Here are the 2nd quarter updates and a few safety reminders from the LDLD Board of Commissioners. Enjoy the summer and safe boating everyone!
Boating Safety
Safety is a top priority for both lake residents and our guests. Please be courteous and respectful to fellow lake users. Remind your guests that this peaceful, family lake practices safe boating. As a community, we expect respectful behaviors from everyone for the benefit of all. Now is a good time to refresh yourself, and inform family and friends, of the City of Muskego and WI DNR Boating Laws and Requirements including but not limited to:
When skiing or tubing, travel in a counterclockwise direction
If born after January 1, 1989, the completion of a boater’s safety course is required to operate any motorized boat including personal watercraft.
Slow-no-wake speed requirements:
Within 150 feet of any dock, pier, or buoyed restricted area
From sunset until 8:00a.m. the following morning
Specific for Personal Watercraft:
Slow-no-wake speed within 100 feet of a pier, raft or another watercraft
May not be operated between sunset and sunrise
Navigation lights:
Red/green sidelights & a masthead or all-round white light, are required from sunset to sunrise.
No other lights, including docking lights, may be used which could be mistaken or interfere with the required lights.
Mechanical Weed Harvesting Project
Our “mechanical harvesting” permit was approved and is valid for 5 years (2023 to 2027). Midwest Aquatics began Curly-Leaf Pondweed(CLP) harvesting activities on Lake Denoon on Monday, June 12. A total of 95 cubic yards of weeds were removed from the lake. Weeds Harvested- Curly Leaf Pondweed ( 40%), Common Pondweed (10%), Chara (8%), E.Milfoil (40%), Water Lily (trace). The harvester could not get in-between piers and needs to operate in 3+ feet of water. Also, per the DNR guidelines, a patch of weeds must be >50% CLP and/or EWM for the harvester to cut that area This constrains what can be cut particularly in the corners/bays. Therefore, they were not able to get to all infested areas. Midwest Aquatics did limited passes along the western shore due to the thick coating of filamentous algae on and below the surface which can get into the motors and damage the harvester. Pictures of the harvesting process are on the LDLD.org website. The board and vendor will review the harvest results with the WDNR and explore additional options for subsequent harvests.
Fish Stocking
In 2022, the Lake District received a generous donation offer of $5,000, from the family of Cindy & Ken Jensen and Bob Kargl, to provide fish stocking. The lake district will utilize the money donated to stock the lake with 3,200 Black Crappies at the end of September/early October.
May 11 Special Members Meeting
A special members meeting was held on May 11 to review and approve the revised 2023 budget to include the Starry Stonewort project and remove the Alum project costs. The results of the recent member survey were discussed. The outcome of a discussion on the topic of enhanced wakes from wake boats was to make no changes at this time and to continue to support “policing ourselves and others”.
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Removal Station Signs & Tools
Our Starry Stonewort(SSW) Project Plan included the installation of AIS Removal Stations and tools at the Hart Drive and Denoon Park boat launches. To help stop the spread of AIS, the signs remind boaters and dock service providers of the DNR requirements to:
Inspect boats, trailers and equipment
Remove all attached aquatic plants , animal and mud
Drain all water from boats, vehicles and equipment including livewells
Never move plants or live fish away from a water body
Sub-Point Intercept Survey
The first of two Sub-PI Aquatic Plant Surveys will be conducted on July 13, 2023. This activity is another part of our SSW Project Plan. Amanda Schmitz, DNR Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator, and others, will utilize the Hart Drive boat launch starting around 9am. They will be using a DNR boat equipped with GPS/sonar and will sample about 60 points around the location where SSW was found in August of 2022. The survey will take about 3 hours to complete.
Clean Boats Clean Waters (CBCW)
The LDLD CBCW watercraft inspection program started at the Denoon Park and Hart Drive boat launches on Saturday, April 29 and Friday, May 5 respectively. Inspectors have been hired, completed their training and are scheduled to cover weekends throughout the summer. Boat inspectors perform boat and trailer checks, hand out informational brochures and educate boaters on how to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Data is collected and entered into the DNR statewide database. This program is made possible by a 75% DNR matching grant.
LDLD Annual Membership Meeting
Mark your calendars for Monday, August 28. The official announcement, location and agenda will be sent via USPS to all LDLD members in August.
Have a question, comment or are interested in volunteering?
Contact the LDLD Board of Commissioners at commissioners@ldld.org
For more information on these and other LDLD topics, visit www.LDLD.org website. Register on the Members page to get emailed updates on all new posts.
Comments