Dumping Leaves in Lake Mitchell Might Soon Be Illegal

MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) — Dumping grass, leaves or tree branches into Lake Mitchell might soon be against the law.

The Lake Mitchell Advisory Committee is recommending that those items be added to the city's littering ordinance. Right now, the city law targets only items such as paper and plastic.

City officials are trying to solve a long-term algae problem in the lake. Golf and Cemetery Director Kevin Thurman says leaves are a large source of algae-causing phosphorous in the water.

The Daily Republic newspaper reports that the ordinance would be targeted at people who purposely dump leaves in the lake — not at shoreline property owners who have trees from which leaves fall into the water.

The City Council will have the final say on the proposal.

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