Silver Lake Watershed Advisory Council SLWAC

Often, when the lake has an algae bloom, people reach out asking what can be done to improve water quality.
The Silver Lake Watershed Advisory Council (SLWAC) is a group of local community members who volunteer their time to advise County Commissioners regarding water quality and activities that could be done to improve water quality. One of the lake’s problems is that it has too much phosphorous which contributes to algae growth. Previous lake studies have shown there isn’t a single point of phosphorous entry, meaning much of the phosphorous enters the lake via runoff water from land. Things community members in the Silver Lake watershed can do to improve water quality include:
Maintain septic systems.
Clean up pet waste.
Control runoff and soil erosion - protect your shoreline and plant native plants.
Do not use fertilizer with phosphorous.
Washing vehicles away from the lake.
Avoid or eliminate the use of pesticides.

SLWAC advocated for changing the State rules to allow fishing of the grass carp, as they lived longer than expected and ate much of the native vegetation that benefits the lake. Plants use up phosphorous as they grow.

SLWAC also works with the Silver Lake Flood Control District to open the radial gate at the weir for 30 days each winter to increase the flow of fresh water. This no-cost, low-risk activity was recommended by ecologists.

Other things that could improve the lake, including alum treatment to bind the phosphorous or targeted dredging to reduce nutrient density, will require prioritization and monetary support from the Count Commissioners.

The lake has had algae bloom of varying sizes and colors over the last few weeks.
The water was tested for toxic algae a few weeks ago and the results were negative. Precautionary signs were posted by the Department of Health at public entry points so people are aware of potential hazards.
They came to take samples again today. We’ll post the results once available.

Can you believe we made it an entire summer without substantial algae bloom? The Silver Lake Flood Control District opened the weir to allow some water to exit and allow the lake to refill with fresh rainwater. This may have made a difference in water quality. Hard to know after trying something once, but we had far fewer algae blooms this year despite it being a hot summer.
There is an algae bloom today. These photos are from the west end of the lake.

The algae bloom, pictured on the West end of the lake, had broken up and was not visible mid-week, but now it’s back.

The bloom had gone away earlier in the week, but now it’s back.
Testing of the previous sample had some toxins, but all well below the State’s guidelines for safe recreational use.
If this bloom gets worse. I’ll send samples later in the week.

Did you know the Silverlake Watershed Advisory Council has two vacant positions? We need new members and are looking for good people who are willing to put in some work to help improve water quality and keep our lake viable as a lake for years to come.
Click the link for more info, including the application! https://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/2382/Silver-Lake-Watershed-Advisory-Council

Silver Lake Watershed Advisory Council - 2 open positions | Cowlitz County, WA - Official Website Silver Lake Watershed Advisory Council

Algae bloom on the East end of the lake.

The lake has a large algae bloom. This is the west end of the lake. I’ve not been to the East end, but typically when it is like this it is gross anywhere where the water is less than a foot.
Feel free to add pics, with a location, in the comments. I sent an inquiry to ecology to ask about testing.

Large algae bloom on the west end of the lake. Feel free to add photos of the rest of the lake in the comments.

The laike has a lot of algae. The greener pics are from about 0930 this am. The brown at 1pm.
The green bloom extends from the west end to Walden island. It is equally green at Streeters. The water looks better in front of zip line island and Kerr Rd boat launch.

We’ve had several algae blooms this year, but none have stayed around long enough for testing. Blooms can only be tested during the week, and have to be dropped off at the health department between Monday and Friday.

There is a bloom on the west end of the lake today. If it’s still here on Tuesday, I’ll take a sample and drive it in for testing.

Happy, cold, frozen New Year.

There is an algae bloom at the West end of the lake.
The State’s toxic bloom testing program winds down toward the end of the year, so I probably won’t test this bloom unless it worsens.

Good news. Test results for the sample on Wednesday are back, and the results are all well below the State’s guidelines for safe recreational use.

The large, nasty bloom is gone. Still a few chunks floating in the water and the lake is very green from the algae, but it is no longer an active/growing bloom.
Still waiting on the toxicology reports from that sample.

We went out on the boat to take photos of the algae from multiple locations.
The entire lake has sheets of algae. The bloom is definitely worse on the west end, and some fish have died, suggesting it is toxic. There have been other blooms in previous years that also caused small fish die offs from toxicity and a lack of oxygen in the water. I’ll send another sample tomorrow. I’ve noted the location of each photo in the comments of the photo.

The bloom has gotten much larger and much brighter as the day has progressed. I did not edit these photos. It really is this bright/disgusting. I’ll take more samples on Wednesday if it isn’t better.

There are algae blooms in the lake. The photos below are from the West end of the lake. We will send in a sample today and update this page with the results when they are available. It usually takes several days for the test results to come back.

There is an algae bloom on the West end of the lake. The County doesn’t accept samples on Fridays, as they’re unable to be transported to the lab in time for the sample to be tested. If the bloom is still here on Tuesday, I’ll gather samples for testing.

