12 November 2009
By Charlie Pyles
“The LSU lakes have presented a problem since the day they were dug,” said Jason Soileau, LSU Assistant Director of Facility Development. He said because they were naturally a Cyprus and tupelo swamp to begin with, they will always be regressing back to that original state.
The problem is caused by nutrient drainage in the area, said Nick Sims, Army Corps of Engineers project manager. This drainage has caused the lakes to become shallow over time because of the growing layer of muck on the bottom. The shallow depth results in low dissolved-oxygen levels and quicker heating in the summer months, both of which account for the algae blooms during that time of year. Sims said these blooms die and settle to the bottom, adding to the muck every year.
A $21 million plan to restore the lakes has been agreed upon by the Corps of Engineers and local partners of the lake. These partners include LSU, BREC and the City of Baton Rouge. The project was originally classified under the Corps’ CAP-206 program, wherein the Corps would pay 65 percent, with a total cost cap of $7.5 million. So under this program the Corps could only cover up to a little less than $5 million. As long as the project remains in the CAP-206 program, local partners of the lakes would have to cough up more than $16 million to cover the rest of the cost.
“I don’t see this happening in the near future, unfortunately,” Soileau said. “If we don’t think of some creative way to fund this project, we’re going to have to get creative in how we use this area. Because it’s not going to be lakes anymore.”
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