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62 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, September 12, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 6, 2004 Paul Kay measures the sediment in his biological filtering system in Lithia Park�s lower duck pond. Kay hopes his new and improved system will clear the water within three weeks. Mail Tribune / Andrew Mariman Wader works to clean pond Paul Kay is convinced he can refine his gear to clear out the duck waste in Ashland park By JACK MORAN Mail Tribune ASHLAND — It’s 5 p.m. on Saturday, and Paul Kay is sloshing around a mucky Lithia Park pond in his waders. He’s been working for about 10 hours straight, but you’d never know it from the smile on his face. And it appears he’s spending more time talking to parkgoers than rushing to finish the job before sunset. "I’m standing in a bowl of stink with waders on," Kay said. "Who would have thought this was a good way to start a conversation?" A water consultant who has lived in Ashland for 18 years, Kay enjoys taking time to let others know that he’s working on a natural solution for what ails the park’s lower duck pond. Citing poor water quality, the Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission decided last month to begin phasing out duck food dispensers at the pond. Kay says too many ducks eating too much food has created too much "goo" for the pond to handle. Advertisement To combat the duck goo overload, Kay is working on a new-and-improved version of a biological filtering system the city first allowed him to install in 2002. The system circulates and breaks down solid waste in the pond, thus clearing the water without having to drain it completely. His new system has 36 aerators and a larger floating surface for goo to collect. The goo is either broken down by the system’s plants or pumped out to be turned into fertilizer. "The last time they drained (the pond), the water got bad again in two weeks," he said. "If we want to dump and fill the pond to keep it clean, we’d have to do it 26 times a year." Within three weeks, Kay says the green, murky water should be clear enough to see the bottom of the pond, which hasn’t been viewed by human eyes since it was drained two years ago. "This will do the trick," Kay predicts. "And if it doesn’t, it will be back to the drawing board." He’s already been back there once. After installing his first treatment system, Kay was paid $10,000 by the city. The system worked for a short time but proved in the long run to be inadequate to handle the large amount of pond waste. Kay went to work refining his design, and he estimates spending about $12,000 on the project — not counting the 2,000 or so hours he’s spent researching and developing the system. "Natural treatment is valid," he said. "I’m confident this will outcompete other forms of waste treatment." Besides clearing the pond, Kay is also eager to make the system work as an example of how modern society can find value in waste streams — in this case, "mining" the pond for the duck goo and using its high nitrogen content for fertilizer on hay fields. Kay said he supports the parks commission’s decision to end the longtime practice of feeding ducks at the pond, but says he thinks the water-quality problem could be solved by reducing the amount of food given to the birds. He also says people tend to feed the ducks so much that the pond gets crowded, contributing to aggressive behavior that includes males ganging up on female ducks. "People get a lot of pleasure out of feeding ducks," Kay said. "I don’t mind it, even if it presents a water-quality challenge. But it appears that now, the duck population should be limited for the benefit of the ducks." Kay said he is committed to tweaking his filter system until he succeeds or the city "kicks me out." "Parks commissioners are sticking their necks out publicly to see if this will work," he said. "I hope this works — I mean, I’m certain it will work. Given enough time, I know it will work." Reach reporter Jack Moran at 776-4459, or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities