Lake Management Short-Term Plan

By David Ernes – Lake Management Committee

The RRA Board recently announced the hiring of EnviroScience to act as our Lake Advisor. One of the functions of the Advisor is to develop both short term and long-term management plans focused on the improvement of the lake water quality.

The Short-Term Management Plan [SMP] was recently released and the major parts approved by the Board after consideration by various RRA committees. It was reviewed at the Annual Meeting and at a Lake Education meeting in early May. For those who could not attend either, this article details the major points of this plan. Note that this SMP is designed to bridge the gap between the current season and the time when a Long-Term Management Plan [LMP] can be properly investigated and developed.

The primary part of the SMP is to implement the treatment of the lake to control the growth of the blue-green algae. This will be done by AquaDoc using an EPA approved product known as VodaGuard C. This is a copper-based product similar to LakeGuard® Blue, which was used successfully at Chippewa Lake. Copper is an algaecide that will kill the blue-green algae. It is expected that this will be a short-term solution and will only be used as a ‘band-aid” until the LMP is ready.

Another area of interest is aquatic vegetation control. As was already announced, the AquaDoc treatment program has been approved for the summer of 2021. The program received high marks from those who used it last year. The SMP also made recommendations regarding the use of the weed harvester to limit its impact on the lake.

Dredging is also addressed in the plan. Dredging, while necessary to maintain navigation, can also negatively impact the lake by resuspension of sediment and the resultant release of nutrients. Such a nutrient spike can amplify Algal Blooms and thus interfere with the treatment mention above. Therefore, to minimize the impact on the treatment program, dredging will be delayed until after Labor Day.

Many know that the bacteria level at the beaches (last year, at Beach 1 in particular) has been an issue. Based on DNA testing, one likely cause is the geese population. Therefore, a recommendation was made to examine options for geese control. Some are currently in place with the Geese Deterrent program and a green laser that will be evaluated at Beach 1. Proper design of lakefront landscaping can also discourage the congregation of geese. One such option is a properly designed buffer zone adjacent to the water. A workshop will be scheduled later in the year to present options that can be done by each homeowner to not only deter geese visitation but also assist in controlling erosion and nutrient flows into the lake. A demonstration site is in the early stages of planning. The more we do locally, the better our chances for success. And each practice we follow represents a reduction in the efforts (and cost) of more comprehensive programs. Now, more than ever, it is the time to …

Be Lake Responsible

(The full SMP can be found on the RRA website under the Lake Management tab. Feel free to review the plan, as it gives an excellent justification and review of the criteria and options evaluated during the planning process. If you have questions, let us know – romerocklmc@gmail.com).