Spring Reminders
Lake Levels will start to increase on Wed. May 1st to the Summer Levels. Please take advantage of the current low lake levels to clean the leaves and lake debris from your waterfront.
The Maintenance Staff will start picking up leaves/lake debris this first week of April. You can put your leaves/lake debris, no yard waste, in a pile by the road (not in bags). Weekly pick-up will be on Tuesdays.
Goose Nest/Egg Destruction was conducted by GooseBusters this spring.
The Goose Roundup has again been cancelled by the DNR this year. There is a high pathogenic avian influenza and relocating the geese has a risk of spreading this virus.
The Laminar Flow Aeration System is operating. If there are any aerators that are not working in your area, please contact the office. lakeleannpoa@gmail.com 517-688-9704.
Reposted 5/1/24
Lake Levels will start to increase on Wed. May 1st to the Summer Levels. Please take advantage of the current low lake levels to clean the leaves and lake debris from your waterfront.
The Maintenance Staff will start picking up leaves/lake debris this first week of April. You can put your leaves/lake debris, no yard waste, in a pile by the road (not in bags). Weekly pick-up will be on Tuesdays.
Goose Nest/Egg Destruction was conducted by GooseBusters this spring.
The Goose Roundup has again been cancelled by the DNR this year. There is a high pathogenic avian influenza and relocating the geese has a risk of spreading this virus.
The Laminar Flow Aeration System is operating. If there are any aerators that are not working in your area, please contact the office. lakeleannpoa@gmail.com 517-688-9704.
Reposted 5/1/24
The Annual Meeting Newsletters have been mailed/emailed.
In a continued effort to keep our Members informed about any new or pending Michigan legislation that could potentially impact our Lakes, please see the new postings below, provided by the Michigan Waterfront Alliance (MWA) about a new pending Bill, concerning the use of Wake Boats in Wake Mode and the MWA Summary of four new pending Bills about proposed Septic System regulations.
Proposed Bill 5532, IF PASSED, would restrict the operation of wake boats to distances of 500 feet or more from a shoreline or dock, and to water depths of 20 feet or more. The DNR 2022 recommendations concerning the use of Wake Boats in wake-mode is available below.
Proposed Bills, House Bills 4479 & 4480 and Senate Bills 299 & 300, which are all pending in the Michigan House and Senate could impose new Septic System maintenance requirements and other changes IF PASSED.
Proposed Bill 5532, IF PASSED, would restrict the operation of wake boats to distances of 500 feet or more from a shoreline or dock, and to water depths of 20 feet or more. The DNR 2022 recommendations concerning the use of Wake Boats in wake-mode is available below.
Proposed Bills, House Bills 4479 & 4480 and Senate Bills 299 & 300, which are all pending in the Michigan House and Senate could impose new Septic System maintenance requirements and other changes IF PASSED.
Septic Information
Effective July 1, 2023 members are required to have their septic tank(s) pumped and inspected every five years (at a minimum) by a licensed septic system service provider. All members must provide documentation (a letter or paid receipt) from a licensed septic service provider to the LLPOA Office evidencing the pumping and inspection of septic holding tank(s).
Members are required to provide the first documentation by July 1, 2028.
The office will take documentation at any time and keep copies on file.
Posted 2/2024
Effective July 1, 2023 members are required to have their septic tank(s) pumped and inspected every five years (at a minimum) by a licensed septic system service provider. All members must provide documentation (a letter or paid receipt) from a licensed septic service provider to the LLPOA Office evidencing the pumping and inspection of septic holding tank(s).
Members are required to provide the first documentation by July 1, 2028.
The office will take documentation at any time and keep copies on file.
Posted 2/2024
Bonfires
All fire or bonfire receptacles/enclosures installed after April 1, 2022 must be located a minimum of 20-feet from the shoreline. Members having existing fire/bonfire receptacles/enclosures within 20-feet from the shoreline are encouraged to move them in compliance with the 20-foot rule. Regardless of the distance from the shoreline, any open fire or bonfire located on any lakefront property must be in a self-contained fireproof receptacle/enclosure made of brick, stone, masonry, steel or earthen base where the ash can be confined, collected, and disposed of properly when cooled.
