Is the Sky Really Falling?

Monkey pox, SARS, West Nile virus, anthrax, zebra mussels, Eurasian water milfoil, cylindro algae …fodder for Henny Penny!  But which of these poses a real threat to us in Lake Mills and for which of these can our actions keep the sky from falling?  It can be argued that the answer to that question is “all of them,” but it is a matter of degree—the degree to which they are a threat and the degree to which the threat can be addressed by you personally.

It's easy to do something about the last three threats mentioned above:

  Zebra mussels—wash your boat thoroughly when taking it out of one lake and putting it in another, letting it dry in between.

  Eurasian water milfoil—avoid cutting it with motors, since every cut-up piece can root, and starve it of nutrients by avoiding phosphorus run-off.

  Cylindro (an algae thought to be toxic, recently discovered in high concentrations in Lake Wingra)—also, starve it of nutrients.

How can you, personally, starve the algae and milfoil of nutrients?  You can plant vegetation that does not require fertilizer, especially important close to the lake but also important in the entire watershed.  If you do have to fertilize, choose one without phosphorus.  (“Lesco” is one of those brands.)  Much of the soil in the area does not need phosphorus, since it is already rich in it.  Another way phosphorus gets into Rock Lake is the practice of putting  leaves in areas where they can wash directly into the lake or into sewers.

There are other sources of phosphorus in the lake, of course.  Some are being addressed through government programs.  And RLIA is gathering information that may be helpful in reducing the resident Canada goose population.  The second annual goose-count took place last Thursday. 

Is the sky really falling on Rock Lake?  Rather than running to tell Goosey-Loosey that it is, why not help keep it from falling?

Making Waves

June 21, 2003

Johanna Chworowsky