama Department of Environmental Management standard, an E. coli concentration above 235 per 100 milliliters (approximately a cup of water) is unsafe for human contact. 

View an example of a Swim Guide beach webpage for Lake Jackson in Florala, Alabama, that reported safe swimming conditions at www.theswimguide.org/beach/5394. The green swim icon tells you that bacterial contamination (E. coli) was below the level that would be a health risk to swimmers. Note: The icon indicates ‘historical status.’ When viewing Swim Guide reports, check the date below the icon for when the water was tested – the most recent Florala data was from October 2021 (bacteriological testing in Alabama at swim areas isn’t usually done in the winter, as folks aren’t swimming then). 

We believe the Swim Alert will help keep everyone safer as we work to resolve bacterial contamination issues that arise. We anticipate that the vast majority of the time throughout the lake, we will not find significant contamination in the water since our lake is a very clean lake. But when contamination is detected, we want to protect the public as best we can through Swim Alert, so folks could avoid contaminated waters.

Our ultimate goal beyond Swim Alert is to work toward tracking down bacterial contamination sources as they occur and resolving them at their sources. For updates on all of Lake Watch’s efforts, join us at our annual meeting on April 24. Visit our website for details. I hope to see you there.

Eric Reutebuch is president of Lake Watch Lake Martin.

Lake Watcher

The Newsletter of Lake Watch of Lake Martin                                                    No. 58, February 2022 
by Eric Reutebuch

2021 Achievements:

·   31 sites monitored for water chemistry and bacteria in Lake Martin and its Watershed

·   Added 4 new uper lake sites to assess bacterial contamination

·   280 data records submitted to the AWW water quality database 

·   Contributed data to ADEM 303d list

·   Recruited 11 new water monitors 

·   Partnering with AU on watershed bacteria investigation

·   Investigated graphite processing operation coming to Kellyton


Lake Watch Officers*:

Eric Reutebuch…President

Matt Campbell….Vice-president

Dianna Porter…...Secretary

Janne Debes…….Treasurer



LW Board of Directors:

Joanne Walker        Dick Bronson          

Myrna Lehman      Laurie Barrett

Tom Collier           Jesse Cunningham

Bill Butler

(*Lake Watch officers also serve on board)


Annual Meeting

 The Lake Watch annual meeting will be held on:

 Sunday, April 24, 2022

1-3:30 pm (registration 1-1:30 pm; program 1:30-3:30 pm)

Red Ridge United Methodist Church

8091 Co Rd 34, Dadeville, AL

 We are pleased to have Dr. Bill Deutsch, founder and long-time director of Alabama Water Watch, as our guest speaker, who will give us an overview on 30 years of watching the water on Lake Martin. The meeting is contingent upon covid conditions, we will meet if we can do so safely. We are looking forward to some new faces on our board, as some folks that have served for many years are rotating off. Masking will be encouraged. I’ll keep you posted as the time grows near.

Letter from the President

 It goes without saying that 2021 was another very challenging year! I hope and pray that all of you and your families made it through safely! In spite of the pandemic, Lake Watchers were busy in their efforts to protect our treasured lake.

 Matt and Ann Campbell continue watershed monitoring above the lake, now into its third year. The effort is focused on streams, Crooked, Emuckfaw, Timbergut, and Hillabee, flowing into the Tallapoosa River (which flows into Lake Martin) that are being populated with chicken houses (at last count two years ago, around 120 houses). Data thus far shows:

·        high bacterial concentrations in the water after significant rainfall/runoff events,

·        high E. coli and high levels of yet unidentified bacteria characterized by turquoise colonies during these events.

The Auburn University bacteria study led by Dr. Yucheng Feng began last September to help verify bacterial loading into streams above the lake, and to help identify the sources of the bacteria. Dr. Feng and her graduate student Wenjing Ren have been sampling alongside Matt and Ann in the watershed above the lake. We are eagerly awaiting their microbial source tracking results from the streams and the river to shine some light on the sources of the bacterial contamination.

