By D.Ernes – Lake Management Committee

There have been additional reports of pets encountering active blooms resulting in illness and in some cases death. It is useful to remind people of the risks to our for-legged friends.

First, these reports are talking about exposure to toxins that can be released from cyanobacteria [CB], which most people refer to as blue-green algae. As an organism, CB has been around as long as water has been on earth. It is present in a great many lakes in Ohio including ours. But why is this an issue with dogs?

Unlike us, dogs cannot read beach warning signs, or e-blasts and have no issues drinking water that has green swirls in it. The EPA website says “When in doubt, keep pets out”. Additionally, dogs (and other animals as well) may be more susceptible to the toxins that can be present. The most common toxin, microcystin, can cause liver damage that can be fatal in dogs. Here are some things that you should know.

1. This is not something new. There have been reports of animal deaths related to ingestion of lake water as early as 1878. It has become very visible in our 24/7 news environment.
2. Symptoms of exposure include: diarrhea, vomiting, drooling, weakness, seizures and breathing difficulties to name a few. If you notice these symptoms, take your pet immediately to the vet. Exposure can be fatal after a few hours to several days depending on the size of the pet and the quantity ingested. There is no cure, but treatments have been shown to be successful.
3. The Veterinary Merck Manual indicates that the greatest effect is from ingestion of a concentrated bloom. The amount of water ingested that can be fatal can vary from a few ounces to several gallons. For those of you with a health background, it states that the toxins have a steep dose-response curve where as much as 90% of a lethal dose can be ingested without measurable effect.

I have been unable to find any references regarding exposure limits for pets to toxins like there are for humans. So, if you see that there is a bloom on the surface of the water (often seen in the early hours of the day), keep your pet away from it. If they go in, don’t panic. Just get them out, rinse them off and keep an eye out for symptoms. If you send them outside, make sure they drink clean water before they go out, so that they are not thirsty. Have clean water available to them when they are outside, so they are not tempted to drink from the lake. Take care of our furry friends and …

BE LAKE (And PET) RESPONSIBLE

This past week, a major rain event interfered with our recent attempt to treat the lake. Working with AquaDoc, we will be trying again to do the first half treatment on August 21. Unfortunately, we will not be able to treat the entire lake before the Labor Day holiday. As such, we have decided to treat the northern half of the lake first. This is because a significant amount of the in-lake activities occurs in the northern half. Because of EPA requirements, the southern half of the lake will not be treated before the holiday weekend. We had this same split treatment schedule for the first treatment the end of June with the northern half delayed until after the Fourth holiday.

With sections of the lake untreated for the Holiday weekend, everyone needs to be vigilant and avoid contact with any area showing signs of blue-green algae (swirls of green similar to paint). Please note that the copper algaecide is effective for blue-green algae but may not eliminate the filamentous green algae completely. We will send an update once we have a plan for the southern half.

*Please note that should these plans change; we will let you know as soon as possible. 
 
1) The lake level will be lowered to comply with the Ohio EPA requirements for this application. We hope to only lower it 2-4 inches. Please adjust your boat tie downs to accommodate the water level change. 
 
2) Please turn off all fountains or other devices that agitate the lake water in the application area on Monday AM. They may be turned back on Wednesday, August 23.
 
3) The application will be applied during the day of August 21. 
 
4) Please refrain from any activities on the lake, including boating, jet skis, etc, starting Monday August 21 to allow the treatment to be effective and to spread in a predictable manner. Boat traffic may resume on Wednesday, August 23.  The boat ramp will be closed from Monday AM until Wednesday AM.
 
5) While the lake is deemed safe following the application, we are closing the beaches Monday August 21, and reopening them on Friday, August 25, as a precautionary measure. Swimming and other activities involving direct contact with the lake should be avoided during this time. While unlikely, if you observe any undisposed product (a powder with a bluish tint), avoid direct contact and let the office know where it is observed.
 
6) Do not water your property with water from the lake during this period.

