Crews Install Aeration Systems to Improve Smell, Quality of Layton Reservoir Water
Jul 10, 2019, 11:18 PM | Updated: Jul 11, 2019, 8:27 am
LAYTON, Utah – Andy Adams Reservoir has scenery straight out of a postcard that makes it a popular recreation and fishing spot for locals, but managers admit the water’s quality isn’t completely ideal and, occasionally, neither is the smell.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever smelled rotten eggs out of a RV that’s had bad water in it,” said Scott Green of Kays Creek Irrigation. “It’s pretty bad.”
Wednesday, the company teamed with Layton City workers, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources biologists and a Davis County Sheriff’s dive team to install SolarBee aerators they hoped would help to mitigate some of the issues.
“What we’re trying to do is improve the quality of water for the fish because the fish have a tendency to die in this shallow of a pond,” Green said. “These here by pushing air through them will stimulate the air and the water and the oxygen for the fish and it will also help the stagnant water that comes out for the pressurized people that smells like rotten eggs.”
The reservoir supplies irrigation and secondary water to areas of Layton.
Green said crews had tried several other remedies, including magnets in the line.
“We got a hold of people in Denver, SolarBee, and they said this will help with the stagnant water, it will help with the quality of the water, and they’re hoping it helps with the iron stain, too,” Green said.
Green said Layton City contributed money to the project, as did the DWR through a grant.
It wasn’t exactly a simple process to install the aeration systems.
Biologists and other workers carefully lowered the systems from a motor boat, and then the dive team helped to complete the work under water.
“You’ll be able to see the bubbles as they come up from the water, and it’s supposed to circulate it and stimulate the lake so that it’s a good quality lake,” Green said. “We’re trying to do all we can to improve the quality of this water for everybody.”