Alien growth in Lonehill Dam is targetted
LONEHILL – As the warm weather arrives members of the Lonehill Residents Association and dam committee have instituted a number of measures to tackle alien species in the dam.
As the temperatures warm up, the growth of various freshwater aquatic alien plants in the Lonehill Dam once again is accelerating.
During the winter season, the Lonehill Residents Association and the dam committee have been working hard to gear up for this growth spurt and have put measures in place to improve the management of these alien species.
The plants that affect this water source are Kariba and milfoil which cause drainage issues.
The concoction of an effective micro-organisms (EM) treatment solution is already underway at the site, with the first quantity expected to be ready within the next five days. The dam will periodically be treated to ensure a continuous activation of EM which is a type of bacteria that feeds on organic matter and will directly feed off the plants and reduce the population in the dam.
In addition to this, three bio-activated carbon bag filters will be installed in the dam within the next two weeks. These filters will assist the dam by removing some pollutants from the water. The pollutants in the water make the conditions for excessive alien plant growth more favourable so the reduction of pollutants should decrease the available nutrients for these plants’ growth.
The implementation of these two measures to control the alien growth, coupled with the repairs done to get the fountain up and running again, will go a long way to improve the overall health of the Lonehill Dam.
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