Cyanobacteria in Water Supply Reservoir
Reservoir Management Case Study

Location and Acreage:
Albemarle County, VA | 40-Acres

Project Timeframe: 
2013 to Present

Project Manager:
Shannon Junior, Aquatic Ecologist & Senior Business Development Consultant     

Key Staff:
Jeremy Haley, Fisheries and Wildlife Biologist

Site Description:
This Authority is a public agency that provides potable water to the citizens of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. There are five water supply reservoirs that are managed by The Authority. The reservoirs periodically experience blooms of algae and cyanobacteria that cause problems for water treatment due to taste and odor issues, suspended solids, and pH. Two of the reservoirs also have established populations of Hydrilla verticillata.

Scope of Work:
Consulting Services, Algaecide Applications, Integrated Pest Management Plan Development and Implementation.

Project Description:
SOLitude Lake Management has served as a consultant to the Authority for control of algae and cyanobacteria in the reservoirs, and developed an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Plan to address the algae, hydrilla, and water quality issues. All legal and available management options were evaluated to identify and implement the most sustainable and efficient solutions to achieve water resource management objectives in the reservoirs.

SOLitude was awarded the renewable term contract in 2014 for lake algal management services to implement the recommendations from the IPM. As part of this scope of work, SOLitude worked with the staff to establish an early detection and rapid response strategy based on designated algae density action thresholds that preserves the integrity of the water resources while using lowest concentrations of the most efficient products for management. SOLitude has performed numerous algaecide treatments for several of the five reservoirs in 2013 and 2014.