A pilot study focused on lyngbya management within Lake Wylie is planned to began April 15, 2024. Lyngbya (Microseria wollei), formerly Lyngbya wollei, is a filamentous, mat-forming cyanobacterium that occurs in a variety of fresh waters. Lyngbya found in Lake Wylie can be identified by dense, dark-colored mat formations, wool-like texture, and musty odor. Unlike other algae, lyngbya persists year-round along the lake bottom, but as water temperatures rise, it begins to proliferate upwards through the entire water column forming surface mats. Lyngbya has become increasingly problematic in reservoirs throughout the southeastern US, including Lake Gaston, located along the North Carolina and Virginia border, that reported approximately 1,300 acres in 2023.
Currently, the infestation levels of lyngbya within Lake Wylie are relatively low, approximately 5 acres, and a recent push by local stakeholders has resulted in the Lake Wylie Marine Commission (LWMC) facilitating the development of a lyngbya-directed algaecide treatment program. This program is funded by the LWMC. Treatments this year will target 5 acres of lyngbya in two locations in Lake Wylie. Treatment sites were identified using data collected from Lake Wylie’s survey efforts conducted by Duke Energy’s Aquatic Plant Management Program, as well as Duke Energy’s Aquatic Plant Reporting Tool. Treatment sites for 2024 are focused on the Riverview Inn Cove and a shallow area just north of the Wilkinson Bridge on the Belmont side. These were prioritized according to positive species identification and relative infestation levels.
During the mid-part of the month from April to September, residents in treatment areas should expect to see airboats utilized by the application company, Aqua Services, slowly moving along the shoreline applying lyngbya directed algaecides in established treatment sites. The chemical protocol used at Lake Wylie includes chelated copper-based algaecides that are EPA-approved for aquatic use. These algaecides have a bright blue hue and will be observed in the water directly following applications but have no use restrictions in irrigation, fishing, or swimming. Although 2024 is a pilot year for Lake Wylie, this lyngbya treatment program is expected to be a multi-year process.
The timeline for achieving lyngbya control is difficult to estimate. Due to the physical nature of lyngbya, healthy, viable mats look very similar to those that are less viable at the alga’s cellular level and therefore it is difficult to determine the level of control from treatments by visual observation alone. Within a treatment season, it is expected that lyngbya mat material may persist along the bottom of the lake; however, homeowners are likely to observe a decrease in overall biomass between treatment seasons. Additionally, homeowners may notice an immediate response to treatments with the absence of surface mat formations.
Lake Wylie’s Lyngbya Management Program was designed using the same protocol that is being implemented at Lake Gaston (NC/VA), where it has demonstrated success in reducing the presence of lyngbya over time with repeated treatments. However, a plethora of environmental factors could impact the effectiveness of a treatment program; thus, the LWMC has also partnered with Duke Energy to evaluate the efficacy of treatments during this pilot season to help guide future management actions.
Any questions about aquatic vegetation in Lake Wylie should be directed to AquaticPlants@duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy Aquatic Plant Reporting Tool can be found at duke-energy.com/AquaticPlants.