 As you may recall, we measured high bacterial concentrations downstream, in the upper end of Lake Martin last fall (see E. coli prompts call for swim alerts, Alexander City Outlook, 12/21/2021). This event, which occurred after a high rain event, made us realize two things: 1) the need for more monitors and monitoring; and 2) the need for an efficient way to get the word out to the public when we find high E. coli in the lake and other water-recreation areas. I put out a call for help to Lake Watch members, and Harry DeNegre, Lake Martin HOBO president, sent the call out to the HOBO membership. I was very pleased at the response – nearly 30 folks offered to help monitor! Eleven got trained by Alabama Water Watch in December and will begin monitoring this spring. THANK YOU to AWW, HOBO, and to all the folks that stepped up to protect our lake!

 We are focusing on Swim Guide as the medium to broadcast our bacteriological test results to the Lake Martin community. Swim Guide is a web-based one-stop shop for swimming-area water quality information. I added two swim beaches on Lake Martin – Wind Creek and Dare Park, several years ago, see www.theswimguide.org/find/ . We plan to add several more, monitor them regularly, and post the results on Swim Guide. The postings will be made available on various websites so that the Lake Martin community can access the information easily. We believe this will help keep everyone safe as we work to resolve bacterial contamination issues that arise.

 In addition to the watershed monitoring, our monitors continue to diligently test sites throughout the lake. This is not only crucial for detecting any negative impacts from pollutants coming from the watershed down the Tallapoosa River, but also crucial for detecting impacts from potential sources from streams that flow directly into the lake.

 In response to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) call for input for compiling their 2022 303(d) list of impaired streams, we pulled together our Lake Watch data and sent it to ADEM, along with recommendations to consider adding several watershed streams above the lake to the 303(d) list, since we have measured high E. coli in them on several occasions. The Draft 303(d) List (see www.adem.alabama.gov/programs/water/303d.cnt )  was recently released by ADEM, and one of those streams is now listed – Hillabee Creek. We are pleased that Lake Watch data is being used to alert ADEM to pollution issues in our watershed and will continue our interactions with ADEM to resolve these issues. We are also concerned to see that Blue Creek has been added to the draft list for E. coli – we need to investigate this further. Other listings include Coley Creek for excess nutrients (presumably from the wastewater treatment plant discharge there) resulting in high chlorophyll a/algae concentrations, and Elkahatchee Creek for mercury prompting a fish consumption advisory from the Alabama Department of Public Health. 

We were very concerned last fall when we learned that the graphite mining operation in the Weogufka area to the west would be processing their ore in Kellyton and the processing wastewater would flow to Lake Martin. I contacted Mayor Baird to discuss our concerns and learn about the proposed operation. We had a very productive meeting with city officials and Alabama Graphite and got all of our questions answered. We came away feeling that the lake will not be adversely impacted as long as construction and operation go as planned and wastewater contaminants stay within permitted limits – we remain observant.

 In closing, after serving two terms, I am hanging up my spurs as president. I feel that new blood is needed to continue the good work of the group. I will rotate to the Lake Watch board and continue working to advance the goals of lake and watershed stewardship as best I can. I am optimistic that 2022 is going to be a productive year for Lake Watch and for our lake. I’ve seen a growing interest in protecting our treasured lake and hope to see a growth in our membership and watershed stewardship activities. Y’all stay safe and I hope to see you at our annual meeting!

 Elections

 The Lake Watch board met via Zoom on January 24, 2022 to discuss our plans for this year. We had a good meeting to discuss our goals and objectives to strengthen Lake Watch and to continue the protection of our Treasured Lake. We had three board members retire from the board: Jesse Cunningham (with his better half Barbara, left picture) and Tom Collier (middle picture) and Laurie Barrett (right picture). I extend my heart-felt appreciation to Jesse, Tom and Laurie for their many years of service) – THANK YOU!

    
The Lake Watch board received the nomination of MATT CAMPBELL (pictured below) for our new president! Matt and Ann have monitored for years. Matt has served on the board, led our Legal Committee, advocated for our lake at ADEM in Montgomery, and is leading the monitoring efforts in our watershed bacteriological monitoring of watershed streams above the lake. THANK YOU Matt for stepping up!

 The Lake Watch board also received nomination of Bill Butler (pictured on left) for vice-president. Bill has monitored for several years, served on the board and worked on the Legal Committee. THANK YOU Bill for stepping up!

 And THANK YOU to all of our officers and board members that re-upped for another term: Dianna Porter, Janne Debes, Dick Bronson, Myrna Lehman, Joanne Walker for your efforts, ideas and actions in advancing our Lake Watch goals!

