By Richard D. Gainar, CEBS – Lake Management Committee

Last month’s “Love the Lake” article discussed that, while aquatic vegetation (“weeds”) can be burdensome and unsightly at times, it’s important to understand their importance to our lake’s ecology.  Weeds help to control or reduce the algae in the water and provide a smorgasbord of baitfish for the fish. 

Our RRA Maintenance crew works hard to cut the weeds in our lake’s channels.  However, there are times when you need Read more

By: Richard D. Gainar, CEBS – Lake Management Committee

As cold temperatures slow the metabolisms of all living creatures, winter lakes such as Roaming Rock Lake exhibit reduced rates of photosynthesis and respiration. In temperate lakes covered by ice, water temperatures are about 4˚C (39˚F) top to bottom except at the very top where ice forms between 0˚C (32˚F) and 4˚C.  The unique properties of water molecules make ice less dense than water, so it floats on the top Read more

By David Ernes – Lake Management Committee

In many cases, lakes located in areas away from human development tend to be clear and clean. However, once humans build homes, and construct docks, the natural state of the land is disturbed. In the 2007 National Lakes Assessment, a study of thousands of lakes across the continental US, lakeshore habitat change was the number one stressor for a lake’s biological condition. In the 2012 Assessment, habitat changes, coupled with increasing phosphorous Read more

By: Richard D. Gainar, CEBS – Lake Management Committee

I’ll bet you’re the kind of gardener who cuts down all old plant stalks, rakes up every frost-burned leaf,and makes your garden bed tidy each fall.   No?  Well if you are there are good reasons to change your garden maintenance schedule and wait until spring to spruce things up. 

Trees, ground cover, butterflies, birds, and other creatures that enjoy our gardens all summer need us to Read more

By  Richard D. Gainar, CEBS – Lake Management Committee

Nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, are key ingredients in lawn fertilizer.  When it rains, fertilizer applied to lawns can wash into nearby storm culverts and streams that flow into our lake.  Nutrients contribute to algae blooms, excess weeds, rob the water of oxygen, and threaten underwater life.

Best management practices for the health of your lawn and Lake Roaming Rock:

• Skip the spring fertilizer, especially if your lawn is healthy. Read more

By Richard D. Gainar, CEBS – Lake Management Committee

I have begun to see goslings hatching out around May 1st. We did a pretty good job neutralizing the goose nests that were located earlier thanks to the support and reports we received from many 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. The longer you wait, the harder our job is to Read more

By David Ernes – Lake Management Committee

You have heard many statements linking manure from farm animals, and manure spread on agricultural fields to increasing phosphorous in our lakes and streams. But are you aware that waste from our pets can also be a source for nutrients as well as disease-causing bacteria and parasites that can get into our lake? In some articles, dog waste is cited as the third or fourth largest contributor of bacterial contamination in urban Read more

By David Ernes – Lake Management Committee

A frozen lake is just one more sign that winter has come to Roaming Shores. It presents a snapshot in time of the beauty of the lake. Of course the lake does not completely freeze (thanks to the properties of water), and one never knows if we will even see the surface of the lake freeze this year. But if we do, you may be surprised at what goes on under the Read more

By: Richard D. Gainar, CEBS – Chairman, Lake Management Committee

How long has it been since you just stopped whatever you were doing to simply look out over our beautiful lake?  The winter snow may cause us some problems driving but it sure does paint a wonderful background for one of the most spectacular views along the shoreline of our lake.  Whatever problems occupied my mind a few moments before simply disappear when I stare out over the Read more

By David Ernes – Lake Management Committee

As Fall moves to Winter, we see more than the change in the color of the leaves. We see changes occurring on the lake – both natural and man-made. The first, which has already occurred, is the lake turnover. This phenomenon, generated as the lake water temperature equalizes top-to-bottom, results in mixing to temporarily eliminate stratification. A previous article was written which goes into more detail on this phenomenon.

The next change Read more