Letter to the Editor: Green lawns and algae blooms

To the Editor:

A couple of weeks ago there was a hullabaloo when one of the condominium complexes on Echo Lake announced that it was going to use Roundup to kill the water lilies in the south end of the lake.

The Board of the condominium association backed off after an outcry by other people living on the lake. This raises the question of why the water lilies are out of control? Why do we have so many algae blooms in the lake?

Why, for that matter, are all the lawns in front of the condominiums on Echo Lake so green, even in the summer? It’s natural in this area for lawns to turn brown in the summer. The only answer can be nitrogen from fertilizer put on lawns keeps the grass green and ends up in the lake.

To the condominiums on Echo Lake: Stop using Weed and Feed and you won’t need Roundup!

John Merriam
Shoreline