By Ron Skinner - April 2022

LACA is excited to announce the “Kick the HAB” @ Lake Anna campaign. The goal of the campaign is to pilot a Cyanobacteria monitoring and mitigation program during the upcoming 2022 recreational season.  A fundraising target of $75,000 to $100,000 will be needed for the pilot.  See how to donate below and on the LACA website at the “DONATE NOW” button.

“Kick the HAB” is intended to minimize the need for Virginia Department of Health (VDH) recreational “no-swim” advisories on Lake Anna.   By getting out in front of developing potential harmful algal blooms, the plan would succeed by safely keeping Cyanobacteria growth in check before reaching critical threshold cell concentrations that would trigger an HAB advisory to be issued by VDH. 

LACA has been conducting water quality monitoring at Lake Anna alongside Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for many years.  In addition, for the past two years we have added a more frequent and intensive Cyanobacteria Monitoring program focused on the problematic upper lake region tributaries.  We have also over the last four years investigated and researched various approaches, methodologies, and emerging technology aimed at HAB mitigation, remediation and prevention. 

These efforts have convinced us that the underlying causes are complex, deep-rooted and difficult to precisely identify.  The solutions will need to be multi-faceted, will be expensive, and will take a lot of effort over a long timeframe.  We are in the process of documenting an action plan for Cyanobacteria Mitigation, Remediation and Prevention that involves an extensive list of both short range and long-range prospective actions.  Mitigation actions we have evaluated tend to be more cost-effective and targeted for more immediate impacts.  The most promising of these ideas with the greatest potential near-term impact on HABs at Lake Anna and safest environmental outcomes are the mitigation technology we are currently evaluating.

Of course, approvals will be needed from DEQ, Dominion Energy, and possibly others.  We are currently in the process of reaching out through our Lake Anna Water Quality and HAB stakeholder group for their support and guidance.  As the process of finalizing details progresses, we will also be reaching out to the larger Lake Anna community about the proposed Cyanobacteria monitoring and mitigation pilot program.

Fundraising for “Kick the HAB” @ Lake Anna

The “Kick the HAB” @ Lake Anna fundraising campaign will be essential for moving forward with the pilot program.  The fundraising goal is $75,000 to $100,000.  With this in mind, the LACA Board and volunteers have agreed to match up to $35,000 that is raised from the community and LACA members. 

To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit our website at lakeannavirginia.org and click on the “DONATE NOW” button at the top of the Home page.

Or at the bottom of Home page click on the green “DONATE” button next to the “Kick the HAB” fundraising progress thermometer.

Or you can send a donation check (Memo – Kick the HAB) to:

LAKE ANNA CIVIC ASSOCIATION

P.O. BOX 217

MINERAL, VA 23117

LACA has already placed orders totaling approximately $20,000 for equipment that is needed to begin the monitoring segment of the pilot program this Spring.  If approved by DEQ and Dominion Energy, more equipment, supplies and materials will be required to implement the mitigation segment during the Summer months.  These expenses will likely be variable depending on the specifics of an approved mitigation pilot program.

Please consider making a sizable donation to help “Kick the HAB” @ Lake Anna come to fruition.  Timing is critical for this pilot to proceed in 2022.  LACA would like to raise the necessary funds by June 1^st, or we may have to postpone the pilot until 2023.

Please DONATE now.  If the pilot is successful, we could have a viable pathway towards one long-term solution to HABs and NO recreational advisories on Lake Anna!

For additional information, you can follow LACA’s Facebook page or send email to KicktheHAB@lakeannavirginia.org 

LACA is a registered 501(c)(3) charity with the IRS. Our EIN is 54-1576137

ron.skinner@lakeannavirginia.org