Lakes Committee considers weed complaint

Residents who live on Loch Lomond have been complaining about the weeds in the lake, Rick Echols, the POA’s lakes and fisheries superintendent told members of the Lakes Committee on Wednesday. His staff has been spraying all summer, but it hasn’t been effective. He has two alternatives in mind and asked the committee to help make the decision.

There is another spray that could be applied, he said. It would kill the weeds from the roots and, while it might take some time, it should work. Or, he could buy more grass carp.

The POA stocks some grass carp each year, he reminded the committee, but there are too many weeds for the number of fish. He could buy additional fish and allow them to eat the leafy pondweed which is causing issues.

Answering a question from the committee, he said the carp would probably not eat water willows. Water willows don’t take over like leafy pondweed, but they do provide some cover for game fish. Crappie fishermen, he explained, like the fact that weeds shelter young fish that will become large enough to catch.

Echols said he has to balance the desires of anglers with homeowners and swimmers. The grass carp will be expensive and he won’t purchase them until March, but they should take care of the problem. The committee voted to support that solution.

Two residents spoke to the committee during the open forum. Ellen Creekbaum presented two options to solve some issues she sees on the lake.

Boats she said are getting bigger and faster, which makes their wakes more dangerous. Lake usage is growing, she said.

One option to make the lake safer would be to prohibit certain types of boats, like wake boats which she defined as “designed to create a large, specially shaped wake for wakeboarders to jump.”

If certain boats can’t be prohibited, another option would be to limit the number of boats at any one time. Boaters could schedule their usage like golfers schedule tee times, she said.

Another resident who identified himself as Steve Hilton wanted the board to improve the Stoneykirk boat ramp which has been washed out several times. He would also like to see improvements like restrooms, a paved parking area and picnic tables at the site.