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Letter to the editor: Bird waste is environmental issue

Peter Bosco
Truckee

As we prepare for our annual Truckee Day, more attention should be paid to the largest pollution issue we currently face. That is the slow degragation of Donner Lake.

Anyone that has been here for a number of years, knows that the geese are new comers to our area, With their numbers growing, they are proving to be distructive to the shore line and the lake itself. Each bird deposts approximately 5 pounds of waste per day.

Do the math: 100 birds at 5 pounds per day times 100 days equals 50,000 pounds of waste per season. The end result is a visible layer of nitrogen layden waste coating the lake bottom and unsanitary droppings on the public beach areas.



Until recently, the Lake was a primary sourse of drinking water. There have been bloom outbreaks in the Lake because of the ferterlizer provided by the birds. Donner Lake is the crown jewel of our community. Action should be taken before it is to late. Tule Lake is a prime example of the damage geese can cause over time.


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