Adam Grim, Fayette County Soil Water Conservation District (SWCD) Watershed coordinator, examines Volga River Recreation Area’s Volga Lake and the surrounding area on a Fayette County map. High algae and turbidity levels have increasingly impaired the recreational opportunities for those who have close contact with the local lake. Fayette SWCD recently received funding to be utilized to assess potential sources of phosphorus throughout the 6,038-acre Volga Lake watershed area. (Mike Van Sickle photo)

Volga Lake's needs are crystal-clear

By Mike Van Sickle
News Editor
mvansickle@thefayettecountyunion.com

The camping, canoeing and summer fishing season is nearly upon us, and with an average of more than 80,000 household visits per year, Volga Lake at the Volga River Recreation Area continues to grow in popularity as a destination site.

Unfortunately, high algae and turbidity levels have increasingly impaired the recreational opportunities for those who have close contact with the water of Volga Lake. At the same time, conservationists understand the lake’s potential to be a clear, blue body of water.

Adam Grim, Fayette County Soil Water Conservation District (SWCD) Watershed coordinator, explained that the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) identified phosphorus in 2013 as the culprit in the high levels of algae growth and murky water. Grim noted phosphorus is the determining factor in regard to algae growth on the 138-acre lake.