Little Lake Jackson Alum Injection Project

Little Lake Jackson is an extremely hypereutrophic lake located to the west of US 27 and the City of Sebring.  Water flows into Little Lake Jackson from big Lake Jackson when water levels are high and from a main inflow canal that runs through the Sebring Municipal Golf Course on the northwest end of the Lake.  Numerous canals, called the 'Erin Park Canals,' branch off of the lake to the southwest.  Most of the water flows into the lake through the main inflow canal, which flows continuously; previous studies indicate that the Erin Park canals leak water away from the lake. 

The excessive levels of nutrients in Little Lake Jackson have caused frequent, unsightly algae blooms.  Nitrogen and phosphorus levels are both high, reaching 2380 ppb and 113 ppb respectively (based on LAKEWATCH data), causing severe algae blooms.  Nitrogen is very difficult to remove from the water, but there are treatments available to remove phosphorus, which will greatly reduce algal growth since algae need both nitrogen and phosphorus.  Highlands County, the City of Sebring, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Southwest Florida Water Management District are cooperatively funding a project to remove much of the phosphorus entering the lake through the main inflow canal by the addition of 'alum.'  Alum is actually aluminum sulfate, which dissolves into separate aluminum and sulfate ions in the water, at the proper pH.  The aluminum ion then is free to attach itself to phosphate ions as they pass the alum injection point.  The newly formed aluminum phosphate is a 'floc' that settles to the bottom of the lake where algae cannot use the phosphorus.  Water clarity is expected to increase after this system is in operation. 

However, the long term solution to the nutrient problem in Little Lake Jackson is to identify nutrient sources and reduce nutrient runoff into the lake wherever possible.  Initial studies indicate that most of the nutrients entering the lake are derived from septic tank effluent and fertilizer applications to homes and golf courses (there is very little agriculture in this watershed).

    CURRENT PROGRESS                            

All phases of the project are now complete.  The building that houses the alum injection system is in place at City of Sebring Municipal Golf Course off of Golfview Road.  A treatment pond has been constructed at the site and our office has been involved in sampling water from the dewatering of the pond in order to be in compliance with DEP regulations.

As soon as there has been an adequate amount of rainfall, the system will be in full operation.