The first two photos/blooms are on the East end of the lake. The second two from the West end. Unfortunately, we’re unable to send samples in on Fridays, so the bloom will be tested on Monday if still present. With this heat, it’s likely to get worse unless the wind picks up substantially.

Sharing in case this is of interest to anyone.

Living on the Land Workshop

Living on the Land teaches small acreage landowners in Southwest Washington practices that will improve their property and protect the environment. This course deals with the real-life issues landowners must address when trying to manage their land. The class will be held virtually by Zoom on Tuesday nights from September 7 till November 2, 6:00 – 8:15 pm. Learn how to improve the soil, reduce mud and w**ds, protect water quality, manage a small forest, develop a farm plan and more. Find out practical tips for making a small acreage farm more efficient and profitable. You must registrar by August 25. Sign up online with Eventbrite (https://lolswwa.eventbrite.com) or mail the attached form and a check payable to ‘WSU Extension’ to 351 NW North St. Chehalis, WA 98532. The registration fee is $40.00 (per family or household). The workshops are sponsored by Washington State University Extension. For more information, contact Gary Fredricks [email protected] or Patrick Shults [email protected] .

Living on the Land - Small Farms Course Learn how to improve the soil, reduce mud and w**ds, protect water quality, manage a small forest, develop a farm plan and more.

Preliminary testing results from the algae bloom in the lake are back. Final values may change slightly.
This report includes several lakes in Washington tested this last week. I highlighted Silver Lake in light yellow. There are some toxins, but all are below the State’s guide for safe recreational use.
Of note, the testing lab indicated that Silver Lake is the only lake in Washington that consistently produces cylindrospermopsin (not a good thing). You can learn more about toxic algae at this site, https://www.nwtoxicalgae.org

Photos from an algae bloom in Silver Lake on the west end. This bloom will likely get worse, as the forecast calls for heat, lots of sun, and little wind - conditions under which algae blooms grow faster. Our root problem remains too much phosphorous in the lake.
We will test this bloom for toxicity, and share the results on this page when they are back from the lab. That may take more than a week.
As always, keep your pets from drinking the water when there is a bloom like this, and do not swim in the bloom. The rest of the lake may or may not be safe for recreation. More info about blue green toxic algae can be found here, https://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Contaminants/BlueGreenAlgae

SAVE THE DATE(S)!

TWO upcoming webinars with information about the WaDOH Freshwater Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB)

King County Department of Natural Resources will host two webinars this month on HABs:

Wednesday, June 23 from 1:00 – 2:30

CyanoHABs in Washington: An Update. Joan Hardy, Washington Department of Health
Lake Management 101. Harry Gibbons, Lake Advocates
Wednesday, June 30 from 1:00 – 2:30

One Health Harmful Algal Bloom System (OHHABS): How to report and investigate HAB animal and human health incidents. Laurie Stewart, Washington Department of Health
Submitting samples through the DOE Algae Program: An overview of how to obtain sampling kits, submit samples, and receive results from the King County Environmental Laboratory. Francis Sweeney, King County Environmental Lab
Please RSVP to Rachael Gravon at King County via email at [email protected].

Further details, including meeting access and agenda, will be sent out the Monday before each meeting.

WSU Master Gardener On-line Workshop: Landscaping with Native Plants
June 8 12:00 pm
Would you like to have year round interest in your landscape that does well in our climate? Please join WSU Extension Master Gardener Roxanne Nakamura who will guide you through some of the best native choices for our PNW landscapes.

Connection information (YOU MUST HAVE A ZOOM ACCOUNT!--sign up for one at zoom.us), then join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, or Android: https://wsu.zoom.us/j/7756056320?pwd=RzVxbTl0dXpyUjJjSDdsWnJuTXdydz09
Meeting ID: 775 605 6320
Password: 12345

You can also call in by phone (no Zoom account necessary).
Phone Call: +1 253 215 8782 775 605 6320 #

For help, call Gary Fredricks at [email protected] or 360-577-3014 Ext. 3. The workshop is sponsored by Washington State University Extension Master Gardeners.

Cowlitz-county-1-line

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WSU On-line Workshop: Pasture Management
May 26 6:00 – 7:00 pm

This class will show how to integrate soil, plants, livestock and environmental factors into a workable plan for healthy pastures. Learn how to manage your property throughout the year to maximize grass production. Topics include grazing management, hay quality, w**d control and forage species.

The hour presentation will be followed by the opportunity to ask questions about the topic. No need to register, just pop in. Connection information (YOU MUST HAVE A ZOOM ACCOUNT!--sign up for one at zoom.us), then join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, or Android: https://wsu.zoom.us/j/7756056320?pwd=RzVxbTl0dXpyUjJjSDdsWnJuTXdydz09
Meeting ID: 775 605 6320
Password: 12345

You can also call in by phone (no Zoom account necessary).
Phone Call: +1 253 215 8782 775 605 6320 #

For help, call Gary Fredricks at [email protected] or 360-577-3014 Ext. 3. The workshop is sponsored by Washington State University Extension.

Cowlitz-county-1-line

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...