From Water Level to Water Quality - The Focus Changes

GoLakeChelan recently received Emails from 2 local Lake Chelan Valley residents, each of which included very similar photos of beaches 10 miles apart, but of which both displayed the same characteristics.

The contributor of the first (TOP 2 Photos) ~ resident Phil Long.

The bottom photos were taken near Mill Bay by local citizen Kasmira Elliot.

Both were writing to ask if anyone knew about the cause of the condition; and we think it would be safe to say that BOTH were concerned that it was some source of pollution or a residual condition from activity on the lands in the past.

Phil Long noted that the area in front of the USFS was once occupied by a lumber mill (before the lake was raised). His Emails included a significant amount of scientific explanations that we would prefer to leave to him to post here so as to be sure that it gets said correctly.

The question remains: What is causing this seepage into the lake when the water is down and is it dangerous to water quality. Is it happening when the lake is up too, but we just don’t see it? Should we be concerned ? And if so - who would be responsible?

Both Phil and Kasmira sent added and enlarged photos which we make available for our readers to view:

USFS      - Phil Long          - CLICK HERE
Mill Bay - Kasmira Elliot  - CLICK HERE

Resident Phil Long tested samples taken at the foot of the lake and reports:
The ones I tested appear to be “biological” per the simple test suggested by the Washington Department of Ecology. Now, the question still is what has driven the sediment anaerobic in the first place, something I think probably is related to mill operations, possibly just an abundance of organic carbon from woody debris, but also possibly from creosote or other contaminants.

In an earlier email to the Lake Chelan Water Quality Committee, Phil told that group:
On March 8th I was walking along the beach near the PUD swimming area adjacent to the Forest Service in Chelan and noticed hydrocarbon sheen on water and wet sediments at a few locations. I went back and photographed and located these area with a GPS on March 9th. I have attached the location map and photos of one of the areas for your information.

It is entirely possible that the sheens are naturally produced by biogeochemical cycling of carbon. It is also possible that they are residual from hydrocarbon contamination associated with an old saw mill that reportedly existed in the area prior to construction of the Chelan Dam. My questions to the LCWQC are 1) have these materials been sampled previously and 2) If not, are they enough of a concern that they should be sampled or can we decide if they are naturally occurring or not without sampling? If they turn out to be a contaminant, would it make sense to remove a limited amount of sediment at low water or are we better off leaving the material in place and allowing the contaminant hydrocarbons to naturally attenuate?

When GoLakeChelan reader Kasmira Elliot submitted her first photos she included the following comments:
I was wondering if you or someone at GoLakeChelan has time to find out what is all over the exposed lake bed at Mill Bay. I attached a few pictures that I took today.
My family and I were down there taking pictures and walking around and noticed a really foul odor, what appeared to be oil and just alot of foamy ick. (for lack of a better word).
 
GoLakeChelan invites our readers to join in this discussion.