January Lake Level Control Sub-Committee Meeting

Lake Level Control Sub-Committee Meeting Minutes
January 8, 2014

Members present include Gil Kandrac, Walt Samson and Chairman Rick Gainar. Also present was RRA Board President Dell Rogers.

Meeting called to order at 2PM at the Association Office.

Items discussed:
1. Discussion of the various forms of phosphorus and the ways it enters our lake. Phosphorus can either a) be transported from our large watershed into the lake during storm events, or b) internally released from sediment in deep water from at the bottom of the lake. Our Lake Management Committee Plan charges our committee, the Lake Level Control Sub-Committee, to address internally released phosphorus and the Lake Sediment/Nutrient Control Sub-Committee to address phosphorus transported from outside the lake.
2. Our committee is investigating a hypolimnetic withdrawal system (bottom withdrawal siphon spillway) first as the tool we use to improve water quality as it relates to the release of nutrients from deep-water sediment. It is by far the most efficient and economical means to this end and, therefore, should be consider first and thoroughly. There is currently a significant effort in Ohio to limit the amount of phosphorus that enters Lake Erie. This effort may cause state agencies, such as the Ohio EPA, to severely restrict our use of a hypolimnetic withdrawal system. If we determine the siphon spillway would no longer be effective with these EPA restrictions, we will begin investigation of the next most efficient tool, hypolimnetic aeration.
3. Gil Kendrac will investigate the water/sewage lines that cross a shallow cove near the dam. We will need to understand the effect a freezing, winter drawdown would have on these lines.

Our next meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 at 2:00PM. Our regular meeting date is the 2nd Wednesday of each month at the Association Office so mark your calendars!

Meeting was adjourned at 3:30PM

by RD Gainar on December 13, 2013