In a recent acknowledgement of the trouble some of our lakes are in, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has proposed to add three major lakes and additional sections of a fourth major lake to Georgia’s list of impaired waters (305(b)/303(d) Integrated List of Waters).

• Lake Allatoona-Etowah River, Little River, Midlake and Allatoona Creek
• Carter’s Lake-Upstream Woodring Branch and Coosawattee River
• Lake Lanier-Brown’s Bridge, Lanier Bridge and Flowery Branch
• Lake Walter F. George-Midlake (Highway 82)

The List of Waters is a federally required list of water bodies within the state that do not meet water quality standards. EPD Director Carol Couch stated “We already have many effective water quality measures in place, but this listing means Georgia must take even stronger actions to protect these vital resources.”

Each of the lakes proposed to be listed have data indicating they have periodically exceeded the water quality standard for chlorophyll over the previous five-year monitoring period. All plants, including algae, contain chlorophyll. Algae are an important food source for aquatic life, but excessive phosphorus entering a lake can cause algae growth and lead to environmental problems such as fish kills, lowered water clarity and the potential for toxic algae blooms. Discharges from “point sources” of pollution such as wastewater treatment plants can contribute to the water quality problems, however “nonpoint source” pollution, including fertilizer runoff from lawns and farm fields and stormwater runoff from paved areas such as streets and parking lots, also are to blame.

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