Bay of Plenty Regional Council says if a trial aimed at preventing the release of nitrogen and phosphorous from the bed of Lake Rotoehu is successful, it could be used in bigger lakes in the region.
The $500,000 project which aims to improve water quality and reduce algal bloom, involves constantly mixing deep and shallow water in the lake using plastic tubes and compressed airlines.
The council's lake operations manager Andy Bruere says if successful the aeration technique could be used in Lake Rotorua which is ten times the size of Rotoehu.
He says information gathered on the movement of sediment, pump performance, water quality and any ecological effects will be analysed and assessed.
Mr Bruere says the project, which has the full backing of local Maori, should be underway within a couple of months.
