Never Looked Better IMHO
Lake Mohawk has never looked better in terms of water color and clarity at this point in the season. As the figure below illustrates, we are now moving past what is normally the peak of blue-green algae season at Lake Mohawk and many other lakes throughout Ohio.
Take a moment to look at the color of the wake from the boat and skier above. (Photo taken on Sunday August 30th, 2026) The wake is white without leaving a trail of green tinted water which is indicative of an algae. bloom. What really makes this season different than most all past lake seasons is that no copper algae treatments have been applied to the lake up to this point in the year. Normally by now, nearly 1 ton (2000 pounds) of copper sulfate would have been applied to the lake in order to control the nuisance and potentially toxic blue-green algae blooms that begin at the end of July. The lake would often require two to three of these 1 ton treatments in order to control the algae past FallFest. That amounts to 4000 to 6000 pounds of copper being applied to the lake each season.
Copper sulfate is NOT biodegradable. Copper accumulates at the bottom of lakes when used for algae control. In addition to copper being toxic to blue-green algae, it is also toxic to beneficial benthic organisms, aquatic insects, zooplankton, rooted aquatic plants at high levels, etc.. In other words, it causes collateral damage to beneficial organisms that are important for a healthy fisheries AND ultimately to the overall health of the lake.
Now is a great time to review and remind ourselves the importance of aquatic plants in a lake especially when it comes to how they naturally help suppress blue-green algae blooms resulting in less use of toxic copper algae control products like copper sulfate. Please visit or revisit my page here. Lake Ecology
I urge all lakefront property owners and residents of the L.M.P.O.A. to support Paul Mickley in his aquatic plant and algae control methodology whenever and wherever possible. If you use your lakefront property for swimming or have jet skis or boats that have intakes that get clogged by aquatic plants, by all means contact Paul and have him treat your lakefront property for nuisance aquatic plants. if you don’t use your lakefront property for a specific recreational water activity, I recommend that you allow the area to be inhabited by beneficial aquatic plants that not only provide food and shelter for a healthy fisheries, but also help naturally suppress nuisance and potentially toxic blue-green algae. As in many cases with many things, balance is the key to satisfying the many needs and wants of a diverse lake community that makes up the L.M.P.O.A..
Aquatic Plants Naturally Clarify Water
