CLEAN-FLO International

Restoring Lakes, Ponds, Rivers, Reservoirs and Wastewater Lagoons Worldwide

Why Care About Restoring Water Bodies?

Which lake would you rather own property on? Swim in? Invite your friends to?
2007 Lake Savers

Agenda
About CLEAN-FLO International Understanding Restoration Dynamics Limitations of Conventional Treatment Approaches The CLEAN-FLO System Project Examples Newtown Creek Project Questions and Discussion
2007 Lake Savers

About CLEAN-FLO

Mission: To dramatically improve the health of water bodies.

2007 Lake Savers

About CLEAN-FLO Process: The CLEAN-FLO processes biodegrade bottom organic muck, reduce weed and algal problems, eliminate odor, improve water quality and provide healthy water for fish growth, health & increased numbers.
2007 Lake Savers

About CLEAN-FLO Used in:

Recreational lake and ponds Drinking water reservoirs Municipal & industrial wastewater Hog, dairy and chicken farms Aquaculture Swimming beaches Polluted rivers Irrigation ponds Dead end salt water canals
2007 Lake Savers

Whats the Big Deal About Phosphorus?

Most times phosphorus is the limiting nutrient that controls plant and algae growth. Excess phosphorus means excess algae and weeds. Excess weeds and algae overwhelm a water bodys natural self-cleaning/renewal process. Water quality diminishes and the water body begins to literally die from overfeeding.
7

2007 Lake Savers

The Reality Fact:

Most inland water bodies in developed areas are receiving more phosphorus than they can handle to stay in balance. As a result, most water bodies are in a state of accelerated Eutrophication a fancy word for an over-fed, dying lake.

2007 Lake Savers

Sources of Excess Phosphorus

1 Pound of Phosphorus can produce 10,000 pounds of wet weeds and algae!

2007 Lake Savers

Impact: Accelerated Eutrophication

5. New algae bloom and weed growth 1. Nutrients Flow into Lake/Pond Leading to Excessive Weed/Algae Growth

4. Nutrients released back into the water

2. Dead algae and weeds fall to the bottom 3. Decomposition depletes lake of oxygen Decaying weeds and algae Anaerobic sludge Lake Bottom

2007 Lake Savers

10

Traditional Management Approaches In Theory

Algae Blooms

Visible Problems: Root Causes:

Excessive Weed Growth Odor Accumulation of Muck/Loss of Depth

Treat the symptoms with Chemicals, harvesting, drawdown, etc. Watershed Management

Internal nutrient loading

External nutrient loading

Dredging

Oxygen Depletion
2007 Lake Savers

11

Traditional Management Approaches In Practice

Watershed Management programs are extremely difficult to implement and enforce without government mandate/ordinances. Dredging is typically too cost prohibitive and difficult to obtain required permits. Chemicals and harvesting become the de-facto management options to manage the symptoms of the problem. These costs increase over time as root cause is never adequately addressed. Beaches are closed because coliform levels cannot be reduced.
2007 Lake Savers

12

CLEAN-FLO Management Approach

Restore/enhance the natural, self-cleaning mechanism of the water body with the CLEAN-FLO Process.
Address Internal Loading Reduce muck Eliminate odor and gases

Limit external nutrient loading where possible. Use chemicals/harvesting as a supplemental tool if necessary.

Lakes Need To Breathe To Be Healthy!!!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

13

Dissolved Oxygen The Key to Healthy Water Bodies

The natural processes within a body of water begin to breakdown when they are limited or eliminated by low oxygen levels. High dissolved oxygen levels at the bottom prevent the release of Phosphorous from the sediment (internal loading). Aerobic organisms are more efficient at digesting organic material than anaerobic organisms. Aerobic organisms assimilate nutrients and take them out of the system through the food chain.

Lakes Need To Breathe To Be Healthy!!!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

14

The Real Target for Lake Restoration

Rapid Accumulation of Organic Muck Caused by Oxygen Depletion

Toxic gases Hydrogen sulfide, Ammonia, Methane. Disease causing bacteria fecal coliform, E. coli Other undesirable organisms swimmers itch parasite, leeches.

2007 CLEAN-FLO

Lakes Need To Breathe To Be Healthy!!!

15

The CLEAN-FLO Process

Improve the water bodys natural Self-Cleaning Capability:
Continuous Laminar Flow Inversion Process oxygenates the entire body of water significantly reducing nutrient availability, odor and disease causing bacteria. Application of naturally occurring bacteria and enzymes accelerates the aerobic breakdown of organic material (decaying plants and muck).

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

16

The CLEAN-FLO Process

Toxic Gases removed

CO2

H 2S

O2

Oxygenated surface water moves to the bottom.

Aerobic benthic bacteria break down organics

2007 CLEAN-FLO

Phosphorus stays locked in sediment

Nutrients removed through the food chain

17

CLEAN-FLO: Exercise Program for Lakes!

