The WLMD Board is planning for the future and one of the major items is an Alum treatment. When a lake has excess levels of phosphorus and nitrogen, it may exhibit symptoms such as poor water clarity, nuisance algae / vegetation, and shoreline odors. Through a process called nutrient remediation, Alum (Aluminum Sulfate) will bind with excess nutrients and help improve water quality conditions. When water is more balanced, nuisance aquatic weeds and algae are less likely to thrive.
Wind Lake had Alum treatments in 1997 and 2011, and will need another treatment in the near future. The 2011 treatment cost in excess of $315,000 and a future treatment could cost in excess of $450,000. The Board is requesting permission to apply for a grant to offset the cost of the Alum treatment, which could provide up to $200,000 in relief. The Board is also requesting to increase lake fees to cover the cost of the balance of the treatment, setting aside $25,000 each year earmarked for the Alum treatment. The proposed increase would be as follows: Lake from $220 to $280, Canal from $130 to $160, and off-lake from $90 to $100. The last lake dues increase was 2014 and this one would not be needed if not for the cost of the Alum treatment.
The Board is also requesting permission to apply for a grant to acquire a second harvester. The proposed purchase would be a smaller harvester that could work the shallow areas but yet offload weeds onto the same trailer as the larger harvester. Running both harvesters jointly will save on trucking fees and the smaller harvester may also allow for a reduction in chemical treatment in areas where it can be addressed mechanically. The grant would cover approximately 50% of the projected cost of $120,000. The District would them owe the balance of $60,000 which would be paid from existing reserves.
The Alum treatment and the second harvester are needed for the long term health of Wind Lake. The proposed increase in lake dues would still leave Wind Lake as one of the lowest lake dues for comparable lakes. These items will be discussed and voted on at the Annual Meeting.
As I write this in early August, our Wisconsin summer is going by too fast. I hope everyone has been able to enjoy the lake during this beautiful stretch of weather, but as in the past couple years; we are again struggling with low lake levels because of the lack of rain. The Wind Lake dam has been closed since early May when there was still water going over the spillway. Without rain, lake levels can drop ¼: to ½: per day from evaporation. Extended periods without rain can lead to low lake levels and as we all know, low lake levels limit boat access and bring newly found rocks closer to the surface. Bottom line is that we need more rain.
In mid-June, the District worked with the United States Department of Agriculture in collecting and removing over 100 geese from Wind Lake. While the geese may look majestic, they present a ecological hazard to lake water and parasite hazards to children and pets when they gather on shorelines. The Board will continue to monitor geese levels every spring and will request goose removals as needed.
As was discussed at the annual meeting last year, we added a Harvesting Hotline (262-332-3670) to help expedite lake weed issues and it has worked very well. Complaints were addressed quicker and callers received a response back directly from the Harvesting Program Manager. We will continue the hotline and encourage more property owners to use it as needed.
We determined early in the season that it was going to be a heavy weed year and started harvesting operations the first week of June. By the end of June, we had harvested as many cubic feet of weeds as we did in the whole summer of 2022. I want to thank our Harvesting Program Manager Patrick Fitzgerald, who did a great job this summer maintaining the harvester and scheduling the operators. I also want to thank Jerry Kotarek and his trucking company that hauls the harvester weeds away. Jerry saves the District thousands of dollars every year with his flexible billing. He truly wants Wind Lake to be the best it can be and he has stepped up in a big way.
Lastly, the Board is working on a 10 year plan that includes such items as an Alum treatment and the possible purchase of a second harvester. Please read the Moving Forward article and consider attending the Annual Meeting on Thursday September 7th. The WLMD Board understands that we get our direction from District members and the Annual Meeting is the best place to provide input.
Ron Mayer
Proud to be the WLMD Chair
A new DNR rule went into effect in July which set up a process for landowners to request determinations about the navigability of waters on their property or where the ordinary high-water mark lies. A navigable waterway is defined through case law as any waterway that has a defined bed and bank, and upon which it is possible to float a canoe or small watercraft on a recurring basis. The ordinary high-water mark is used to distinguish where the lake or riverbed interfaces with the surrounding riparian land. Landowners seeking to carry out projects below the ordinary high-water mark are typically subject to DNR regulations because that portion of a river or lake is public domain. Seeking a high-water mark determination could potentially prevent conflicts between the public and private property owners. See the DNR Waterway Jurisdiction Determinations page for information about the Navigable Waterway Determination Program or the Guide to Navigability and Ordinary High Water Mark Determinations in Wisconsin from the Midwest Environmental Advocates.
Why is Wind Lake so low or high? Some answers about the Wind Lake Dam. Read the Wind Lake levels FAQs.
Latest Wind Lake Dam Engineering Report
The Wind Lake dam is controlled by Racine County. Any questions or concerns can be directed to Racine County at 262-886-8440.