Park News

SLOAN'S LAKE UPDATE: Aug 2021

Here is a 30 minute video from Sloan's Lake Citizen's Group on Aug 13 which is an overview of the Health of Sloan's Lake. This video covers topics about the environmental health of the lake for aquatic species, plans for making the health of the lake better both long term and short term, as well as an update on the closure to recreation and how Denver Parks and Rec is working with the Dragon Boat Festival.

https://equityestatesfund.zoom.us/.../MPLpQihBo19s3Q1GYGH...

A few highlights :

-Based on the most recent monitoring by DDPHE, the lake is doing better. Oxygen and ecoli levels are good.

-We are still dealing with the toxic blue-green algae bloom so the recreational closure will continue, but Parks and Rec is optimistic that lower temperatures next week will help. The hope is that the lake may be opened up some time in September in time for the Dragon Boat Festival pending if conditions improve.

-Parks and Rec is using solar bees and pumps to circulate water in the lake to reduce the toxic algae. They will also be using divers in the coming week to clear out existing pumps to make them more effective.

-Parks and Rec with the help of Councilwoman Sandoval and community members is looking at additional organic treatments to improve Sloan's Lake water quality. There is a treatment called BioChar that Parks and Rec is looking to start as soon as next week.

-In the long term, Parks and Rec hopes to improve the catch basins to reduce sediment coming into the lake, as well as potentially dredging the lake to make it deeper. This option will be studied and is under consideration for a future bond issue years from now.

-The green plant on the surface of the water in the catch basin next to the marina is actually duckweed, not algae. It's a plant that is great for wildlife like ducks to eat.