I am writing to address the issue of our lakes. As we all know, spring and summer are quickly approaching. Boating, swimming and fishing are all fun lake activities. But what we also should know is that in the past years our lake quality seems to be worsening instead of improving. Green, dirty water is simply not appealing.

I know that the city has tried treatments to Fountain Lake in the past years, but we cannot leave it up to the city to treat either of our lakes. There are simple things that we can do to help improve the quality of our lakes. Such as:

Direct your grass clippings away from the streets and sidewalks, keep them on the lawn. They contain phosphorus, a nutrient that aids in algae production.

Plant a rain garden where a depression is in your lawn. It will help filter and slow down rainwater before it gets to the lakes.

Wash your car on your lawn or at a car wash to help keep the waste water from going directly to the lakes.

There are many different ways in which we as individuals can help improve our lake quality. Together we can make our lakes attractive and enjoyable.

Karlee Andersen

Albert Lea High School

English class

Albert Lea