GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Starting this month, you may see a small fan boat near the shoreline of our local lakes. The Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group, through partnerships with the Lake Norman and Wylie Lake Commissions, North Carolina State University and Duke Energy, will spend the next several months working to prevent the growth of Lyngbya along the shore.
The 2025 season marks the second year of treatment aimed at keeping Lyngbya at bay. A species of cyanobacteria that lives on lake beds, Lyngbya can bloom on the surface during warmer months. When it does, it forms dense, dark-colored mats with a wool-like texture and a dark odor.
“You’re not supposed to swim in it or Jet Ski across it or anything like that,” Neil Brennan, executive director of the Lake Wylie Commission, said. “It can clog water intakes, so it’s a real nuisance and can be a health problem as well.”
When humans come in contact with Lyngbya, it can cause rashes and skin irritations, but bacteria can also release toxins that can cause illness and even death in pets.
Brennan said the management group has found a few dozen acres of Lyngbya growth between the three lakes, but if left untreated, the algae is known to spread rapidly.
“Lake Gaston on the North Carolina-Virginia state line has hundreds of acres of this stuff because they couldn’t get their arms around how to treat it for years,” he said.
Based on the studies in Lake Gaston, NC State’s aquatic management program has developed a treatment that’s proven effective in reducing Lyngbya presence.
“We’re in the eradication and containment phase right now to stay ahead of the game here,” Brennan said.
Chemical algaecides are applied directly to the lake beds in impacted areas. Fan boats help the application company, Aqua Services Inc., access the shallow areas where the Lyngbya tends to grow. The chemical treatment is safe for swimmers and local wildlife.
Brennan said the management program has already identified areas for treatment, but he still encourages everyone who visits or boats on the lakes to report any strange growths or algae blooms to the Duke Energy Aquatic Plant Reporting Tool. He said they’ll come out and analyze the growth to see if it’s Lyngbya or another potentially harmful plant.
Brennan said funding for the treatment is a mix of state and local money, as well as funding from Duke Energy. All six counties bordering the lakes have committed to helping fund treatment this year. The management group hopes to continue treatment through the summer of 2026 in the hopes of completely eradicating Lyngbya from all three lakes.
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