BATON ROUGE - Algae in University Lake is growing and getting worse. But a solution is in the works. BREC, which maintains the lake, says it’s ordered carp to help curb the problem. The fish will come from out of state, but BREC says it’s not sure when they will arrive.

BREC is also researching alternative management strategies to copper sulfate, which is typically what is used to treat algae blooms. It’s going to wait to see what impact the carp has on the pond first, before attempting a chemical treatment. BREC plans to focus on the smaller City Park Lake near the golf course where it will try some different techniques such as mechanical removal in an attempt to ensure the chemical application is only used as a last resort.

The carp will help eat the plant that could cause issues in the future. If the algae were to die it would remove the oxygen from the water which will cause the fish to die.