Ginger Cove HOA conquers Algae

For more than four decades, the scenic lakefront community of Ginger Cove in Valley, Nebraska, battled recurring harmful algae blooms that clouded their beautiful waters and disrupted recreation. Despite years of chemical treatments and aeration systems, long-term results remained out of reach.

That changed in 2016 when Ginger Cove launched a renewed water quality program focused on sustainable, science-based solutions — beginning with bacterial enzyme treatments and later integrating SonicPure technology to address nutrient buildup and control blue-green algae. Today, residents are enjoying the clearest, healthiest lake water in decades, all achieved through an environmentally friendly approach that restores balance to the ecosystem.

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The Challenge

For over forty years, maintaining healthy water quality at Ginger Cove has been a persistent struggle. The picturesque lakefront community battled recurring outbreaks of filamentous and blue-green algae, testing nearly every available method to restore clarity and balance.

In the early 2000s, the HOA installed a large aeration system to increase oxygen levels and support aquatic life. While this improved conditions for fish, it did little to prevent the seasonal surge of algae blooms that continued to cloud the lake. In search of a better solution, the HOA board consulted with water-quality specialists who recommended an alum treatment to neutralize phosphorus — one of the nutrients that fuels algae growth. However, the treatment proved both costly and limited, addressing only phosphorus while leaving nitrogen, the other key nutrient, untouched.

By 2016, a new board member, Carly Dana, spearheaded a fresh approach to water management focused on long-term sustainability and ecosystem health.

“There was a realization that years of chemical-based treatments and other techniques had not proven effective,” Dana explained. “We wanted to embrace the latest science and technology to find solutions that worked — without harming fish or wildlife.”

The HOA adopted a bacterial enzyme application program to naturally break down organic matter, reduce nutrient buildup, and improve clarity. Over six seasons, the results were impressive: lower phosphorus, nearly undetectable nitrogen levels, and a visible reduction in filamentous algae.

Still, one challenge persisted — harmful blue-green algae blooms. Despite progress, these cyanobacterial outbreaks continued to discolor the lake and occasionally produced microcystin, a dangerous toxin harmful to humans, pets, and aquatic life. The only remaining treatment option at the time was chelated copper, a chemical approach that risked undoing the lake’s biological progress and damaging its fragile ecosystem.

This dilemma reflects a broader issue facing lakes across the country. Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) thrive in nutrient-rich, warm water and pose not only ecological risks but also public health and economic concerns. According to the EPA, cyanobacterial blooms cost the U.S. an estimated $4.6 billion annually in treatment, lost recreation, and property devaluation. For Ginger Cove, finding a safe, effective, and sustainable solution became a matter of both environmental responsibility and community pride.

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