The Lake Anna Advisory Committee (LAAC) will be working with two contractors in the coming weeks to treat the North Anna River and Terry’s Run with the goal of reducing excessive phosphorus and the algae blooms that feed on it. The plan has been reviewed by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and VDACS as well as approved by Dominion Energy.
North Anna River Timeline
EutroPHIX and their partner SOLitude Lake Management will be working in the upper part of the North Anna River from the Harris bridge (near Tim’s) to the headwaters of the river. Duckinhole and Goldmine creeks will also be treated during this timeframe.
The EutroPHIX technical approach utilizes lanthanum modified bentonite (LMB) clay as the phosphorus binding agent. The LMB is deployed as a slurry from several pontoon boats operated by certified and licensed applicators. You will notice a color change in the water for about 1-2 hours after the application. The treated area is safe to be in as the applications take place and immediately after but we ask, if you are out on the water while the applications are being conducted, that you provide the applicators with plenty of room to get this job accomplished.
EutroPHIX will also be installing an injection and monitoring system upstream from the lake on the Dominion Energy easement of a farm. We have the landowner’s and Dominion Energy’s permission to install the monitoring and injection equipment. This system will work to remove soluble reactive phosphorus from the river water before it enters the lake downstream.
The timeline for LMB treatments and the installation of the injection and monitoring system is provided below:
LMB treatment:
Start Date – June 18, 2024
End Date – June 19, 2024
Injection/Monitoring Equipment installation:
Start Date – June 20, 2024
End Date – This is a continuous monitoring system that will operate through the end of October
Terry’s Run Timeline
Clean Streams Rivers and Lakes (CSRL) is working in Terry’s Run. They will deploy a calcium silicate granular powder over the entire surface area of Terry’s Run during the treatment period. Calcium silicate is a phosphorus binding agent that creates a permanent bond with dissolved phosphorus in the lake sediment. The calcium silicate will be deployed from a Jon boat by a licensed and certified applicator.
CSRL will also be installing multiple beneficial bacteria bio-reactors in Terry’s Run. Some will be deployed on the bottom of the creek in shallow areas. Others will be deployed using buoys in the deeper parts of the creek.
The timeline for calcium silicate treatments and the installation of the beneficial bacteria bio-reactors is provided below:
Calcium Silicate treatment:
Start Date – June 18, 2024
End Date – June 28, 2024
Bacteria Bio-Reactors:
Start Date – June 18, 2024 – inflows from the watershed
End Date – June 28, 2024
Start Date – July 8, 2024 – remaining bio-reactors throughout Terry’s Run
