Reservoir campers confident in lake's safety
Blue-green algae found at the Marion Reservoir may have disrupted the drinking water of county residents, but it didn't seem to disrupt those people using the lake for recreation.
From the first weekend the anabaena algae was spotted — June 7 and 8 — Reservoir workers posted signs warning people to stay out of the water. But the warning didn't really deter many campers, boaters, and swimmers.
When the blue-green algae was at its thickest, there was a very small drop in the number of campers out at the Reservoir, according to ranger Terry Holt.
"There weren't any mass cancellations," he said.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office has received many phone calls, though, from concerned citizens. But much of the information they had was inaccurate and based on rumors, Holt said.
For example, some people called and wanted to know if the lake was closed. It was never closed in the first place, he said.
On Tuesday alone, even as the algae continued to dissipate at the lake, Holt received four or five phone calls.
Boating and fishing activities were also never curtailed, he said. The swimming beaches were closed for about a week, and people were urged not to have contact with the water.
However, quite a few people ignored the posted warnings and went for a swim anyway.
"We had signs everywhere — you couldn't miss them," Holt said.
Although the number of campers didn't decline much, each was offered the chance to cancel a campground reservation with no fee.
During the thick of the crisis, the company that handles campground reservations, Reserve USA, called people with reservations and informed them of the situation. People had the option to cancel their reservations with no penalty or get money back that they'd already paid.
"That was a really good part of that service," Holt said.
Even with the water crisis rolling to a close, the risks of boating or swimming in raw, untreated lake water are still the same.
The Reservoir water always contains bacteria and microrganisms. Swallowing the water always brings the potential risk of getting sick.
"You just have to realize there are minor risks involved," Holt said, especially in an area where the water is stagnant.
Although the number of campers canceling their reservations was small, the aftershocks were also felt at a nearby business that depends on Reservoir traffic.
Canada Bait 'N' Tackle, located south of the Reservoir on Nighthawk, has seen 30 to 40 percent of its business drop since the algae situation started, according to co-owner Donna Kreutziger.
Even now, business has been slow to recover.
"Time will tell," she said.
