Tarrytown, New York
By LIZZIE HEDRICK: Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollow Patch (Tarrytown, NY) – January 11, 2010
TARRYTOWN – For nearly 100 years, Tarrytown’s two lakes provided drinking water to all of the village’s residents. However, since 1980 the lakes — known to locals as Upper and Lower Lake — have sat stagnant, amassing high levels of grime and algae.
“We had scientists come and test the water, and it was determined that the lakes still supported a viable ecosystem, but just barely. They said it was just a matter of time before the water would be declared completely dead” – Yoram Gelman, long-time Tarrytown resident and active member of the Tarrytown Lakes Committee.
From: Tarrytown Village Board of Trustees Minutes – May 17, 2010
“BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Tarrytown hereby authorizes and directs the Village Administrator to execute a contract with Lake Savers, LLC for the purpose of installing, operating and maintaining a lake management system in the upper Tarrytown Lake.”
Saving Tarrytown Upper Reservoir
Tarrytown’s Upper Reservoir is a 25 acre lake with a maximum depth of 12 feet. When Lake Savers contracted with the Village of Tarrytown to restore the upper reservoir in July 2010, the lake was completely over-run with milfoil and coontail, and there were substantial blue-green algae throughout the lake system. In addition, filamentous algae had overtaken the shoreline. 12-18” of organic muck had accumulated on the lake-bottom.
Our Solution
Our solution was straightforward and aggressive. In July 2010 we installed our Whole-Lake™ system to get the lake breathing again, and accelerate aerobic assimilation of decayed organic muck on the lake-bottom.
Tarrytown Upper Reservoir Success
30 days later, milfoil and coontail had been uprooted from the lake-bottom and began to fail. 60 days later, filamentous algae had been eliminated, blue-green algae and other lake weeds had been significantly reduced, and sand/gravel was exposed at the shoreline.
“Watching Tarrytown’s lakes get dirtier and dirtier was something people in the village really didn’t like. Having this goal come to fruition is very exciting. There’s nothing more gratifying than helping your town run more efficiently—and also making it into a truly beautiful place to live.” Amy Wessan – Chairman of the Tarrytown Lakes Committee
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