Email From Peter Pace Regarding the Lake Weed Control
Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 08:13:54 AM EDTSubject:
Subject: Lake Engineering Contractor Update
Hello Everyone, I have read some of the Facebook concerns and claims about our lake weed population this year. SO here is what’s really happening from the front lines, including the hard work conducted by our Lake Committee, led by John Levinson. On Wednesday May 15, I conducted our annual lake weed assessment tour with our lake biologist Doug Pullman. I have attended and conducted these lake reviews for many years and unfortunately for 2024, the warm winter and short term ice cap with no snow, did not help us and allowed the weeds to grow and spread extensively into other areas of the lake. With this said, we organized with all the parties involved, an intensive weed program this year to deal with the heavy concentration of weeds and make our lake user friendly again. As you have noticed the Harvester have been working on the east bay of our lake. From the onset the Harvesters claimed they collect 90 percent of the cut weeds, BUT the reality is, this is not the case as you can see the cut weeds washing up onto your seawalls and beaches. To help relieve some of this concern, please collect the weed debris on your dock or seawall and the Harvesters have been instructed to go up the shore line and remove the piles from your property the best they can. They conducted the same practice last year so they are familiar with the process. We have instructed the harvesters to cut the large growth areas up the Edgewood east and west shoreline and the Edgewood canal this season to help relieve some of the issue. BUT remember the harvester can only cut in front of your dock and does not have the capability to get into your swim area. THAT area will be chemically treated in the near future. Due to the heavy weed growth, additional areas of the lake will be harvested this year. The harvesters will continue to work the week of May 20th with more boats to complete the large areas of concern. SO BE PREPARED to see more weeds wash up onto your beach areas and be prepared to collect into a pile and the harvesters will remove them from the property. This is the concern of harvesting, “Your only cutting the grass” as I refer to it and if not chemically treated it will return in a matter of a few weeks. BUT harvesting one time in the beginning of the season does help with the chemical treatment program. That’s why we do it. So moving forward here is the plan to clean up the lake for our boating season. Mark your calendars as we are scheduled for the first week of June, weather permitting and water temperature cooperating to chemically treat the lake in a large extensive program to cover the majority of the lake, including treating all the harvested areas and as close into your swim areas as possible. I will post signs at our subdivision entrance when the date has been confirmed and look at your beach front for the red and yellow treatment notices that are posted days before the treatment. IMPORTANT REMINDER: The weed population in our lake is at higher level than we seen in many years and confident the chemical treatment plan designed by our biologist will work but it will take a few weeks to see the results. The day of the treatment PLEASE STAY OFF THE LAKE IN ANY CAPACITY, this even means kayaking, paddle boarding, etc., and NO SWIMMING. If you draw water from the lake for irrigation, shut down your lawn irrigation prior to the treatment date and leave it off for 4 days. Spread the word to your neighbors to please stay off the lake on the day of treatment. This treatment is extensive and costly but still in our budget, if all goes well with the first treatment will leave some funds for further treatments or other weed controls this year. There are a lot of inaccurate comments on social media about our lake that concerns me. First off some of it is third hand and can be misinterpreted. If you have a question please contact your lake rep. for the right answer. We are all dedicated volunteers wanting the same result as you, to enjoy the lake every summer season. That is the goal of our Lake Committee as demonstrated every year since our existence created in 1988. Just imagine what the lake would be like with out the volunteers of this committee. The heavy weed growth on our lake is not an anomaly. The word around the area and other counties is that heavy weed growth is occurring on many lakes and some do not have the funds and local organization to remedy their problems. I glad we are not in that group!! Thank you for your cooperation and patience in advance and share this message with any other Edgewood residents.
Regards,
Peter Pace
Edgewood Lake Committee Member