Firefighters called for swan trapped on ice
January 11, 2012
Reprinted with permission of The Citizen
Dogs, horses, and deer trapped in ice-covered lakes and ponds in the township have prompted calls to the fire department in the past.
Jan. 4, however, was the first time Fire Chief Dave Kwapis had ever been summoned to rescue a swan.
A concerned Bald Eagle Lake resident called the fire department in the early evening to report a young swan that was immobile about 25 to 50 feet off shore. Upon the approach of firefighters to the lakeshore, the bird moved to the other side of the lake, but did not take flight.
"It looked like it was favoring one leg and with just us walking to the shore, it scattered and flapped around and got to the other side," Kwapis said. "We contacted the DNR and they told us there was nothing we or they could do for the swan. Swans are aggressive and their wings are dangerous. If anyone tried to do anything for the swan, that person could become injured or fall through the ice."
Kwapis notes that usually by the time firefighters arrive to calls regarding struggling deer, the animals have found their way out. But the DNR does not respond for deer on, or in ice, either, he said.
A DNR wildlife specialist did not immediately return calls for comment.
Kwapis said firefighters have rescued horses out of ponds and dogs out of lakes.
"Some dogs have bit us, because they don't know what will happen, and those are tame animals," he noted. "Now you're dealing with a wild animal, very unpredictable and you don't know what they will do. We don't want residents to try and rescue them, they could hurt you. I feel for the animals, but by the same token, you've got to be smart about what you're doing."
Kwapis noted that his bigger concern right now is the safety of residents around the ice. Unseasonably warm temperatures have made for thin, unsafe ice on the area's lakes and ponds. He cautions that residents who want to go ice fishing need to wait for a spell of cold weather, with a lot of good, clear ice, not white or honeycombed. A good rule of thumb, Kwapis said, is 5- to 6-inches of ice.
New Officers Elected
June 20, 2011
At its meeting on June 20 the BELPOABoard of Directors elected the following people as officers:
President: Jim Miller
Vice president: Steve Ahonen;
Treasurer: Roger Duval,
Secretary: Sandy White
Roger served as president since 2000. Under his leadership BELPOA and EIPA worked together to make repairs to the boat ramp He also negotiated a noise reduction agreement with Boat Bar and was instrumental in getting the speed limit reduced on Bald Eagle Lake Road by Allen Road. He has also contributed many interesting articles about the lake, many of which are on this web site in the history section. Roger will continue to serve on board as treasurer and “lake historian”.
The board needs one more member. If you are interested in contriuting to the welfare of the lake by serving on the Board, please contact Sandy White.
Highlights of the Annual Meeting
June 4, 2011
Because of the numerous unsafe boating practices observed this year, BELPOA will be having the Oakland County Marine sheriff patrol the lake this summer. We will also be sending out a letter to all lake residents of the rules of the water.
Because of the complaints from people not being able to get a ramp key, we have added a combination lock. Only paid members will be able to get the combination from board members. People were reminded to spin the lock after using it.
We will reprint the BELPOA Guide Book later the summer.
Dawn Godfrey reported on a Venetian Night Boat Parade, scheduled for August 27. This would be a parade of boats around the lake with their lights, possibly with musical accompaniment.
Bill Reinhart reported on water quality. The clarity of the water has been much worse this spring, due to the heavy rainfall and the cold spring. Sandy White reported that the water level has risen 3 inches since last fall.
She also reported on one area of the lake around the bridge to the island, where the ammonia readings have tripled. Possible causes are excessive feeding of the ducks in the area, fertilizer run off, leaf burning and debris being put into the water.
Board Members: Lu Anna, Treasurer, resigned fromthe board because they have sold their house. Dawn Godfrey, Jim Miller,
and Bill Reinhart were reelected. The board will appoint a replacement for Lu Anna.
Boat Launch Ramp Replaced
by John Smith
BELPOA worked with the Eagle Island Protective Association to repair the boat ramp last fall. They sent out seven bids, four were returned and John Wudarcki's came in the cheapest by $3,000. He had done the previous ramp and had a good idea of what needed to be done.