 Budget

 At our January board meeting, our Treasurer, Janne Debes, reported that for 2021 Lake Watch had more funds come in but we had bigger expenses. We had 126 dues-paying members. We started 2021 with $5,768 and ended the year at $5,570. The biggest expense, as usual, was our monitoring supplies, $2,478. The second largest expense were contributions in support of Dr. Feng’s bacteriological study, $2,155 (to support the study plus additional testing in upper Lake Martin).

 We anticipate additional expenditures this year for: supplying our 11 new monitors with testing supplies, conducting some new tests for other pathenogenic bacteria (Salmonella, Enterococcus), and possibly having Dr. Feng run more microbial source tracking analyses beyond the scope of the current study. Thus, we will be actively seeking more funding this year – all contributions are most welcome. A big THANK YOU to all who support Lake Watch through annual dues and donations, especially our Silver, Gold and Platinum donors! We couldn’t operate without your support!

 Water Monitoring

The Lake Watch volunteer water monitors continue to watch over our lake through their diligent monthly water testing. They conducted 280 water tests (167 water chemistry records and 113 bacteria records). Our 31 Lake Watch monitoring are mapped below; green=active sites, red=inactive sites; a few of our new sites have not yet been updated to green on the map), from Crooked Creek (the lake’s headwaters near Lineville) down to the Martin Dam. I am happy to report that our volunteer water monitors’ data, for the most part, showed good water quality throughout the boundaries of the lake. There were however some violations of ADEM water quality standards.

The violations were all due to fecal contamination measured as elevated E. coli levels in the water. E. coli measurements ranged from 0 – 6,700 E. coli per 100 mL of water (or 3 ½ ounces, about half a cup). Of the 113 E. coli measurements, 26 (23%) were above the ADEM standard: 235 E. coli/100 mL maximum for waters used for swimming and other whole-body contact (see table below showing dates when E. coli were above the standard).

 Most of these high E. coli measurements occurred in streams (not the lake), which also showed the highest levels of contamination. Very high values (ranging from 1,067 – 6,700) were measured in Timbergut, Emuckfaw, Crooked, Little Sandy and Sandy creeks.

 E. coli concentrations above the ADEM standard were occasionally measured in the lake at five different locations (see map below):

 Lake above Hwy 280 bridge: 

1. above Andrew Jackson & below confluence with Hillabee Creek

 2. above the confluence of the lake with Coley Creek

 Lake below Hwy 280 bridge: 

3. at Gatewood Dr on Blue Creek Embayment

 4. at Kowaliga boat ramp near Kowaliga Bridge

 5. at Kowaliga Marina near Kowaliga Bridge

 We are continuing our work to not only identify areas in the lake and its watershed that are contaminated with fecal matter (E. coli), but also working to identify where the contamination is coming from and get the perpetrators to clean up their act.

 As you may know, we’ve expanded our sampling into the watershed above the lake, led by Matt and Ann Campbell. Last year, we worked with Dr. Feng, an AU professor specializing in microbiology, and her graduate student Wenjing in securing a grant to study bacteria in streams and the Tallapoosa River above the lake. They are employing microbial source tracking (MST) to aid in identifying where the bacteria are coming from (see Lake Watch goes hi-tech with AU microbiologist, July 2021 Lake Magazine, www.lakewatch.org/Lake-Magazine-Articles). They have been sampling alongside Matt and Ann since September of last year.

 Side-by-side testing has thus far verified that high levels of E. coli are flowing down the streams above the lake, particularly after rain events; and that the E. coli are flowing down the Tallapoosa River into the upper end of Lake Martin (see E. coli prompts call for swim alerts, Oct 21, 2021 Alexander City Outlook, www.lakewatch.org/News).

 We also have preliminary source tracking data that indicate humans, cattle and chickens were the sources of the E. coli entering the upper lake last fall. We will have a much better picture of sources when we get the full MST dataset from the various streams being test – Crooked Creek, Emuckfaw Creek, Timbergut Creek, Hillabee Creek, and the Tallapoosa River at Horseshoe Bend. We’ll keep you posted.

 Matt, risking life and limb for our lake.               

Ann and Wenjing sampling Timbergut Creek

 Let’s look at water chemistry data. Examination of the 167 water chemistry data records indicated no issues with dissolved oxygen (DO) in the lake or in any of the streams being monitored. DO measurements ranged from 5.2 – 11.1 parts per million (ppm; which is the same as mg/Liter). DO is critical in maintaining aquatic life. If DO drops below 5 ppm, aquatic life suffers, and if the drop is severe (down to ~ 1 ppm) fish will die.

