 constructed wetlands downhill between hotel and lake |
 constructed wetlands downhill between hotel and lake |
|
constructed wetlands downhill between hotel and lake |
constructed wetlands downhill between hotel and lake |
The water level in Mountain Lake has dropped precipitously in the last decade, threatening the scenic view and reducing recreational opportunities. Places that once offered waterfront views now require old visitors to squint, or use binoculars. Since 1998, efforts of the lake owners have focused on understanding and explaining the natural process rather than interfering with it - but reportedly in the past, mattresses and other items were dumped into the lake to plug the leak.
The drainage area of Mountain Lake is predominantly a wilderness area, excluding the developed propoert of the hotel and the University of Virginia's biological field station. Natural sources of nitrogen and phosphorous are limited, but man-made sources threatened to shift the ecoilogy of the lake from nutrient-poor to nutrient-rich. Extra algae in the lake would reduce the clarity and beauty of the view.
The hotel has sought to minimize lake pollution, while maintaining the vista and recreational facilities on the edge of the lake. Wetlands constructed between the lawn in front of the hotel and the lake now intercept fertilizer and pesticides. Plants in the wetlands absorb the nutrients, and cleaner water is discharged into the lake. Wastewater produced in the cabins and hotel rooms is treated and sprayed onto the forest soil above the lake. Bacteria and plant roots are expected to absorb nutrients in the soil, long before the water eventually trickles into Mountain Lake.
A network of hiking trails radiating from the hotel offer access to the Mountain Lake Wilderness area, and up Bald Knob for a great vista of the New River Valley. The Appalachian Trail is located two miles away.
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