The CLEAN-FLO Process

The CLEAN-FLO approach is NOT a quickfix. A combination of strategies may be required, but improving a water bodys ability to breathe is THE KEY to improving its health. Every body of water is unique. The main ingredient to success is understanding the conditions involved and designing the system to achieve success.

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

18

Collins Lake Scotia, New York

About the Lake
60 acre lake with public beach. Beach closed for two years due to fecal bacteria issue. Milfoil and pondweed growth out of control. Watershed management strategies and herbicide treatment were not producing adequate results.

Management Program
One-time herbicide treatment for milfoil and pondweed (2006). CLEAN-FLO System installed in April of 2006. CLEAN-FLO bacteria and enzyme treatment applied in July of 2006.

Results
Beach opened in August of 2006, remained open all of 2007. No significant re-growth of milfoil or pondweed. Dissolved oxygen maintained throughout water column all winter despite shutting down the system for 3 months. Noticeable reduction in dead plant material and muck in 2007. 19

2007 Lake Savers

Collins Lake Before in May 2006

2007 Lake Savers

20

Collins Lake Before in May 2006

2007 Lake Savers

21

Collins Lake After in July 2008

2007 Lake Savers

22

Willow Lake Kalamazoo, Michigan

About the Lake
7 Acre lake/pond. Completely over-run with milfoil, filamentous algae, lily pads, and coontail

Management Program
CLEAN-FLO System installed in June of 2007. One-time herbicide treatment for milfoil. Harvesting program for lily pads. Bacteria and Enzyme treatment applied in July of 2007.

Results
Filamentous algae problem eliminated. No significant re-growth of milfoil. Coontail significantly reduced. Lily pads did grow back after harvesting, however, we are starting to see tubers pop to the surface. Clear signs of breakdown of organics in the lake.
23

2007 Lake Savers

Willow Lake Before Pictures June 18, 2007

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

24

Willow Lake Before Pictures June 18, 2007

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

25

Willow Lake Before Pictures June 18, 2007

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

26

Willow Lake After Pictures June 23, 2007 (5 days after installation of the Clean-Flo System)

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

27

Willow Lake After Pictures June 23, 2007 (5 days after installation of the Clean-Flo System)

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

28

Willow Lake After Pictures July 6, 2007 (Herbicide treatment applied on June 27th ))

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

29

Willow Lake After Pictures July 14, 2007 (Herbicide treatment applied on June 27th)

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

30

Willow Lake After Pictures July 14, 2007

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

31

Willow Lake Bottom Pictures July 15, 2007 (Bottom area not yet impacted by Clean-Flo System)

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

32

Willow Lake Bottom Pictures July 15, 2007 (Bottom area near Diffusers)

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

33

Willow Lake Secchi Disk Readings (An indication of Water Clarity)

Date Depth Reading Comments
Secchi disk hit bottom, still visible (did not know location of deep hole) Not clear to bottom maximum depth Lake choked with weeds and algae Found the deep hole in the lake. Secchi disk hit bottom, still visible

April 23, 2007

4+ feet

May 15, 2007 June 18, 2007 July 6, 2007 July 15, 2007

3 feet < 2 feet 6 feet 7+ feet

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

34

Cherry Creek Unimproved Area Across the Street from Willow Lake July 15, 2007

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

35

Hammonton Lake Project Overview

Background On Hammonton Lake:
65 acre lake located in Hammonton, NJ. Maximum depth of 12 feet; average depth of 6 feet Swimming beach was closed for all but 13 days in 2006 due to high coliform levels (>300/100 ml). Levels always increased significantly after rain events CLEAN-FLO designed a program for the entire lake in 2005 but was asked to address the beach area first System installation completed on July 19, 2007 Coliform levels on the 19th were over 500 Daily water sampling was conducted by Hammonton personnel starting on July 23rd Coliform levels were below acceptable limits for 25 of the first 30 days of operation

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

36

Hammonton Lake Water Sampling

Date July 23 July 31 Aug 2 Aug 3 Aug 4 Aug 8 Aug 15 Aug 19 Aug 21 Aug 24 Coliform 180 1,621 356 185 96 56 60 58 1,400 200 2 rain event in pm Comments First test 1.5 rain on 7/30

CLEAN-FLO: An Exercise Program for Lakes!

2007 CLEAN-FLO

37

Lake Powai, India

About the Lake
500+ acre lake in India. Hydrilla and Water Hyacinth had taken over the lake. Lake heavily polluted from watershed

Management Program
CLEAN-FLO System installed with bacteria and enzyme treatment. Harvesting program initiated to reduce Water Hyacinth.

Results
Nutrient levels in the lake reduced by 90% in the first year. Hydrilla and Water Hyacinth reduced to non-nuisance levels. Significant improvement in all water quality indicators.

2007 Lake Savers

38

Lake Powai, India Results

Clean-Flo system Installed

2007 Lake Savers

39

Lake Powai, India Results

CLEAN-FLO system Installed

2007 Lake Savers

40