By D.Ernes – Lake Management Committee

We are slowly transitioning from winter to spring. Our lawns are also transitioning from the dormant state, where it is an off shade of brown, into the lush green we all want to enjoy. The important thing we each need to realize is that if we are not careful, our efforts to get a green lawn will contribute to us experiencing a green lake.

Grass, and blue-green algae, both need phosphorus to grow. For our lawns, phosphorous may be introduced as a component of fertilizers. But is it necessary? An inexpensive soil test will be a good idea before you apply any fertilizer. It is possible that if the pH of the soil is out of balance, it can inhibit the grasses’ ability to absorb nutrients. If this is the case, it could lead to over fertilizing and the excess nutrient will just end up in the lake after rain events.

Luckily, over time, most commercial fertilizers have reduced or eliminated the level of phosphorous that is in their products. If one looks at the bags, the three numbers appearing on each bag is the level of Nitrogen-Phosphorous-Potassium. So, it is best to select products where the middle number is zero.

There have been a lot of articles stating that, for established lawns, it is not always necessary to add phosphorous to our lawns. This is especially true if one mulches the grass clippings, which returns the phosphorous the grass already contains back into the soil.

There may be a need to use phosphorous when first establishing a lawn. In this case, the use of Starter Fertilizers may come into play. Make sure that you do NOT select this type of product for an established lawn. Even when using Starter Fertilizers, an inexpensive soil test will let you know if it is even necessary. Also, when applying this or any fertilizer, proper application techniques (avoiding over spraying on impervious surfaces, and not applying it up to the waters edge) will help to reduce the likelihood of excess phosphorous in the lake.

When mowing your lawn, the best option is to mulch the grass clipping back into the lawn. If this is not desired, do not blow the clippings into the street or, more importantly, into the lake. The latter can incur a fine. If you see your neighbor or a lawn service employee discharging clippings (or debris for that matter) into the lake, talk to them and encourage them to use another approach. Use the compost site which is the best location for your yard waste.

These suggestions are valid whether you live on the lake or off. Our community is roughly 1500 acres. And we are the closest part of the watershed to the lake. If we all do our part, it will have an impact of the lake. Remember that every ounce of phosphorous that you add to the lake can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars to eliminate. If you use a commercial company to handle the lawn treatments or maintenance, make sure that they follow practices to reduce their impact on our lake.

BE LAKE RESPONSIBLE

By Gerry Dixon -Lake Management Committee

A successful Canada Geese control program is an essential part of lake management. Data collected over the last five years with the reduction of the geese population and lower bacteria at the beaches, suggest that our program is successful. The population if uncontrolled could become epidemic. Geese mate for life and return each year to the same location to nest. Their lifespan can be up to thirty years and the offspring return to the same location each year. Two geese typically have six eggs per year and the babies have six eggs for up to twenty years. If uncontrolled the rate of population growth in 4 years is thirty-six geese, in 8 years 1,296 geese, in 12 years 1,679,616 geese, and in 16 years, 2.8 trillion geese.

Each goose can consume up to four pounds of grass per day, creating about two pounds of fecal matter daily. During June and July, they lose their flight feathers, and during this time each goose produces 122 pounds of feces, in 16 years at the rate of population, 341trillion pounds of droppings can end up in our lake. This obviously not realistic, but it does show the impact on a community. According to Ohio Geese Control, “These droppings can be a health risk and can carry Salmonella spp., E. coli, and Listeria spp. And large flocks of geese can alter the ecology of your pond and create algae problems.”

Good news: there are natural enemies that control the geese population. Bad news: these natural enemies are not normally found in our lakefront community. Therefore, a geese control program is needed in our community. Roaming Shores has successfully reduced the population through implementation of Ohio Revised Code section 1531.02. in partnership with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

The aim of the Lake Management Committee is to observe, preserve, and correct any lake problems. The geese control program is part of the Lake Management Committee objective to decrease the amount of nutrients and bacteria entering our lake. Previously, when this program was first implemented up to thirty nests were seen. Last year 13 nests were invalidated.

With the help of all lake owners, the Rome Rock Association is tracking all observed nests and recording actions taken. Please call the association at (440) 563-3170 or email the association at IT@roamingshores.org if you see any Canada geese nests. Please be informed, it is a federal crime to injure, move, or harm without the permission of the Division of Wildlife any bird or nest.

Help us to be Lake Responsible.

To maintain a safe environment and ensure our lake is safe for all members, please inform the association via email or calling 440-563-3170 of any nesting birds. In this manner, we can deter the proliferation of Canada Geese from Lake Roaming Rock. The population of geese if maintained through the Ohio Natural Resource Goose Damage Permitting System, works to keep the overpopulation from occurring.

