Catawba County commissioners unanimously voted to provide $10,000 in funding to help the Lake Norman Marine Commission control algae in the lake.
County Manager Mary Furtado said the commission had put together a $60,000 plan for fighting the invasive algae Lyngbya. The commission has requested funding from the counties adjoining Lake Norman as well as Duke Energy and Charlotte Water, she said.
Furtado said the commission was planning to spray herbicide. However, in approving the funding, the commissioners requested the commission consider alternatives to chemical treatment.
Commissioner Robert Abernethy said he believes there are better ways to handle the algae problem.
“I’m not a big fan of adding chemicals to water,” Abernethy said. “I know that there’s other means of controlling algae just from my own personal experiences. I think it’s something that we have to get out ahead of but in doing so I would really like to encourage them to look at mechanical means of eradication and biological because I do believe it is a type of algae carp will eat, personally.”
Menu