Can Lake Merritt be saved from another fish kill?

In an article by Ricky Rodas and Darwin BondGraham, they discuss the aftermath of a massive fish kill caused by a harmful algae bloom last summer in San Francisco Bay's Lake Merritt. With the lake's ecosystem severely impacted and concerns over future algae blooms and storm effects, the Lake Merritt Institute is working to study the lake and develop long-term solutions. Eli Kersh of LakeTech has placed sensor buoys in the lake to monitor water quality and provide real-time data to help create a blueprint for a system that addresses water quality and oxygenation issues.

The institute and Oakland city officials are considering installing smaller propellor-style circulating fountains and oxygen saturation systems, aiming to implement a pilot project to demonstrate the effectiveness of these interventions. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to raise $150,000 for new shallow-water aerators, additional monitoring buoys, staff, and equipment repairs, raising over $8,000 so far. Measure Q, a voter-approved parcel tax for park maintenance and water quality projects, may also be used for the pilot project or long-term investment.