Dr. Jerry Sweeten with EcoSystems Connections Institute, gives highlights of the five-year Wawasee Inlets Nutrient Study at the WACF annual Lakes Celebration, Saturday, July 27.

Text and Photos
By Deb Patterson
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — Data collected over five years through the Wawasee Inlets Nutrient Study has created a historic document which is defensible and can be repeatable for the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation. The data has resulted in discovering a decrease in phosphorous entering into the lake, and locating problem areas.

Dr. Jerry Sweeten, EcoSystems Connections Institute, presented an overview and some results at the annual WACF Lake Celebration Saturday, July 27. Additionally, Beth Morris, ecology committee chair, highlighted future strategic plans due to the study.

Sweeten and his colleges began in 2019 gathering data on phosphorous, nitrogen and sediment coming into Lake Wawasee. It also has helped lay policy and planning for WACF and spawned conversations throughout the state about lake quality.

Informational chart

He noted the latest report is 500 pages long. It, along with previous years data, is available at the WACF Levinson-LaBrosse Educational Center.

“When you boil it all down, it all comes down to the capacity of us to understand the natural physical laws in place … and our ability to understand that within the context of what we are seeing what is happening … apply that information to protect the lake or to restore it,” stated Sweeney.

He noted there is nothing like the WINS study, that he is aware of, that gives insight to the “wheels and cogs” of what makes the lake system tick.

Sweeten focused on phosphorus, the greatest danger to the lake – how much is coming in, being stored, being flushed out and accumulating. The study also discovered how much has been driven by precipitation.

Since the study began, “we can clearly see it,” Sweeten stated. “We do see some interesting patterns, especially when it comes to wet years and dry years.”

The study began in 2019, the wettest year with about 40 inches of rain. The driest year was 2020 with about 30 inches of rain. “What that does, it shifts the amount of water that is replaced in the lake,” said Sweeten. “So in 2019 about almost 50% of the water in Lake Wawasee was replaced. In 2020 only 28% was replaced.”

Mitigation strategy

He stated data showed in 2023 the amount of phosphorus coming into the lake was 4,246 pounds. “That’s the lowest in five years,” he said. Data has shown two years of phosphorus decrease coming from Dillon and Turkey Creek. “In the last two years, we’ve had a deficit of phosphorus. … We can’t explain why that is, but we would say we’re moving in the right direction.” This is a 27% decrease from 2022. He noted 40% of that came through Turkey Creek.

Gauge stations, located at inlets and outlets around the lake, were switched to Piper and Galloway ditch in the upper watershed. Data discovered the two inlets were responsible for 50% of the phosphorus getting into Turkey Creek. “So you can see the powerful the data can help us understand where we need to be thinking about targeting to mitigate the effects of the phosphorous.”

Sweeten said over the last five years they measured 38,238 pounds of phosphorous entering Lake Wawasee and 33,000 pounds going out. “There’s a net accumulation of about 5,000 pounds accumulating in the lake per year. Every pound of phosphorous can grow 500 pounds of algae. … This is a challenge for everybody to think about when it comes to phosphorous.”

Touching on the amount of phosphorous trapped in the lake, Sweeten stated sediment samples were taken. The highest amounts of phosphorus are in the deepest basins with the wetlands at Turkey Creek the major sink of phosphorous. Out of the 10 lakes, the lake with the highest amount was Gordy Lake.

Beth Morris, ecology committee, tells of future projects.

He noted over the past five years, there have been 1,216 tons of sediment measured coming into the lake. “That is 61 tandem dump truck loads,” he stated.

“Perhaps I would say, one of the most important steps at this point is you need to embrace human endeavors across the lake basin. … need to build those community bridges to everybody in the basin and work together to be able to try to find solutions to reducing the amount of sediment and nutrients that’s entering into the lake,” said Sweeten

He concluded by stating “We call phosphorous a stubborn molecule. Because you can’t destroy it. It just changes forms. And it just cycles through the biology where it’s bioavailable and then it’s tied up in an organic form.”

Morris noted over the past 30 years WACF has done in excess of 25 restoration projects, many of which have focused on slowing down the flow of water, which slows down the sediment. WACF, which is participating in the National water Quality Initiative through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has begun working with farmers. The initiative provides $1.2 million, at no cost to participants, over a three-year period.

“This is the first year that we were able to have farmers sign up for it. … there was so much interest the Natural Resources Conservation Services went out and found another quarter million dollars to be able to support another project.”

Terry Clapacs, board chairman.

While the initiative is the beginning to building bridges, Morris stated WACF is going to continue with remediation projects. Those projects include possibilities in Martin Creek, Dillon Creek and Turkey Creek. “We are very excited, based on those engineering studies … shovel ready projects that we can put our other grant money to use.”

Heather Harwood, WACF executive director, spoke about awards received due to the WINS study, an engineering feasibility study with the Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership and some construction projects. She noted it was through partnerships with the DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, DNR Lake and River Enhancement, Kosciusko Community Foundation, Wawasee Property Owners Association and Syracuse Lake Association, working together to do projects and keep efforts going to control erosion and sediment infiltration.

The Channel Marker donated the morning’s breakfast, and a painting by plein air artist Dave Broerman was won by John Kellogg.

The lake celebration was held at Between-The-Lakes.