All fire or bonfire receptacles/enclosures installed after April 1, 2022 must be located a minimum of 20-feet from the shoreline. Members having existing fire/bonfire receptacles/enclosures within 20-feet from the shoreline are encouraged to move them in compliance with the 20-foot rule. Regardless of the distance from the shoreline, any open fire or bonfire located on any lakefront property must be in a self-contained fireproof receptacle/enclosure made of brick, stone, masonry, steel or earthen base where the ash can be confined, collected, and disposed of properly when cooled.
NATURAL SHORELINES AND SEAWALLS
The LLPOA is providing this information to all Members who may be considering a more natural shoreline and/or eco-friendly seawalls. Follow the links below to learn more.
LEARN ABOUT EROSION AND EROSION CONTROL OPTIONS:
Short overview of problems with seawalls, and the advantages and costs of natural shorelines:
https://www.michigan.gov/.../wrd-natural-shorelines...
Another good overview of erosion, how plants help prevent it, and seawalls make it worse https://www.mishorelinepartnership.org/erosion-at-the...
Specific techniques for controlling erosion and their associated costs
https://www.mishorelinepartnership.org/shoreline-erosion...
NATIVE PLANTINGS- WHAT, WHERE AND WHY:
List of native plants, why they are preferred, and which to plant in different zones relative to the shoreline
https://www.mishorelinepartnership.org/plants-for-inland...
CONTRACTORS:
Need help? List of natural shoreline professionals
https://www.mishorelinepartnership.org/find-a-shoreline...
Posted 7/2021
The LLPOA is providing this information to all Members who may be considering a more natural shoreline and/or eco-friendly seawalls. Follow the links below to learn more.
LEARN ABOUT EROSION AND EROSION CONTROL OPTIONS:
Short overview of problems with seawalls, and the advantages and costs of natural shorelines:
https://www.michigan.gov/.../wrd-natural-shorelines...
Another good overview of erosion, how plants help prevent it, and seawalls make it worse https://www.mishorelinepartnership.org/erosion-at-the...
Specific techniques for controlling erosion and their associated costs
https://www.mishorelinepartnership.org/shoreline-erosion...
NATIVE PLANTINGS- WHAT, WHERE AND WHY:
List of native plants, why they are preferred, and which to plant in different zones relative to the shoreline
https://www.mishorelinepartnership.org/plants-for-inland...
CONTRACTORS:
Need help? List of natural shoreline professionals
https://www.mishorelinepartnership.org/find-a-shoreline...
Posted 7/2021
FAQs: What to expect this year regarding the Lake LeAnn Water Quality Project
What exactly are we doing to treat Lake LeAnn this year?
Employing a series of complementary approaches, including laminar flow aeration (to increase oxygen levels in the lakes), bioaugmentation (to break down organic waste on lake bottom), native planting (to filter incoming water and stabilize the shoreline), and encouraging a number of best management practices by our members to further decrease excess nutrient levels.
-How exactly do the aeration and bioaugmentation work?
Aeration provides oxygen deep in the lake, so that oxygen-loving microorganisms can break down the ‘compost’ (muck and sediment from undecayed dead plants and algae) on the lake bottom. This prevents the liberation of phosphorus into the water column that feeds algae during summer months. Aeration also disrupts the special pattern of blue-green algae movement in the water column that gives it a competitive advantage over other less harmful organisms. Bioaugmentation treatment, which will begin in June, adds additional oxygen-loving friendly microbes to the lake, complementing aeration by working to out-compete algae for excess nutrients. With time, decreased compost on the lake bottom will impact nuisance plants as well.
-So will water quality be significantly improved this year?
Every lake responds differently to treatments, depending on its initial condition and other unique characteristics, as well as yearly fluctuations in temperature and rainfall. The changes that we hope to see this year include a decrease in algae, some increase in water clarity, and perhaps a decrease in muck. All of these might not be seen uniformly around both lakes. It is likely that changes in the abundance of nuisance plants will take longer to observe.
