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CLOUDY Temp: 54 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Thursday, October 3, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 25, 2002 A duck crosses a stream of bubbles produced by an aerator in Lithia Park�s lower duck pond on Tuesday. A natural water filtration system installed earlier this year has left the pond cleaner. Click the photo to see a larger (29k) version. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Upper duck pond still has algae problem While Lithia Park’s lower duck pond is clearer, the upper duck pond is bright green with algae despite the installation of a similar cleaning system. No portion of the pond’s bottom is visible. Consultant Paul Kay volunteered his services to construct the system, which was put in during June. With help from other volunteers and parks staff, he constructed a Lake Restorer system designed by a Vermont organization. "The system is treating goo, not water," said Kay. The treatment puts nutrients into the water, which causes the algae bloom. "There’s a lot more goo in there than we figured," said Kay. The goo, actually duck droppings, bread-crumb residue and other matter, is suspended in the water. The system’s plumbing has been reworked to treat the sediments. The pond was last cleaned 21 years ago. Goo in the vicinity of the restorer had decreased from 2 feet down to 2 inches in depth. "I don’t know if it will take one year or three years to turn that around," said Kay. Increased treatment rates are an option to speed the process. Pond cleaner earns his pay Ashland will pay consultant $10,000 for work on ducks’ pool By TONY BOOM Mail Tribune ASHLAND — A water consultant will get $10,000 because his naturally based system has cleared the water of Lithia Park’s lower duck pond. Parks and recreation commissioners voted Monday that Paul Kay’s efforts had met criteria meriting the award. The standard called for visibility of a black and white disc 18 inches below the water’s surface. Kay had offered to accept the payment only if the pond improved. He’ll get another $10,000 a year from now if the pond remains clear with just short periods of murkiness that can be fixed with little effort. "You couldn’t see the ducks’ feet last year," said Kay. "We can demonstrate the practical and effective and efficient use of wetland ecology for cleaning up messes and that we can do it in shallow water with little energy input." Problems began to develop in the pond when fresh water from Lithia Creek was cut off in 2000. A female swan died of pneumonia and an infection linked to stagnant water in February 2001. The male swam was removed and work began on fixing the problem. One plan, regular pumping of the pond, was scrapped because it introduced harmful daphnia — tiny animals known as "water fleas" — into the city’s sewer plant. The commission gave Kay the go-ahead to construct his system in June. An island with plants provides surfaces where microbes can cling to help clear the pond. In addition, a pump system sends water from the island through other plants and straw bales that remove organic matter. A waterfall adds oxygen back into the water. All water is recirculated three times per day. The water now has a brown color. Tannin from leaves in the pond produces the color. A year ago the water was pea-soup green from an algae bloom. "It (the system) must be working," said Ashland resident Holly Cochran. "This used to be totally opaque." "You can see the bottom and the duck food on the bottom," said Sheryl Cochran, of Ashland, who was visiting the pond with her sister-in-law, Holly, and their two toddlers, Evan and Enya. Kay’s study of pond water samples backs up the Cochrans’ perceptions. Suspended solids have been reduced from 262 parts per million (ppm) in November 2001 to 23 ppm on Sept. 18. Pond biochemical oxygen demand, a measurement of the oxygen required to digest nutrients, has decreased from 85 ppm on April 4, 2001, to 8 ppm on Sept. 18. Major improvements in both numbers were recorded on July 23, just two weeks after the system started to operate. "It seems like there’s more insect activity," said Steve Gies, park superintendent. ‘It seems like it’s healthier." "There’s still some problems, but he’s (Kay) working on it," said Commissioner Sally Jones. "He met his criteria." Odor at the site comes from material that is filtered out by the straw bales. A total of 300 pounds of dried matter have been removed so far. "I won’t be happy until the pond looks a whole lot better. I’ll be tinkering with that over the next year," said Kay. "I’ll be really happy when people go to the edge of the water and think it actually looks pretty." Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S