The work included pulling all existing slabs which are connected by rods and installing two new 12 ft.. x 6 ft. x 4 in. thick slabs. When putting in the new slabs the depth of the launch was adjusted 12 inches lower to add depth for when water levels are low. The two new slabs were installed first, followed by the four existing slabs and 2 inches of stone was added at the end of the launch for extra length for trailers that go far into the water. When the job was completed we had close to 6 ft. of water depth at the end of the launch. The job took about a week to complete. We are expecting to have a good summer at the launch.
Zebra Mussels Have Arrived
 The unusual clarity of of lake is no doubt caused by the invasion of zebra mussels, which are remarkable water filters. I have seen them in our beach area, attached to rocks. They are a small invasive species that can cause a lot of damage to boats and as well as cover seawalls and the undersides of docks. They are also kill off of the native bivalves (mussels).
Zebra mussels get their name from a striped pattern which is commonly seen on their shells, though not all shells bear this pattern. They are usually about the size of a fingernail, but can grow to a maximum length of nearly two inches. The shape of the shell is also somewhat variable. Their shells can be sharp, which makes walking in lakes where they are abundant painful.
More information about zebra mussels
How to Protect Your Boat
Lake Weeds... What to Do?
by Rob Rohde
Many people are concerned about the weeds in front of their homes and how to get rid of them. The best way is using good, old work. You need to rake the bottom—and there are many tools out there for this.
A landscaping rake works well. Do some research. The Oakland Lakefront Magazine (www.oaklandlakefront.com/) is a good source for this.
The most important thing is that you must remove the weeds from the water. If you do not, they will settle and regrow. This is why it is so important to clean your lakefront regularly. Believe it or not, you will get good results.
Now, on the issue of lily pads; these are harder to get out. The pads are how these plants live, so you must remove them. The lily is a tuber which grows under the bottom sediment. To get rid of the plant you should remove as much of the tuber as possible. Blasting them out with water is the best way.
Remember, the more you use your lake front, the better it will become. The more you stir up the bottom, the more the weeds cannot take hold and grow. So, good luck and you have your work to do.
Lake Study Results
We hired Wally Fusilier, Consulting Limnologist, of Water Quality Investigators, of to do an in-depth study of the lake. The recommendations from a follow up letter on the report from Mr. Fusilier are:
- It is not in the best interest of Bald Eagle Lake to be plant free.
- Harvesting is a good method of removing aquatic plants for several reasons:
- The plants are removed, so they don’t settle to the bottom and create additional organic material
- The nutrients in the plants are, of course, removed with them, so they don’t add the already nutrient rich bottom sediment
- No dissolved oxygen is used up to decompose the plants, which otherwise would have accumulated at the bottom
- Harvesting churns up the shallow water bottom sediments, exposing them to oxygen which helps decompose the organic material in the sediments.
- Since harvesting doesn’t remove the entire plant, the remaining part can prevent sediment from being mixed into the water by wind or boat action. Keeping nutrients out of the water will improve water quality
Mr. Fusilier recommends against aquatic herbicides for the following reasons:
- The herbicide kills all plants thus exposing the bottom sediments to wave and boat action which will then result in a deterioration in water quality.
- The dead plants settle to the bottom and as they decay, they use up dissolved oxygen in the water and release nutrients which promote algal blooms. The associated reduction in dissolved oxygen and release of nutrients is worse with the use of herbicides than the natural process of plants dieing in the fall if the herbicide is applied in the spring or summer because the warmer water speeds the decay process while at the same time it holds less dissolved oxygen
- There is a potential health risk associated with the use of herbicides
Solutions
Mechanical Harvesting
A lake service representative stated that annual cutting does not eliminate weeds as they grow back with more vigor. They actually prefer this method since it produces a steady year after year income for their business. A discussion with a harvester indicated that the cutting encourages the weeds to grow stronger stems as more nourishment is forced down to the remaining weeds. We use this same procedure with our plants by cutting some back to created fuller blooms of flowers and larger fruits and vegetables. Expenses associated with this option are discussed later.
