Outlet Permitting
Milfoil
High Water
What’s Happening with LHLA’s permit application for Outlet maintenance?
As was discussed at the last LHLA Annual Meeting, we are seeking approval of a Fiveyear Maintenance Permit filed jointly with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Target date for submission is before the end of September. As of this date (9/25), Sarah Delavan (Chair, Water Level Committee) is putting the final touches on the package and will forward it to Jim Ryan (LHLA Board) for board approval and submission to the DEQ and USACE. This approval is critical if we are to protect riparian shoreline and the property/homes of our riparian members from the ongoing blockages that occur, especially in winter.
Eurasian Water Milfoil Project
We had a spectacular July this year....unfortunately it happened in September. After that on-again, off-again summer weather, the approach to fall was marked by the best stretch of weather all year. And that warm September enabled Bre Grabil and the Professional Lake Management crew to effectively apply Eurasian Water Milfoil treatment to 7 acres along the dropoff of the south shore of the lake on October 3rd. The weather turned shortly thereafter.
Most LHLA members were gone by the time DEQ had the permission slip form approved. And while we had a signed permission slip from Watervale’s owners to treat the entire area of shoreline from the South end, around the Bay, along Boo-Hoo and the Outlet, and finishing at the south end of Camp Lookout property, the DEQ said it needed additional paperwork about ownership to do anything more than just the immediate area around the Watervale Resort property and a few adjacent year-rounder houses that had signed newly-designed permission slips. SO....
There is a special section that Mark Smith and PLM have put together for LHLA members which explains the EWM issue very thoroughly, and on page 7 of this newsletter there’s a permission slip (yes, it IS different from the Phragmites slip) which PLM needs you to sign to get the requisite permit for spraying the rest of LHL next spring.
“This is not, unfortunately, a “one-and-done” event. The LHLA membership
approved expenditures for both last year”s initial study (the map of EWM
areas around the lake are shown above) and the initial treatment plan as
well as this year’s treatment. Actual treatment began last year and has
continued this year. And we will have to be vigilant against regrowth every year thereafter for spot treatments. But we are acting aggressively to control this pernicious invasive. EWM can positively and quickly ruin a lake like ours if we don’t.
High Lake Water
This year has been one in which high
water on the “Big Lake”, coupled with lots of high wind/high wave days, has caused continuing damage to property and homes for riparian LHLA members. Based on what we know to date (end of summer) at least two homes have suffered damage resulting in costs north of $10,000 for remediation and repair. In addition, many, if not most, of the riparian shoreline has been negatively
impacted by high water. The DNR came out last spring and fixed some damage at one of the access sites.
As noted elsewhere on this site, the LHLA Board, aided by summer resident Sarah Delavan, is seeking a five-year maintenance permit to insure we can keep the outlet open in accordance with DEQ/USCE regulations.
Let's Make A Change
The donations you make to LHLA are used for water testing, shoreline management, water level issues and invasive species control. LHLA works with other organizations, such as the Benzie Conservation District, the Benzie Watershed Coalition and the Herring Lakes Watershed, to accomplish its mission.
Here are some ways you can donate:
By Mail
PO Box 11, Frankfort, MI 49635
Online
Make a donation here:
Via Facebook
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@LowerHerringLakeAssociation
Lower Herring Lake Association
The Lower Herring Lake Association is an organization committed to helping maintain the natural beauty, water quality and recreational opportunities in our watersheds and those of the surrounding area.
a 501(c)3 non-profit organization