Water hardness and alkalinity generally indicate the amount of limestone dissolved in the water. Hardness and alkalinity measurements can be dramatically increased from point source (for example, textile mill effluent) and nonpoint source pollutants (for example, ag lime washed off fields). Hardness in the lake and streams ranged from 10 – 40 in the lake and streams with a single high value of 70 in Sandy Creek. The lake typically ranged from 10 – 30, indicating a soft-water lake. The higher values occurred in some of the streams that were influenced by pollutants.

Alkalinity ranged from 15 – 50 ppm. The lake typically ranged from 15 – 30 ppm, which also indicates a soft-water lake. The higher values occurring in some of the streams.

pH, the measure of the acidity or basicity of the water, ranged from 6.5 – 8.5 in the lake and streams. This range falls within the optimal range for healthy fish and other aquatic critter growth.

Turbidity and Secchi disk measurements indicated that the water was turbid/muddy on occasion, typically in the streams and embayments, and in the mainstem lake after heavy rains.

Overall, water chemistry measurements indicated a healthy lake with no significant water quality issues relative to the water chemistry parameters measured.

We are excited about our 11 new water monitors that will start monitoring this spring. We have worked up a list of priority sites for them on the lake and on streams flowing into the lake, especially emphasizing swimming areas such as DARE Park, Wind Creek State Park, Camp Alamisco, and Camp ASCCA. These areas are particularly important since lots of folks swim at these places all summer long (see map below).

 Join me in giving a big THANK YOU to all of our 2021 Lake Watch volunteer monitors:

S  Allen Sneed                                      

S  Bill Butler                     

S  Matt & Ann Campbell             

S  Joanne Walker                        

S  Edwin Eiswerth                       

S  Kathryn Braund

S  Mike Guillot                                     

S  Janne Debes

S  Eric Reutebuch

S  Connie Wheatley

S  Paul Sullivan

Swim Alert

When we detected high E. coli in the upper lake for the first time last September, we realized that we needed an efficient way of getting our results out to the Lake Martin community to help protect the public from contacting pathogenic fecal bacteria and getting sick. The Coosa Riverkeeper has been using the Swim Guide (www.theswimguide.org) as their medium to efficiently post their bacteria test results and disseminate them to the public (see coosariver.org/swimguide). We plan to do the same for priority sites like swim beaches (DARE Park, Wind Creek State Park, etc.) starting this year. We are working on identifying all priority sites that we want to include as our Lake Watch Swim Guide sites and recruiting monitors to test them regularly for E. coli so that we can post them on Swim Guide and get the results out to the public in a timely manner. We’ll keep you posted.

 Lake Watch Environmental Education Efforts

As you can imagine environmental education efforts were stifled last year because of the pandemic. None-the-less, efforts will resume when it is safe to once again gather with students and community members. We’ll keep you posted.

Closing Thoughts

YOU are what makes Lake Watch of Lake Martin work! We urge each of our Lake Watch members to spread the word about Lake Watch, to support our programs and to participate – give your neighbor a Lake Watch brochure and a pep talk. Help sign up new members to our team! Consider becoming a monitor or a trainer. Consider an additional donation to Lake Watch! Not everyone can get out and monitor water, or teach in a classroom, or give a presentation, but each member is essential to our success. We welcome your suggestions/ideas on how to better protect our lake from emerging threats.
Together, we can make a difference in the protection of our lake, in water conservation and clean water advocacy, and in the world we leave for our children. If every Lake Watch member encourages one or two friends to join in our efforts, it will go a long way toward ensuring the continuation of the good work we've accomplished over the past 30 years. Go visit your neighbor and convince him or her to sign up. Signing up is easy, just go to our website, www.lakewatch.org and click the menu item ‘Get Involved’, you’ll be glad you did!

Dues Reminder

Take the plunge, if you haven’t already!

·     Protect Lake Martin by supporting Lake Watch!

·     And ask a neighbor to do the same!

