The report below from Lake of the Pines Management explains the weird color.

“Many have noted the lake becoming greener, we in management are very much aware of the lake condition and on top of it. Sometimes despite our best efforts, Mother Nature has a mind of her own. We have what appears to be a mild to moderate planktonic algae bloom which we do not believe presents any health risk. Some may argue the term ‘mild to moderate’ and comment the lake looks like pea soup. We would consider a severe bloom to include the surface filamentous algae that looks like pond scum, of which we do not have . . .”

Let me interject here with this photo.  It sure looks like pond scum to me.

Please continue.

” . . .  and visibility less than the government standard of 18 inches. The bloom appears to have started 10-14 days ago, and does not look like it is not subsiding yet, but these types of algae blooms can recede in just a matter of days with cooler weather. As a precaution we are performing tests of the water and will advise the members upon the test results.

We have performed spot treatments on a monthly basis this summer, and we have recently stepped up lake treatments by spraying on August 12th and 15th and we will spray again today. Additional treatments are scheduled throughout the month, to include an aggressive algaecide treatment within the coming weeks. None of these lake treatments will present a risk to the use of the lake nor will they necessitate having to close the lake. One consideration in spraying is how much is appropriate, too little and we are chasing the algae blooms, and too much we could affect the natural ecosystem of the lake or make it unsafe to swim in.

The rapid increase in algae can be attributable to several factors, including the focus on our more aggressive spot treatment of weeds in the lake, versus large scale lake treatments. The weeds once killed, fall to the bottom of the lake and become nutrients for the algae, coupled with the fertilizer run off from both LOP golf course and Darkhorse create the perfect conditions for an algae bloom. These conditions needed only on more factor, hot summer days! And this summer has been one of the hottest on record.

We will continue to aggressively address this algae bloom and do what we can to keep it in check, as well as monitor the lake for any unsafe conditions, and above all keep the members informed.