-Will we be treating the lakes with chemicals this year?
Yes, chemical treatment remains an important part of our arsenal, at least for the moment. Surveys of the lakes by boat and drone indicate that both lakes have a high abundance of several types of nuisance vegetation. These plants have survived from last year due to a relatively mild winter; similar findings are being reported on many lakes. These plants have also survived prior treatments, indicating there may be the emergence of some treatment-resistance. This is precisely why our long-term strategy cannot depend solely on the continued use of chemicals, but instead on the adoption of complementary approaches. In the meantime, as the other methods gain some traction, we will undertake a one-time widespread treatment of the lakes later this month in order to try to keep the unwanted vegetation at bay. Look for upcoming announcements of the timing of the treatment, as well as any temporary restrictions on the use of lake water for watering plants. If this treatment is successful, follow-up treatments for the remainder of the year will hopefully be more limited in scope and more targeted.
-What can I do to help?
Help out with the native planting sessions scheduled for May and June, then plant some native plants on your own property. Stabilize your shoreline in an eco-friendly manner. Decrease or eliminate fertilizer use. Stop growing and clipping grass near the lake. Empty and inspect your septic system. Contact us with questions.
Posted 5/2021
What exactly are we doing to treat Lake LeAnn this year?
Employing a series of complementary approaches, including laminar flow aeration (to increase oxygen levels in the lakes), bioaugmentation (to break down organic waste on lake bottom), native planting (to filter incoming water and stabilize the shoreline), and encouraging a number of best management practices by our members to further decrease excess nutrient levels.
-How exactly do the aeration and bioaugmentation work?
Aeration provides oxygen deep in the lake, so that oxygen-loving microorganisms can break down the ‘compost’ (muck and sediment from undecayed dead plants and algae) on the lake bottom. This prevents the liberation of phosphorus into the water column that feeds algae during summer months. Aeration also disrupts the special pattern of blue-green algae movement in the water column that gives it a competitive advantage over other less harmful organisms. Bioaugmentation treatment, which will begin in June, adds additional oxygen-loving friendly microbes to the lake, complementing aeration by working to out-compete algae for excess nutrients. With time, decreased compost on the lake bottom will impact nuisance plants as well.
-So will water quality be significantly improved this year?
Every lake responds differently to treatments, depending on its initial condition and other unique characteristics, as well as yearly fluctuations in temperature and rainfall. The changes that we hope to see this year include a decrease in algae, some increase in water clarity, and perhaps a decrease in muck. All of these might not be seen uniformly around both lakes. It is likely that changes in the abundance of nuisance plants will take longer to observe.
-Will we be treating the lakes with chemicals this year?
Yes, chemical treatment remains an important part of our arsenal, at least for the moment. Surveys of the lakes by boat and drone indicate that both lakes have a high abundance of several types of nuisance vegetation. These plants have survived from last year due to a relatively mild winter; similar findings are being reported on many lakes. These plants have also survived prior treatments, indicating there may be the emergence of some treatment-resistance. This is precisely why our long-term strategy cannot depend solely on the continued use of chemicals, but instead on the adoption of complementary approaches. In the meantime, as the other methods gain some traction, we will undertake a one-time widespread treatment of the lakes later this month in order to try to keep the unwanted vegetation at bay. Look for upcoming announcements of the timing of the treatment, as well as any temporary restrictions on the use of lake water for watering plants. If this treatment is successful, follow-up treatments for the remainder of the year will hopefully be more limited in scope and more targeted.
-What can I do to help?
Help out with the native planting sessions scheduled for May and June, then plant some native plants on your own property. Stabilize your shoreline in an eco-friendly manner. Decrease or eliminate fertilizer use. Stop growing and clipping grass near the lake. Empty and inspect your septic system. Contact us with questions.
Posted 5/2021
Zoom: Shoreline Management Practices and Lake LeAnn Shoreline Projects Meeting held 4-17-21