Improving Nebraska Lakes via the Community Lakes Enhancement and Restoration (CLEAR) Program

摘要

Numerous community lakes throughout Nebraska were suffering from water quality degradation. Historically, these lakes were focal points within the community park system; however, cultural and natural eutrophication had reduced water clarity and diminished esthetic and recreational benefits. The Community Lakes Enhancement and Restoration (CLEAR) program was created in 2000 to combine the resources and technical expertise of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in fisheries, water quality and education. With funding totaling 4.97 million dollar from the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and local community partners, CLEAR assisted 26 communities improve their park lakes. Pre- and postproject water quality measurements showed improvements in total phosphorus (75% average decline), total nitrogen (39% average decline), turbidity (85% average decline), and chlorophyll a(86% average decline), yielding improvements in water clarity (350% average increase), as measured by Secchi disk. Postproject electrofishing samples and angler surveys demonstrated the positive impact of CLEAR program improvements on the quality of fishing opportunities and a resultant increase in angler use.