The Ohio Natural Resources (ONR) writes, “Most people will welcome and start feeding the first pair of geese on their pond, but these geese will soon wear out their welcome. In just a few years, a pair of geese can easily become 50 to 100 birds. The feces will foul the areas around the pond and surrounding yards and damage the lawn, pond and other vegetation. Geese that are fed will lose their fear of humans and attack adults, children, and pets during the nesting season (March through June). DO NOT FEED GEESE. Feeding bread, corn, potato chips, popcorn and other human food items harms the geese and sets the scene for goose attacks on people.”

Ohio State University also writes “Degraded Water Quality – Large accumulations of feces near water can degrade water quality as rain wash the material into the water. Goose feces are high in phosphorus and nitrogen, nutrients that in excess can cause nuisance blooms of algae and aquatic plants in ponds and lakes. An excess of algae and submerged plants can lead to oxygen depletion at night due to plant respiration and can cause a fish kill.

In addition, goose feces can contain a variety of pathogens such as Giardia and Coliform bacteria, which can cause illness in humans. Large numbers of geese can elevate concentrations of these pathogens in pond and lake water, and accidental ingestion of such water can cause illness”.

With your help and ONR, we have used the Goose Damage Permitting System method for the past years and have found it works. Reductions in population, nest counts, and returning migrations are examples we realized. I encourage all our residents to continue with this effort and their notifications are important to our overall effort to keep our lake safe and healthy!

Gerry Dixon
Lake Management Committee

By David Ernes – Lake Management Committee

The 2023 season turned out to be a season of unusual weather coupled with unexpected observations. Despite this, for the third straight year, we ended the season with no algal toxin levels exceeding the EPA Advisory limit. We also added over 400 pounds of feeder fish to enhance the excellent fishery. This document includes a review of the issues we faced and the conclusions from the reports from our consultants.

The report from EnviroScience related to the in-lake conditions found that, on a whole lake basis, the algaecide treatments were successful at maintaining the recreational use of the lake. Selected areas did observe issues but overall, the lake has seen an improvement since 2021. In August, algae populations increased primarily in the north, which was surprising, prompting the second partial algaecide treatment. The nitrogen levels were elevated above that seen in prior years. The report does encourage efforts being done to control the nutrients by seeking financial assistance.

The AquaDoc report, measuring the conditions south of the lake, showed phosphorus levels similar to last year. The increase in nitrogen levels primarily for nitrate, appeared at the end of June and originated in Whetstone Creek. It appeared as the weather shifted from a drought to heavy rain events. It slowly returned to normal as the summer progressed. While the source is unknown, the elevated nitrogen level is felt to be responsible for some of the unusual observations this season.

Throughout the course of the year, we have been in communication with our consultants to try to understand the unusual situations we experienced. The consensus opinions are briefly described below.

Filamentous Algal Mats. As has been discussed both at Board Meetings and e-blasts, an increase in non-toxic green, filamentous algae is expected as we work to control the more toxic blue-green algae. In addition, the increase in nitrogen (in the form of nitrates) entering the lake likely acted as a ‘fertilizer’ for the filamentous algae, increasing the magnitude of the problem, especially in the south.

Floating snails. At the end of June, an increased number of floating snails were observed. These snails, likely Mystery Snails, are invasive to our area. They seemed to originate in the south (observations in September found them to proliferate south of the lake) with the shells floating north with the current. The complicating factor is that these snails can float and still be alive. Observations by our consultants and the author have confirmed this. While there are several possibilities to explain why they behaved as they did, it is not clear which factor (or some combination of factors) was responsible. The fact that this was unique to this season suggests the nitrate level increase as a likely contributing factor.

Odor in the South.  Around September 22, a sewer-like odor was observed in the south end of the lake, extending upstream of the bridge. This was found to be due to a condition called hypoxia, where the oxygen level in the lake was depleted. When this happens, odor-causing chemicals are released as the aquatic vegetation and algae die off at that time of year, consuming dissolved oxygen in the water. Normally the fall rain brings in freshly oxygenated water, but the unusually dry September prevented this, so the normal processes occurring in the lake were again disturbed. In addition, the high level of filamentous algae, and the excessive vegetation in the lake below Spanish Cove and extending south of the Route 6 bridge added to the load. This drop in oxygen also adversely affected the fish (and snail) population in this area. With artificial aeration and returning rainfall, the situation was corrected.

Overall, this year we saw that factors beyond our control acted against our efforts to improve conditions in the lake. Until we find a Bond villain with a weather control machine, we will have to do our best to adapt. As in the past, we will use lessons learned this season to direct our plans moving forward. Because, as always, we all must do our best to…

Be Lake Responsible

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.