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Herbicidal Treatments
This method uses chemicals that destroy all weeds. The plants will rise to the top and float to the shores. Swimming is not allowed for a number of days after the chemicals are applied. Some fish may die due to the lack of cover. A conversation with a homeowner on Houghton Lake stated that he spent a day a weekend raking and removing the dead weeds from his shoreline. This option is not without environmental consequences. Aquatic Nuisance Specialist Laura Esman said in the June 28, '04 issue of The Citizen: "The DEQ says in most cases chemicals are also a temporary treatment and impact the biodiversity of the lake environment, including killing the fish."This option too, involves considerable expense, which will be discussed later.
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Environmentally Sensitive Methods
There are three no-cost actions residents can take to improve the water quality in the lake and control weed-growth: proper septic maintenance; ditch-drainage control from Bald Eagle Road; and fertilizer elimination/reduction. Details follow:
Septic Maintenance: Have your septic system cleaned and inspected at least every three years for part-
time residents and every two years for full-time residents.
Ditch-Drainage Control from Bald Eagle Road: Petition Oakland County to eliminate direct drainage from the Bald Eagle Lake Road ditch at the south end of lake.
Fertilizer Elimination/Reduction: Eliminate or greatly reduce the use of fertilizers that make our lawns greener. A recent article in The Citizen quotes Todd Losee, an Environmental Quality Specialist from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality: "phosphates, the active ingredient in lawn fertilizers cause excessive growth of both native and non-native water plants in lakes and wetlands…Fertilizer runoff increases nutrients to aquatic plants life, causing a disruption in the natural cycle of life in lakes and wetlands."
These nutrients that wash into the lake with every downpour assist weed growth in the lake and are usually unnecessary. In actuality, most of the soil types found in our area do not require fertilizer at all. Residents who insist on lawns are advised to have their soil tested to learn how much fertilizer, if any, is needed for a healthy lawn. By finding a way to control the use of fertilizer, we could make real progress toward ridding our lake of unwanted weeds, and there would be no cost associated with this option.
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How do we pay for these alternatives?
Mechanical harvesting and herbicidal treatments must be paid as a special assessment on all owners. Our association cannot provide this service since we do not have 100% membership of all owners. It is unlikely that everyone would voluntarily contribute to the cost.
Through their Lake Board Lake Louise residents are assessed an annual amount of $32,900 for the next five years for harvesting and chemical treatments for 30 to 50 acres. If we treated only half our
lake the yearly cost would be approximately $50,000.
Under the environmentally sensitive option (choosing not to use fertilizer), there are no additional costs incurred for the lake property owners. But residents cannot be coerced into this alternative without government involvement.
How does the government get involved in any of the above methods?
A Lake Board, such as that which now governs Lake Louise, must be established in order to assess the
costs of mechanical or herbicidal treatments.
An article in the July, 2000 issue of Oakland Lakefront Magazine published an extensive article titled "Establishing a Lake Board."The article stated : " ...establishing a board required two-thirds of the lakefront property owners whose property actually abuts the lake to sign a petition asking to form such a board. Once the petition has been signed by the appropriate number of lakefront property owners, the petition is forwarded to the local governing body where the lake is located. The local governing body…must then pass a resolution within 60 days to establish the lake improvement board." This allows the costs to be included on the property tax bills.
With a decision to voluntarily govern our own use of fertilizers and maintain our septic systems, there would be no need for government involvement. To get 100% cooperation in this option, the township would need to pass an ordinance regulating the use of fertilizers in lake areas, or throughout the township.
We have some difficult decisions ahead of us. We need to explore every available avenue and think carefully about the direction we choose. Most are in agreement that something must be done. Our hope is that over the coming months, some consensus will develop among Bald Eagle Lake residents so that whatever we decide to do will be the best possible solution for ourselves and for our lake.
