Fears grow over level of pollution in lake

CONCERN is growing, yet again, about the state of Lough Lein, in Killarney, amid fears of another outbreak of an algal bloom.

Phosphate levels in the lake are now at least as high as they were in 1997, the last time a widespread outbreak of algal plant forms appeared in the water.

Warm, calm weather is conducive to the growth of such blooms, and there’s a high risk at present, according to environmental experts.

Ironically, Lough Lein will be the venue at the weekend for a major angling competition, the Spring Home Internationals, with 56 anglers from this country, and Britain taking part.

One of the competition organisers, John Behan, said yesterday, they were disappointed with lake’s condition, which he described as a bit distasteful.

“Anglers are having to keep out of certain areas because their flies are getting caught in the slimy algae. The lake deteriorated quickly during the fine spell and it doesn’t auger well for the summer months,” said Mr Behan, who is Munster chairman of the Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association.

Lough Lein Working Group, established in the late 1990s to come up with a management plan for the lake, met six weeks ago, its first meeting in over a year.

Well-known Killarney angler Richard Behal, a member of the group, said it was a mistake they had not met more regularly. Mr Behal is also a member of the Angling Council of Ireland and the Federation of Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers (FISSTA).

“When we met again recently, we were startled to realise the situation. Maybe we all got a little complacent,” Mr Behal said.

The situation is being monitored by Kerry County Council environmental staff.

The council’s environment awareness officer, Micheal Ó Coileain, said the worst scenario would be to get heavy rainfall followed by a warm period, in the next week or so.

“That would result in large amounts of farm slurry being washed off land, stuff that would eventually end up in the lake,” Mr Ó Coileain said.

In 1997, 30 tonnes of phosphates were entering the lake each year and the loading had not reduced in the meantime, Mr Ó Coileain pointed out.

“The aim is to get the level down to at least 20 tonnes and new sewerage schemes being provided in areas close to Killarney, such as Kilcummin and Barraduff, should help.

“But, the best available technology only gets rid of 95% of phosphates in waste. With continuing population growth and increasing numbers of new houses, the additional 5% that escapes is growing all the time,” he added.

The 1997 algae problem resulted in the Lough Lein management system and the setting up of the working group to manage the lake into the future. Every river inside a 10-mile catchment area was surveyed and sources of pollution, including farms, septic tanks, local authorities and forestry, were traced.

Meanwhile, Mr Richard Behal, claimed phosphate levels were currently at an “alarmingly high” level.

“Millions have been spent in the past nine years, but we’re still in the same position. This is disappointing to put it mildly. There’s a need for greater awareness by everyone, including ordinary householders who could, for example, be using more phosphate-free detergents,” he said.

Mr Behal said anglers were also increasingly concerned about the growth of weeds in the lake and warned of an ecological disaster if strong measures were not taken.

“What’s happening is that some invasive, exotic plants are being brought in from other countries, either in ship’s ballast, or garden ponds or through aquariums. They grow densely and spread very quickly, to the extent that anglers can no longer cast a fly in some infected waters,” he remarked.

He claimed the Government had failed to act on warnings given about these plants several years ago.

“In America, they have taken steps, like introducing a licensing system to control the movement of boats from one lake to another to stop the spread of plants. There should also be strict regulations regarding the cleaning and steaming down of boats and fishing equipment.”

In the meantime, Kerry County Council is refusing to implement bylaws that would regulate farm practices, farm waste storage and slurry spreading in the Lough Lein catchment area.