7) If you live in the southern end of the lake, please avoid contact with any active blooms until it can be treated.
 
While these steps may be inconvenient, they are necessary to insure the best chance for a successful application.

8/16 Update: Treatment Update

The heavy rains last night prevented us from lowering the lake sufficiently to allow the treatment to proceed. Our EPA permit requires that no water is flowing over the spillway. Therefore, we will be postponing the first half treatment until next week. All restrictions have been lifted. However, since we are observing active blue-green algal blooms, use caution when on the lake and avoid direct contact with an active bloom. Stay safe.

We have noticed the reappearance of blue-green algae. As such, it is important that everyone avoid contact with an active bloom. It is unfortunate that this happened so quickly, but we will try to get the lake treated before the Labor Day holiday. We will need your help and patience. Please note that the algaecide is effective for blue-green algae, but may not eliminate the filamentous green algae completely.
 
We are scheduling the first half of the whole lake algal treatment for Wednesday, August 16.  This will include the northern end of the lake. The following steps will be done during the first treatment. *Please note that should these plans change, we will let you know as soon as possible. 
 
1) The lake level will be lowered to comply with the Ohio EPA requirements for this application. The valve is expected to be opened tonight. Please adjust your boat tie downs to accommodate the water level change. 
 
2) Please turn off all fountains or other devices that agitate the lake water in the application area on Wednesday AM.  They may be turned back on Friday, August 18.
 
3) The application will be applied during the day of August 16. 
 
4) Please refrain from any activities on the lake, including boating, jet skis, etc, starting Wednesday August 16 to allow the treatment to be effective and to spread in a predictable manner. Boat traffic may resume on Friday, August 18.  The boat ramp will be closed from Wednesday AM until Friday AM.
 
5) While the lake is deemed safe following the application, we are closing the beaches Wednesday, August 16, and reopening them on Saturday, August 19, as a precautionary measure. Swimming and other activities involving direct contact with the lake should be avoided during this time. While unlikely, if you observe any undisposed product (a powder with a bluish tint), avoid direct contact and let the office know where it is observed.
 
6) Do not water your property with water from the lake during this period.
 
7) If you live in the southern end of the lake, please avoid contact with any active blooms until it can be treated.
 
While these steps may be inconvenient, they are necessary to insure the best chance for a successful application. The northern half of the lake will be treated in two weeks. A notice will be issued once it has been scheduled.

Most of us remember the days when the lake was green with swirls of blue-green algae on the surface. We saw toxin levels exceed EPA limits, cautioning residents to avoid contact with the lake. The water was also cloudy, with poor transparency. 

Over three years ago, we began an effort to develop a Lake Management Plan. This plan has been flexible to allow changes while continuing to move forwards with actions that have shown success.

As a result of the Plan, we have seen a shift in those poor conditions. We have begun treating the blue-green algae before it gains a foothold, in spite of roadblocks that mother nature places on us. The lake is now clearer. The recent study shows that the fishery is healthy. And the algal toxins have been in control.

There have been a number of recent comments concerning what we are now seeing on the lake that we wanted to address. With the clearer waters, aquatic weeds and green filamentous algae are becoming more prevalent. An additional reason for their growth is that nutrients are driving the productivity of the lake. Until we begin to control the nutrients, something will grow using those nutrients. It is also possible that the early drought and the now prevalent rains are driving this growth. While less desirable aesthetically, these consequences are not detrimental to the health of the lake.

For the next steps, we have been working with outside vendors to develop programs to start to mitigate the nutrients and thus reduce the secondary effects of the control measures targeting blue-green algae. These efforts are more costly, and we are seeking ways to get financial assistance.

Until we move into the next phase of our plan, we will need to find ways to adapt to the changes. Many have indicated that they are manually harvesting the filamentous algae. It should be reminded that you should use precautions such as protective clothing and gloves while removing the clumps. Also, dispose of the material properly so that it does not come in contact with children or pets while it is drying. Filamentous algae is not toxic, but the clumps can contain other materials which some people may be sensitive to. We will also look for other ways of reducing the filamentous algae.

