Lakes Report: May - July 1, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010 at 10:43PM Please enjoy the beaches and improved swimming & boating! Fences are to keep birds off the sand, not people out! Enjoy!
This just in: E. coli testing results: Water testing results were returned 7/02, with E. coli levels completely safe for public swimming. Tests were drawn at Rock Park & L.A. Park beaches and at Midway graveled path at Greenook Lake. Have fun!
6/29/10 meeting attended by Lois Maharg, Wes Daining, Helen Weingarten, Gordon Sheill, Kathie Weinmann, Jeffrey Miller (LAIA board liason)
Beaches: The commercial ‘Benthic Barrier’ is in @L.A. beach. It’s about 10 ft. out and is fine to walk on, making the bottom feel less mucky. Volunteers pulled weeds in sandy areas and raked dead water weeds. THANKS FOLKS!!
Savin Lake Services: Savin Lake Services re-treated both lakes for algae on June 21. They will again treat for algae in August, monitoring water temperatures. Water Tested for eColi on June 28. Results will be reported a.s.a.p.
Birds & Fish(ing): L.A.’s swans came to the upper lake for food because theirs was wiped out on the lower lake by the initial Savin treatment on May 25. This also coincided w/ fish spawning; cover plants died. Fishing is compromised w/o the cover vegetation the fish need. Savin has explained that decimating the invasive weeds was necessary to allow native plants a place to begin to re-grow. We are working w/ them to plan selectively treating the lower lake to allow native vegetation beds for birds and fish. Boats A Lakes Comm. member is taking inventory of boats stored at Rock Park and contacting owners: All boats must have a L.A. boat permit. Boats should be locked to prevent vandalism. Please maintain yours by cleaning vegetation growing nearby. NOTE: Unidentified boats may be sold in the next month, check LAIA ‘classified ads’ to purchase!
Lane 10 basin: This retention basin is not functioning properly; handling drainage and releasing it to the lower lake after filtering. There is work to be done; more information as available.
AACC & Boyden Creek: We would like to plan a work party to repair creek walls as a joint effort w/AACC and recognize they have other priorities now. Such a work party brings out the best in volunteerism and we hope it can proceed in September. Discussion w/the Greens keeper is in progress. There are concerns that heavy rainfall could cause the creek @ Bridgeway (in Rock Park, not on AACC property) to cut through to detention pond; spare rocks from other areas may be used to shore this up.
HRWC & Boyden Creek: Lakes Comm. is reaching out to Huron River Watershed Council for expertise on excess silt in the lakes (as endpoints of Boyden Creek, the 8.5 mile creekshed that feeds our lakes). Elizabeth Riggs, Watershed Planner HRWC was invited to talk w/ us, she is likely to join us in July or August.
Rain gardens & Clean Water Act Sec. 319 funds: Helen W. & Gordon S. observed the water basin @ end of Eastgate. Gordon put together a PowerPoint presentation with highlights of Eastgate creek and several local rain gardens after reaching out to Garden Club’s Pat Lee. Helen suggests an email effort to contact folks who may have run-off problems and would like to come to a discussion re. rain gardens. Kathie W. and Pat Lee attended joint HRWC & J.F. New / Hardscape (contractors) presentation on Allen’s & Miller’s Creek rain gardens, constructed with MDNRE 319 Non-Point Source Control grant assistance. It was very impressive; we saw 4 different rain gardens on school yard, business, neighborhood corner and private lots. Kathie W. hopes that a L.A. resident might explore this grant program further, focusing on L.A. common areas and run-off concerns—contact weinman1@aaps.k12.mi.us for links.
Other: Folks fishing at platforms may not be residents. Games at L.A. Park bring more outside folks to explore the neighborhood. Be safe but watchful for unauthorized use of the lakes, beaches, paths, etc. and report concerns to L.A. Security.
LAKES VOLUNTEERS are ALWAYS WELCOME! by Kathie Weinmann
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