For the many faithful Lake Watch members who already paid their dues for 2022, THANK YOU!  And for those who haven’t yet, don't forget to pay/join online (preferred) or send your check to:

P. O. Box 72, Alexander City, AL 35010

Membership levels are listed below:

Regular dues (annual):     Student  $15      Individual  $20         Family  $30

Lake Martin Steward:       Silver     $50      Gold  $100                 Platinum  $250

We also welcome donations of any amount.  Don't forget – a donation in someone's honor/ memory is a lovely tribute.

    P. O.  Box 72

  Alexander City, AL 35010

By:  Eric Reutebuch, Lake Watch President
 Appeared in Lake Magazine, January 2022 Edition

I was shocked and dismayed several weeks ago to learn that a Coosa County graphite mining venture I’d been hearing about was going to build their processing plant in Kellyton, just west of Alexander City, and planned to pump their industrial wastewater to Alexander City for discharge into our Treasured Lake. After being alerted to this by none other than the Eagle-eye Campbells (Matt and Ann), we’ve been taking a crash course on graphite mining and processing. That’s difficult because currently there are zero graphite processing plants in the U.S.

Most of the world’s graphite comes from China. As you may know, China is not known for its environmental stewardship. The following article even deepened our concerns about graphite production coming to our area – a real environmental horror story: Google ‘graphite mining pollution in China.’

The mining operation is going to be over in the Rockford area, about 20 miles west of Alexander City in Coosa County. Alabama Graphite Products, a subsidiary of Westwater Resources, Inc., acquired mineral rights to more than 43,000 acres northwest of Rockford in Coosa County several years ago. Mining operations are scheduled to start in 2028. The processing plant is slated to begin processing graphite ore shipped in from another source in 2023.

On the positive side, the proposed plant will be the first of its kind in the U.S. and will provide a domestic source of graphite to meet the expanding demand for lithium ion batteries. These batteries require a lot more graphite than lithium to manufacture. We all love our cellphones, laptops, cordless lawncare tools, power tools and hybrid/electric vehicles (my Kia Niro SUV is great ~ 50 miles per gallon); thus, it is highly advantageous to have domestic sources of lithium ion battery components. 

To assess possible impacts to our beloved lake, we gathered all the graphite mining articles we got via Google, contacted professors at AU and poured through ADEM and EPA regulations, which had nothing on graphite processing as, until now, it hasn’t existed in the U.S. We contacted Alexander City and set up a meeting to discuss our concerns.

Mayor Baird and Gerard Brewer, the city engineer, responded to Lake Watch’s concerns and set up a meeting with city engineers, the mining company, Alabama Graphite Products and Jacobs Engineering. We met on the first of December at the Alexander City Municipal Complex. Our Lake Watch Legal Committee – Matt Campbell, Bill Butler, Dick Bronson, Jesse Cunningham and I – submitted a list of questions that addressed our concerns. We were accompanied by the Lake Martin Homeowners and Boat Owners president, Harry DeNegre. We were particularly concerned about this mining waste negatively impacting the lake. 

Representatives from Alabama Graphite Products presented detailed information on the processing of the graphite ore. Their method is a new, more environmentally friendly method, which they are in the process of patenting. They also presented information as to the treatment of their wastewater. To our relief, they will have a wastewater pretreatment plant onsite. The pretreatment will neutralize the wastewater, filter it and recycle processing chemicals before it is pumped to the Alexander City Sugar Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The graphite wastewater pretreatment plant requires a State Indirect Discharge permit from Alabama Department of Environmental Management before it is allowed to operate. This was also good news, since the SID permit requires that all contaminants in the wastewater must be within safe limits. Thus, the wastewater that will be pumped to the Sugar Creek treatment plant will be safe, assuming the permit requirements are met, and the wastewater will not adversely impact the lake. The permit must be renewed every five years or when changes are made to the processing facility. Overall, good news.

We also learned about the transport pipe system, which is being designed by Jacobs Engineering, formerly CH2M Hill. They have provided engineering services to the city since 1975. They informed us that there is no inter-basin transfer of water, as although the Kellyton graphite plant is in the eastern-most part of the Coosa Basin, the processing water comes from Alexander City and the wastewater returns to the city, which is in the Tallapoosa Basin. They also informed us that the volume of wastewater from the graphite plant will be relatively small, about 0.17 million gallons per day; whereas, the Sugar Creek plant has several mgds of its 8.5 mgd capacity currently unused.

We left feeling grateful to Mayor Baird and the City for the opportunity to voice our concerns and get answers. We also were especially grateful that the answers we got were what we wanted to hear : Onsite pretreatment that will be regulated to meet water quality standards.

