Matt St. John is a water quality engineer with the CA Water Board. I forwarded the info from Australia re: algae to him and his reply is below. Note that the source of phosphorus in our system is inflow to the reservoirs.

S. Craig Tucker, Ph.D. Klamath Campaign Coordinator Karuk Tribe of California office: 530-627-3446 x3027 cell: 916-207-8294 ctucker@karuk.us   www.karuk.us

-----Original Message----- From: Matt St. John [mailto:MStJohn@waterboards.ca.gov] Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2007 12:27 PM To: Jacobkann@aol.com; ctucker@karuk.us; scorum@karuk.us; Catherine Kuhlman Subject: Re: FW: solutions from australia instead of dam removal

Craig,

I have not heard of this company. It sounds like their product binds to the sediment at the bottom of a lake/reservoir and chemically restricts the transfer of phosphorus from the sediments to the water column.  If effective, this product would reduce the amount of internal phosphorus from entering the water column.  This product would not in any way control upstream sources of phosphorus, so it's really only a band-aid type of solution.

Regards, Matt

Matt St. John Water Resources Control Engineer

TMDL Unit
(707) 570-3762
(707) 523-0135 Fax mstjohn@waterboards.ca.gov

North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
5550 Skylane Blvd. Ste. A Santa Rosa, CA 95403

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." Albert Einstein

"Craig Tucker" <ctucker@karuk.us> 7/5/2007 7:52 AM >>> Interesting I guess. Y'all know anything about these guys or if their claims are legit?

S. Craig Tucker, Ph.D.
Klamath Campaign Coordinator
Karuk Tribe of California
office: 530-627-3446 x3027
cell: 916-207-8294
ctucker@karuk.us
www.karuk.us

Guys,
Mr McKinney from Australia sends some solutions to water quality that will preserve the Klamath River dams too.
KBC
----- Original Message -----

From: Sean <mailto:smckinney@phoslock.com.au>  McKinney

To: kbc@klamathbasincrisis.org

Cc: Jim Miller <mailto:jim.miller@cetco.com> 

Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 10:16 PM

To the attention of Mr. Craig Tucker, fellow campaigners and Klamath Water Users,

Dear Craig, and fellow friends of the ENVIRONMENT,

I have been following your cause over the internet and thought it time to talk to you guys. Our ancient land down-under (Australia) is like the rest of the world suffering once again from mans interference with nature. The influence on our aquatic environments from our fellow man spreading the land with super - phosphates to enhance crop yields replenish nutrients grow more, better, quicker etc has finally up with us.

The point source discharge of waste product from waste water treatment plants, septic systems leaching into the soil and eventually our environment are further examples of continued eutrophication of our water bodies. Furthermore the eutrophied water bodies in the Power Industry experience increased and continual algal blooms. The nutrients are continually cycled up, all a part of the dams use for the cooling process.

Craig, in the USA I believe aluminium sulphate (''ALUM'') is applied to some eutrophied water bodies, I find this quite amazing. The use of alum is ok in a controlled water authority reservoir, but no, please not in the natural environment such as the very dams and waters you are trying to protect, besides alum does not totally bind up phosphorus and it is eventually re-released to once again fuel the cyanophyta.

Craig, Phoslock Water Solutions www.phoslock.com.au  are an organisation with the ability to offer the holistic solution. We look at the whole system from the limnological aspects to nutrient capacity (water and sediment sampling) of the lake or dam and combine a total water/nutrient management solution using our product Phoslock, a natural modified bentonite. We would encourage you to view our website as well as our licensees Cetco under www.phoslock.com to gain a better understanding.

We are currently undertaking negotiations in Europe to remediate a 1200 hectare lake, we have completed several other projects globally and of course within Australia.Craig, by co-incidence I am flying to Queensland in Northern Australia next week to meet with two major Australian Power Generation companies to discuss Phoslock treatments for their lakes/dams because of toxic blue green algae blooms.

I hope we are able to be of service, there is nothing else like Phoslock in the world that we are aware of and I believe Phoslock is a better solution than getting rid of the dams, the clock can be re-set with Phoslock and perhaps this is something that can be put forward to Warren Buffet. If you would like send me some data and I will compile a rough estimate of the cost, I believe Mr. Buffet would be quite surprised if it were presented to him, there are in fact added benefits for the power stations that can be elaborated on which would see some costs infact reduced and efficiencies increased.

Data required for rough estimate; Size of reservoir/lake in hectares; pH; Alkalinity; Total phosphorus levels; filtrable reactive phosphorus levels;  When do the blooms occur, species of cyanophyta, any limnological data, anoxic zones etc etc

Craig, I have attached ( Attachment #1, #2,) some recent data that shows after the treatment of the reservoir with Phoslock the shift in toxic blue green algal species to ''healthy greens'' a natural part of any good eco system.

The environment does not understand cost and can not be continually meddled with hence when we work with such systems we do it right the first time from the start. We can do this for the Karuk people and Warren Buffet's PacifiCorp.

Craig, I would ask you to share this information with the BGA Working Group and others. We have an extremely competent technical team which also includes Dr. David Garman, the current chairman of the International Water Association and leading authority in this area.

I have copied in our licensee manager responsible for Phoslock in the USA, Mr. Jim MilIler.

In anticipation

Regards

Sean McKinney Australian Sales Manager Phoslock Water Solutions
235 Sutherlands Road Riddells Creek Victoria 3431
03 54 286588
0433 989123 smckinney@phoslock.com.au