Geist Reservoir Water Quality

In 2007 Geist Reservoir was off limits to swimmers, etc, as toxic algae bloomed in the water. In 2008 we have no idea if this will happen again, but at a meeting on April 29th a number of government officials came to tell the residents what they are going to go. As a former government engineer I saw the handwriting on the wall right away. When you don’t know what to do, or what you should do will cause too much controversy – study the problem and hope people will go away nodding their heads. Well they are going to study and study the reservoir this summer and all the water sources in the Upper Fall Creek Watershed. Wow, 73 testing stations and they made a big deal about placing one buoy in the water near the dam. I am surprised they didn’t try and get a grant to buy six buoys and place them all over the 1800 acres of the reservoir. That would be more in line with government/university thinking.

What was also interesting was that two state senators and one representative attended the meeting. All of their districts touch the reservoir, also were people from several state agencies, the water company, other cities that use the water and even people from the governor’s office. But of course missing were the Town of Fishers, who annexed the reservoir last year and Representative Kathy Richardson. I can understand the Town of Fishers, you see they only would show up if they could make money form the reservoir, if they could figure out a tax or fee to correct they would be at the meeting. Just watch if they annex the home around the reservoir they will institute a water clean-up fee, blaming the use of fertilizer from the homeowners and do nothing. Also missing was Kathy, who it appears does not go to meetings, and I am running against her in the fall election. Now I was at the meeting. Part of Geist is in Kathy’s district. But Kathy a long time ago forgot what represent the people means.

What am I going to do? The message was loud and clear one of the factors that can cause the growth of the algae is fertilizer with phosphorus in it. So my lawn has non-phosphors fertilizer being applied this summer and from now on. I have also installed a water aeration pump by my dock to add air into the water that helps with water quality.

If elected I will do something no one at the meeting was willing to stand up and do. I would submit legislation to ban the use of phosphors fertilizer anywhere in a watershed in Indiana or for sale in stores for use on properties less than five acres. This would still allow the use by farmers, but would remove the use by all homeowners and by the commercial lawn care companies.

My name is Joe Weingarten and I approve this message.
Weingarten for 29th District State Representative