A little more than six months after Echo Park Lake reopened, city officials say its been smooth sailing – so far. Many of the water quality issues the lake suffered from before are being avoided this time-around with the help of technology.
You may have noticed a floating yellow buoy in the lake, and it is this scientific monitor that keep tabs on the quality of the lake water. This instrument allows officials to identify “potential threats” so they can be proactive in fixing the situation, Cora Jackson-Fossett, spokesperson for the city’s Department of Public Works , wrote in an email.
This high tech buoy tracks temperature, pH, turbidity (basically, haziness) and dissolved oxygen levels. Changes in the amount of oxygen in the lake can pose big problems for fish and other aquatic animals. As more organic matter — like leaves or branches — ends up in the lake, they can eat up the available oxygen causing it to dip to levels insufficient for animal survival.
Jackson-Fossett said this was especially an issue for the lake during summer months when temperatures rise.
But now, the new-and-improved Echo Park Lake has stable and healthy oxygen levels, she said, thanks to the $45-million, two-year-long makeover funded by a Prop O Clean Water Bond. It uses the wetlands found around the perimeter as part of a re-circulation system that helps remove excess nutrients from the water, which can cause algae blooms.
One improvement you don’t need science to see is the clarity of the lake. What used to be a murky body of green water in which you could rarely see below the surface, is now a much less murky body of water. The perimeter of the lake now yields views of large schools of fish, instead of serving as a collection spot for chip bags and soda bottles.
But Echo Park Lake is constantly in flux, and Jackson-Fossett said it’s still in its “start-up period” after being rebooted less than a year ago.
“The Lake and its ecology is still maturing, and we are still figuring out the best management practices, in terms of operating and maintaining the lake,” she wrote. “Water quality data will be an important tool in managing the lake. For now, the water quality appears to be good.”
According to the Echo Park Lake Rehabilitation website, the lake was originally built in the 1860s as a reservoir for drinking water. Now, the lake is part of the City’s storm drain system and serves mostly as a park. Echo Park Lake is for looking at, and paddle boating in, only.
Hayley Fox is an L.A. native now living in Echo Park. After getting her master’s in journalism at the Annenberg school, Fox worked at public radio station KPCC 89.3 where she wrote and produced stories for online and on air. She covered mostly downtown L.A. and South L.A. news, as well as covering city-wide crime, breaking news and the occasional adorable animal story.