We will continue to monitor this new development and thoroughly examine the graphite processing plant SID permit when it is issued to verify that no bad pollutants will come into Lake Martin. We’ll keep you posted. And as usual, we’d love to have you come aboard – visit www.lakewatch.org for info on how to join Lake Watch Lake Martin

Eric Reutebuch is president of Lake Watch Lake Martin

by:  Eric Reutebuch, President  Lake Watch
 Appeared in July 2021 issue of Lake Magazine

In the past year, Lake Watch of Lake Martin reported high levels of E. coli (fecal contamination) flushing off the watershed in streams above the lake. This presents a bacterial contamination risk to our Treasured Lake, which is something nobody wants. Lake Watch uses the Coliscan Easygel bacterial plating method, supported by Alabama Water Watch, to test for E. coli, the bacteria that indicate fecal contamination from warm-blooded animals. The test is easy, reliable and affordable (about $3 per test); however, it does not give information on the source of fecal contamination.

Enter Auburn University professor Dr. Yucheng Feng and her enterprising graduate student Wenjing Ren. I had collaborated with Dr. Feng over the past few decades before I retired from AU. She is a top-notch microbiologist in the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences at AU and an expert in microbial source tracking. MST refers to scientific analysis of genetic material of microbes (like E. coli) that originated in the gut of a warm-blooded animal and was passed via feces into the environment, in this case a stream or our lake. 

Lake Watch contacted Dr. Feng last year, inquiring about conducting MST analyses to assist in determining the source of fecal contamination originating above the lake. Dr. Feng’s energetic grad student, Wenjing, penned a proposal, in collaboration with Lake Watch and Lake Martin HOBO, for a United States Geological Society grant to analyze fecal contamination in the Lake Martin watershed using MST. She will work in conjunction with Lake Watch volunteer monitors to collect samples from key streams above the lake and then return to Dr. Feng’s AU lab. Under Dr. Feng’s direction, Wenjing will conduct MST using polymerase chain reaction analyses. 

“Eric, quit using those big words”, you’re probably saying. And, what the heck is PCR analysis? Sorry – I can’t tell you. You’ll have to attend our Lake Watch annual meeting this October and ask the professor (details to come, see lakewatch.org for more info). What I can tell you is that PCR has revolutionized the diagnosis and monitoring of genetic disorders, the analysis of ancient DNA in archeological studies, the analysis of genetic fingerprinting in forensic science and parental testing and detection of pathogens (like, in our case, certain fecal bacteria) in nucleic acid tests for the presence of pathogens and/or diagnosis of infectious diseases. I can also tell you that these analyses of streams flowing into the Tallapoosa River above the lake will go a long way in telling us the source of the fecal contamination. PCR can distinguish whether the fecal bacteria come from human, cattle, chicken or other animal sources. This information, once obtained for each stream, will enable us to work toward resolving the contamination by working with landowners, watershed managers, local and state government and other waste management entities.

The last thing you want to think about as you take a cool dip in our Treasured Lake is fecal contamination. We think that, with the help of AU scientists, you won’t have to. Consider joining us in our ongoing efforts in watershed stewardship to keep our lake clean. Go to lakewatch.org and come aboard. 

~ Eric Reutebuch is president of Lake Watch Lake Martin

By:  Eric Reutebuch, Lake Watch President
 Appeared in Lake Magazine, April 2021 Edition

The first two negative impacts are fairly obvious. I’ll elaborate on the third, increased pollution. Residential construction need not have a negative impact on the lake when done properly. There are regulations in place that, when properly followed, eliminate most of the negative effects. Pollution occurs when irresponsible actors do not follow the rules. An example was detailed in my Lake magazine article titled Build Responsibly (July 2019). The article also listed construction regulations that protect the lake from pollution. Note, these regulations are not optional – they are enforceable. 

Adverse impacts from lakeside construction consist primarily of increased runoff during significant rain events. The slopes around the shoreline tend to be somewhat steep, so when it rains, runoff containing red clay flows quickly into the lake. The amount of runoff is amplified when the land is stripped of trees, underbrush, leaf litter and humus. Due to the very fine particle size and electric charge of clay soil particles, clay takes a long time, typically weeks, to settle out of the water column. It is not only unsightly, turning the water a reddish-brown color, but also harmful to the aquatic environment. Clay turbidity reduces light penetration in the water, thus disrupting the natural growth of aquatic organisms that act to cycle nutrients and generate natural food for fish. It’s also not fun to swim and boat in and can be dangerous. The turbidity tends to hide obstacles, such as rocks, stumps and logs that lurk just below the water’s surface.