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ASSOCIATION GETS SPEED LIMIT REDUCED
Normally our association would only be concerned about speeding on the water and not the adjoining roads but we felt that it was our responsibility to protect our residents from a potential hazardous situation.
Soon after our annual meeting a speed limit sign was installed on Bald Eagle Lake Road that increased the speed limit from 25 MPH to 45 MPH. This sign was placed within 100 feet of a curving road sign. There are children living in the home next to the sign in addition to walkers and cyclists that share this road. There was not enough time to react to the curved road sign when an automobile is travels at 45 MPH. It is common to hear squealing tires at all hours.
The township was contacted and we were told that the sign was the decision of the road commission. The resident contacted the road commission and requested the speed limit be reduced back to 25 MPH and was told there is nothing that can be done at the county level. Our association then wrote a letter to our state representative but received only an email that it was received with no further action on their part.
Within 10 days of sending our letter the news media reported a fatal accident at Allen Road and Bald Eagle Lake Road. (It was later revised to report that it was further down Bald Eagle Lake Road.) Our township supervisor, Kathy Thurman was immediately contacted and she was able to convince the road commission to do a study of the speed limit on the portion of Bald Eagle Lake Road with the new 45 MPH sign. Soon after the study the speed limit was reduced to 20 MPH from 45 MPH along with large directional arrows by Garland Ave. at the end of the pavement.
Lake Water Level, Why Does It Vary?
by Bill Reinhart
Some of the lake’s resident’s, myself included, had some questions, about why the lake’s water level varied, and dropped so much, especially in late summer. After some investigating,
we have some answers.
The lake waters high level, is controlled in a very simple manner, OVERFLOW. On the North end of the lake, at the water’s edge, on the property of John and Mary Nassar,
is a cement structure. Attached to this cement structure, is a drain that runs to Kearsley creek. The cement structure has been in place for many years. The cement structure is built so that any water higher than its middle (drain area), simply flows
over it, thru some steel grates, and into the drain. Thus, in the spring, or after heavy rains, the lake level starts immediately falling back to the height of the overflow, depending on the amount of water received; this could take days or weeks. The only adjustment possible to this height would be to add something in front of the overflow area of the cement structure. (This has not been done, and doing so, thus raising the lakes water level, would flood some lakefront property owners, and stress their septic systems).
The cement structure is in great condition, with no cracks, and all metal parts are securely attached, and, there appears to be no leakage around or thru the structure. John Nassar keeps the top grates clean, and the county drain department comes by monthly to empty metal baskets that catch some finer things.
The lakes water level varies mostly because of rain and some storm drainage. The overflow is meant to relieve the lake of too much water from rains and melting snow. Once the lakes water level falls below the overflow level of the drain structure, water quits flowing into the drain, and the lakes level is, what it is, only controlled by evaporation, and homeowners pumping water out. The overflow can do nothing to help with low water levels. Thus, the dryer the summer months, the lower the lake becomes.
New Laws for the Operation of Personal Water Craft
In 2004 a personal watercraft (PWC) accident that claimed the life of Ashleigh Iserman, a 17 year old Oakland County resident. As a result of the accident Ashleigh's mother began a campaign to change the laws regarding the operation of PWCs. In June, 2008 "Ashleigh Iserman's Law" was enacted.
The law, which goes into effect in October 1, 2011, raises the minimum age of unsupervised PWC operation from 14-years-old to 16-years-old. In addition, the new law states those under 16-yeas-old can't operate a PWC unless they are at least 14-years-old and either riding with a parent, legal guardian or an individual who is at least 21-years-old and approved by the parent; or the person operating or riding the PWC is within 100 feet of the parent, legal guardian or designated person over 21-years-old.
The law also extends the hours of operation for PWCs to sunset. Previously, PWC operators had to be off the water an hour prior to sunset each day as determined by the National Weather Service. According to Hammon, the sponsor of the bill, the change in hours of operation takes effect immediately. The hike in the minimum unsupervised PWC operating age won't take effect for three years so that current 13-year-olds can be phased in.
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