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November 4th Meeting
WHAT TO DO WITH THE PIGEON LAKE?
ABOUT US:
Whereas the pigeon lake protection and rehabilitation district was formed in 1976 by the electors of said district for the improving and maintaining the impoundment as a recreational and environmentally beautiful inland waterway.
Gradually, the pigeon lake has become a problem waterway due to the dense aquatic plant growth mainly (non native invasive species) fed by high nutrient loads from the surrounding terrain. Ongoing efforts of the past from chemical treating, to cutting weeds on a daily basis is not having a long lasting effect on the invasive aquatic plant growth. With our extensive cutting program we have been able to control the amount of weeds in our lake, but this is not the long term answer.
In 1977 the district did a study on the lake looking at the amount of nutrients and phosphorus entering into the lake along with the amount of soft sediment already here.
Again in 1997 a study was done and then compiled the information on the amount of sediment and the water quality of lake.
In 2006 again the district did a study of the lake to only find out the basic same results as before and realizing we are loosing about ¾ of an inch per year of water depth due to the decay of plant life and sediment coming in from our tributaries.
We have a good growth of native plants (the good weeds) in our lake and they seem to be growing in mass, this is good for the fish. We also have a very large growth of invasive species (Eurasian milfoil, coontail, and curly leaf pondweed to name a few. These invasive plants are also spreading in large amounts (these are the bad weeds).
Decaying plants can lead to low dissolved oxygen levels during the winter months. Low dissolved oxygen levels can also lead to fish kills.
We need to work together to resolve this problem.
We spent over $52,000.00 this year so far on labor, fuel, repairs of the cutter, truck maintenance, and different dues, etc.
The cutter we are using as of today is 18 years old and needs to be replaced soon. A new cutter is about $140,000.00.
Our cutting season starts in the spring and ends around the second week in October. We cut in excess of 400 loads of weeds annually, and this is just to keep it looking good, but not solving the problem.
We need your help; we are having an informational meeting on November 4th 2009 at 6:30 pm in the senior high auditorium, north side of Green tree road, Clintonville.
DNR representatives will be on hand to answer any questions. The topic is “what to do with the pigeon lake?”
Everyone has a stake in this, the lake is part of our community, if we can keep it looking good, people will use it more, maybe we can attract more people here.
Our options:
Do nothing?
Keep cutting weeds?
Partial draw down?
Full draw down?
Dredge?
We hope to see everyone there, this is a community project, and everyone will have a vote on what will happen to our lake, the committee can not make this decision alone!
WE WILL NOT BE VOTING ON THIS AT THIS MEETING.
We will be voting at a later date on this issue after all the informational meetings are over.
Remember: we are doing it for the future of the community and generations to come.
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Feb. 18 Presentation.
Presentation credit goes to Bill & TJ Tooley
Nov. 4 Presentation.
Presentation credit goes to Jeff Crumbaugh and the Clintonville Sr. High Students