Adverse impacts from lakeside construction consist primarily of increased runoff during significant rain events. The slopes around the shoreline tend to be somewhat steep, so when it rains, runoff containing red clay flows quickly into the lake. The amount of runoff is amplified when the land is stripped of trees, underbrush, leaf litter and humus. Due to the very fine particle size and electric charge of clay soil particles, clay takes a long time, typically weeks, to settle out of the water column. It is not only unsightly, turning the water a reddish-brown color, but also harmful to the aquatic environment. Clay turbidity reduces light penetration in the water, thus disrupting the natural growth of aquatic organisms that act to cycle nutrients and generate natural food for fish. It’s also not fun to swim and boat in and can be dangerous. The turbidity tends to hide obstacles, such as rocks, stumps and logs that lurk just below the water’s surface.

In the Build Responsibly article mentioned above, I listed seven bulleted procedures that a builder needs to follow to prevent polluted runoff from flushing into the lake. They include obtaining an ADEM permit, installing needed BMPs (best management practices, such as silt fencing), maintaining BMPs, etc. For lot owners and builders, information on permitting, proper BMP placement and maintenance, management of the construction site, required inspections and reporting is available on the ADEM Construction Stormwater webpage at adem.alabama.gov/programs/water/constructionstormwater.cnt. Scroll down the page to see Priority Construction Sites. All lots along the Lake Martin shoreline are Priority Construction Sites and have more stringent requirements and increased protective measures against nonpoint source pollution from construction sites. Thank you, ADEM.

Lakeside construction sites are typically on fairly steep clay soil slopes and require regular BMP maintenance, such as silt fence repairs, additional application of bare ground cover (straw), and potentially, a double, or even a triple silt fence to catch eroded soil (clay) from entering the lake. 

With thousands of construction projects popping up throughout the state, there is no way ADEM personnel can adequately monitor them all. Thus, it is up to us to be the eyes and ears of our lake. If you see irresponsible building practices along the lakeshore, typically a broken down silt fence with muddy water flowing into the lake, submit a report to ADEM. It is quick, easy and can be done anonymously. Note that typically what is seen in the aftermath of a heavy rain event is a blown-out silt fence with muddy residue over it, a muddy trail leading down to the lake, and muddy clay-stained water in the lake.

ADEM has a Complaints portal on its homepage (right side of the page) at adem.alabama.gov. The first thing to do when bad construction practices are seen polluting the lake is to take several digital pictures. Then, go to the ADEM Complaints portal and fill out the form; it’s straightforward and relatively painless. Be sure to upload the digital picture(s); they are truly worth a thousand words. ADEM personnel will come and inspect the site, determine if violations have occurred and, if so, will notify the property owner of the violations and the required remedies. Enforcement may involve warnings, fines and/or shutting down construction (if the builder refuses to fix the problem). 

In the example presented in the Build Responsibly article, the system worked. After an ADEM inspection, the builder promptly installed silt fencing between the construction site and the lake to catch eroding clay/dirt from entering the lake – a happy ending. Kudos to the responsible water watcher, to ADEM and to the builder for correcting the problem. 

Another major consideration during the design/build process is to incorporate low-impact development features into the residential design to minimize impervious surfaces (concrete, asphalt) and minimize runoff and nonpoint source pollution. That is a whole other topic that deserves a full article. Features to consider are lakeside buffer zones, rain barrels, rain gardens, pervious pavement (gravel, pervious pavers), to name a few. Take a look at this excellent resource produced by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System for ideas and guidance so that a new home has minimal impact on the lake: Alabama Smart Yards available through ACES as an educational program (see facebook.com/AlabamaSmartYardsAlabamaExtension for details). For a pdf, go to the ACES store at store.aces.edu/ItemDetail.aspx?ProductID=13591. 

We’d love to have you join the Lake Watch crew so that we can have more eyes and ears looking out for our Treasured Lake. Come aboard at lakewatch.org. 

Eric Reutebuch is president of Lake Watch Lake Martin