Freeborn County will ask the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) permission to place four aerators in Albert Lea Lake as early as August.

Wednesday, June 27, 2001

Freeborn County will ask the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) permission to place four aerators in Albert Lea Lake as early as August.

The county board voted unanimously to allow Environmental Services staff to apply for an aeration permit, accepting responsibility for installing and running the machines.

Private individuals have come forward, saying they will help foot the bill, said water-planning committee Chairman Dick Hoffman.

The aerators will cost around $3,000 apiece, plus $700 to $800 each to install and $400 to $600 yearly for electrical costs, according to information gathered by Environmental Services staff. Lakeshore resident Ken Nelson told the board the public would pay between 50 and 75 percent of those costs.

&uot;We’ll have a time frame where we can seek out some money, but I can personally guarantee that the funds will be there,&uot; he said.

If approved by the DNR, the long-term diffuser systems would run all year around, and be placed throughout the lake. Proposed sites include water near Helmer Myre state park, and city bike trail, Hoffman said.

Mike Kelly of Save Our Lakes said applying for an aeration permit would circumvent the efforts of the Shell Rock River Watershed committee, which did not develop a lake management plan for Albert Lea Lake, but staff said aeration will fit into any management plan they develop.

&uot;I don’t think its going to hurt anything in the long run if we go ahead in doing this,&uot; Chairman Dave Mullenbach said.