We don’t believe that anyone wants to go back to a blue-green algae dominated lake. It will take some patience, and maybe a little work, to get through this stage in our journey. Enjoy the lake!

By D. Ernes – Lake Management Committee

One of the more popular activities on the lake is boating. Just look at the lake during a nice weekend, and you will see a number of different types of boats, engaged in different types of activities. While each of us has their own idea of a pleasurable day on the lake, we must also consider one important effect of boating – the wake. It can have significant impacts. They include 1) risks to the safety of other boaters and swimmers, 2) the impact of the wake energy on the docks and boats tied off at lake front homeowner’s properties, and 3) the resuspension of sediment at the bottom of the lake which can cause an increase in phosphorous, fueling algal blooms.

Throughout the lake there are no wake zones. In these areas one must operate at no wake speeds which is defined as traveling at the minimum speed necessary for steerage of the vessel. But don’t get tied up on terminology – it really just means going slow. No wake buoys are placed at the entry of the coves, which are the shallowest parts of the lake. They also are usually the narrowest areas in the lake. Therefore, each of the negative aspects of wakes are amplified in these areas. The other important no wake zone is along the shoreline in the main body of the lake where you should travel at no wake speeds within 75 feet of the shoreline. There are a few studies that verify that by obeying no wake areas, negative impacts are minimized.

Recently, there has been some discussion on the impacts of wake boats. While the boat itself is not a problem, certain activities such as wakesurfing are of interest. There are a number of states, including Michigan and Wisconsin, who are looking at limiting wakesurfing and the impacts it has relative to a standard powerboat. One study found that wakesurfing generates 2-17 times the amount of wake energy as a standard outboard. And the distance it takes for the wake to dissipate is 2-3 times that of a standard boat. The wake energy downwards is also magnified, which can scour the lake bottom. The resuspended sediment can stay dispersed for hours, increasing the nutrients that can be released.

Each of the negative effects of boating on our lake and on our fellow resident’s property is magnified by several times while wakesurfing. It is suggested that, if you are operating your wake boat for wakesurfing or wakeboarding, that you try to confine the activities to the center of the lake, where it is the deepest.

We are working hard to develop a Lake Management Plan to improve the lake today and into the future. Anyone who chooses to ignore the no wake guidelines regardless of the type of watercraft, are making this task more difficult and more expensive for you and everyone else in the community.

BE WAKE RESPONSIBLE

To complete the whole lake algaecide treatment, the second half is tentatively scheduled for July 10th. This will include the northern end of the lake starting  just north of the beaches. The following steps will be done similar to what was done for the first first treatment.

*Please note that with the uncertainty in the weather,  should these plans change, we will let you know as soon as possible. 

1) The lake level will be assessed and if necessary, it may be lowered to comply with the Ohio EPA requirements for this application. Please adjust your boat tie downs to accommodate the water level change. 

2) Please turn off all fountains or other devices that agitate the lake water in the application area on Monday AM.  They may be turned back on Wednesday, July 12.

3) The application will be applied during the day of July 10. 

4) Please refrain from any activities on the lake, including boating, jet skis, etc, starting Monday, July 10 to allow the treatment to be effective and to spread in a predictable manner. Boat traffic may resume on Wednesday, July 12. The boat ramp will be closed from Monday AM through Wednesday AM.

5) While the lake is deemed safe following the application, we are closing the beaches Monday July 10 through Thursday as a precautionary measure. Swimming and other activities involving direct contact with the lake should be avoided during this time. While unlikely, if you observe any undispersed product (a powder with a bluish tint), avoid direct contact and let the office know where it is observed.

6) Do not water your property with water from the lake during this period. While these steps may be inconvenient, they are necessary to insure the best chance for a successful application. 

By Richard D. Gainar, CEBS – Lake Management Committee

The Canada Goose goslings began hatching out around May 1^st.  We did a pretty good job neutralizing the goose nests that were located earlier thanks to your support and reports we received from concerned residents.  Now and through June is the time to be vigilant in watching for goslings and begin harassing them the day they show up.

