LAPA-West Symposium

The Lakes and Ponds Association will be having a symposium on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church, 74 First St. in Pittsfield. There will be a significant focus on cyanobacteria (blue green algae) which is a potential threat to all our lakes and can pose a serious health threat to all lake users, especially children and pets. It made the local news last fall when a bloom in Stockbridge Bowl forced the relocation of the 2018 Josh Billings RunAground paddling leg.

All lake association members, Conservation Commission members, other municipal officials and anyone else with an interest in protecting and improving our lakes are invited.

According to the event, the objectives of the cyanobacteria presentations are to provide background needed for lake managers on:

— The basics of what it is and what are the risks.

— How to test for it?

— How to prevent and/or treat a bloom?

— What precautions must be taken to avoid risks to lake users without over-reacting and needlessly restricting access to our lake resources.

— What federal, state and local agencies are involved, what regulations are in place and how can local lake managers get help.

Other symposium topics, many of which are follow-ups to previous symposium presentations, are:

— Drawdown effectiveness and risks.

— Increased State funding for our lakes and ponds.

— Improved coordination among the EOEEA regulatory agencies.

— Guidance from the DFW on maintaining and improving healthy fisheries.

Registration with a light breakfast starts at 8:15. Tours of the USEPA CMC mobile laboratory will be conducted after adjournment at 1. This facility is used to provide on-site trainings on the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative program to lake associations, state water quality managers and staff, drinking water suppliers, NGOs, school systems, private research entities and the like. Trainings and/or demonstrations of the program can be provided on request. The mobile lab provides a platform where individuals can participate in collecting and analyzing samples adjacent to the waterbody and become familiar with the equipment, steps and protocols used for understanding and managing harmful cyanobacteria and blooms. The mobile lab has been used to teach hundreds of individuals throughout New England how to appropriately collect and identify samples for cyanobacteria analysis.

Exhibitors:

* Solitude Lake Management

* MA DEP 319 and 604b programs

* MA DCR Lakes and Ponds Program

* ESS Group Environmental Consultants

* Action Sports and Travel (specializing in scuba hand pulling of invasive weeds)