According to Geoffery Westerfield of the ODNR, harassing the goslings is very important for limiting the number of resident geese on our lake during the rest of the year.  Separating the goslings from their parents even for a short time is an effective form of harassment.  Geoffery advises that whenever you can, try to separate goslings from the adult geese by stepping between them shooing the goslings away from the adults by waving your arms and making loud noises (do not make contact).  “Don’t stop anywhere short of the geese leaving your property”, says Geoffery.  Keep up the consistent and persistent harassment. Your goal is to send the message to the adult geese that your property is not a safe place to raise their young and to the goslings that Lake Roaming Rock can be a scary place.

June 1^st is an important date.  Geese will begin to molt (i.e. lose their flight feathers) around June 1^st.  If you don’t harass them off the property by that date, it becomes very difficult to remove them and you will likely be stuck with the geese till mid-July.

Geese excrement is a contributor to the E. coli levels in our lake.  In addition, it provides excess nutrients that feed the algae and weeds.  We love our geese, but a few less wouldn’t hurt either. 

Thanks for being lake responsible!

Dave Ernes – Lake Management Committee

A Fish Survey was conducted on Lake Roaming Rock on September 12-13, 2022 by Jones Fish. Briefly, boats equipped with electrofishing apparatus travel throughout the lake. At each location sampled, the fish are stunned, collected, and assessed by measuring the length and weight. The fish are then returned to the lake unharmed. This process is done in as many areas as is feasible but is not intended to determine the population throughout the entire lake, especially one the size of our lake. This snapshot will give us an unbiased assessment of the current condition of the fishery. It should be noted that the survey was conducted two days after the Bass Tournament and the effect on the survey was expected to be minimal.

Based on the report, Jones Fish believes the overall condition of the fishery is very good. The largemouth bass (bass), the most often sought species, were found to be healthy. The overall food web including both predator and prey species is said to be diverse. The only issue identified is a low number of bass in the 5–9-inch range, representing fish 2-3 years old. The fish representing year-one were found to be good. This gap was not noted for the other species identified in the lake. The cause of this gap has not been fully defined but was speculated to be related to weather conditions during the spring spawning seasons. A link to the full report can be found at the end of this report.

            In addition to the specialists from Jones Fish, a member of the Lake Management Committee was also present for the survey. Their input, as well as follow-up questions submitted to the author, were used to evaluate the results.

            The health of the bass is measured by a Relative Weight Index. This compares the weight of each fish greater than ten inches in length to one that is considered normal. A value of 100% indicates that the bass are of normal size. The average for our lake was 97.5, which indicates that the bass are of average size with no indications of malnutrition. Another measurement of the bass population is Proportional Stock Density, which is a ratio of the number of “quality” fish versus “stock” fish. This was not presented in the report but was calculated by the author from the data submitted. For bass, a PSD of 40-70 is considered well-balanced, with our lake showed a value of 65.

            One other parameter discussed was the distribution of the various fish species throughout the lake. In general, a more significant distribution of fish was observed in the two major coves (Plum, Sugar), and in some of the small coves north of Sugar Creek and along the eastern shoreline. There appeared to be an inverse correlation with the number of fish caught and the density of the vegetation. For example, fewer fish were collected in the southern areas where the weeds tend to be thicker and those that were collected were considered non-prime species (i.e. suckers, catfish).

            One area that the report discusses is the level of “structure”, representing features such as submerged logs, that the fish will use for spawning and to avoid predators. They felt the level of structure in the shallow areas was good, but that the deeper areas may benefit with additional structure. (Please note that anyone who considers adding structure on their own would be violating the rules of the Association and can incur fines starting at $1000.)

            The LMC and the Board will continue to monitor the fishery as we move forwards and will evaluate adding structures and stocking suggestions as time and budget considerations warrant.

Be Lake Responsible