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Hidden Lake Lake Committee |
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The Lake Committee members have initiated a monthly web report to keep property owners informed on the status of the lake and to attempt to answer any questions that you may have. For questions or comments about the lake contact the Lake Committee Chair 713-818-9035 |
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Lake Committee November 2011 Report Electric Aeration for Hidden Lake I am happy to report that we have finally installed an electric aerator at Hidden Lake. The system is located on the south side of the lake and was installed in late October. It consists of two individual compressors that power separate diffuser units in the lake. If you are on the lake you can recognize the electric power diffuser units by the red/white floats that mark their location. The system is quite robust and generates a good bubble train at both diffuser locations. Currently, we are only running the system a short period each day but we will gradually lengthen the time as the lake begins to fully ice over. The advantages of this electric system are that we can run it as much as needed, it outputs more oxygen per diffuser, and we think the electric unit will have less maintenance issues than the windmill powered units, which have broken down repeatedly on us. The electric system will supplement the two windmill powered units. The windmills have both been serviced and are operational at this time. Hopefully, the combination of all three units will help us keep the oxygen levels in the lake at a consistently good level. DO measurements taken in the Fall before the installation of the new aerator were at a good level as shown below. However, we really won’t know how effective the overall system is until next Spring.
For those of you who are like birding, I noticed a species of duck on the lake that I had never seen at HL before. I looked it up in my bird book and believe that it is a bufflehead. Please let me know if you have seen them on the lake in the past. Regards, John Adamick Lake Committee Chairman
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Photo: Testing the new electric aeration unit at diffuser 1. |
 Photo: Bufflehead duck on Hidden Lake, October 27th, 2011 |
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Lake Committee August 2011 Report
All,
The attached presentation was
given at the annual August 2011 meeting and provides a report on the
latest condition of the lake.
Click here to view the presentation.
John Adamick
Lake Committee Chairman
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Lake Committee June 2011 Report The Fish Are In! Welcome to the June 2011 issue of the Lake Committee Report. The first thing I would like to report is that ~1500 rainbow trout were stocked in the lake on May 18th. Gary and Richard were on hand to witness the stocking and it went off without a hitch. Most of the fish stocked were in the 8-10” slot although there are also fish up to 12”. With the high growth rate that fish experience in the lake, some of these fish should be 16-18”+ by the end of the season! Dissolved oxygen measurements were taken both before and after the fish were stocked and the oxygen levels were found to be at good levels of 6-8ppm throughout most of the water column. The stocking this year was funded by private donations and I am happy to report that a number of people helped out financially. Thank you very much for your donations! While visiting Hidden Lake in late May, I took the opportunity to walk around the lake and also traversed most of the lake by boat. The spring on the south side of the lake is putting in 10-12 gallons of water per minute into the lake. However, the overall water level in the lake is significantly lower than it was at this time last year, about a foot lower. This is attributable, I believe, to the relatively low amount of snowfall we had this past winter. At any rate, the lake level this summer is going to look “low” relative to last year unless we get some good summer rains. While on my boat traverse, I saw a few of the trout and a few larger salamanders. The lake water is still quite cold and it will probably be another couple of weeks before we start seeing more activity. Most of the salamanders are still hibernating, I believe. I also noted that there is virtually no aquatic weed on the lake at present. This will surely change over the next month but at the moment the lake is pretty weed free. Both of our windmill aerators are up and functioning although we lost some of our decoy floats during ice-over. We intend to replace these floats in July. Research continues into electric aeration and I hope to have all information to the Board later this month. Regards, John Adamick Lake Committee Chairman |
 Photo: Trout being stocked into Hidden Lake on May 18th. |
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Lake Committee April 2011 Report Plans for More Aeration Welcome to the April 2011 issue of the Lake Committee Report. This month I would like to discuss our plans to increase aeration in Hidden Lake. As I have mentioned in previous articles, adequate aeration is the solution for many of the problems we have at HL. A well oxygenated lake will improve fish survival, reduce the large amount of plant life in the lake, improve water clarity due to the reduction in algal blooms, reduce the foul odor that sometimes occurs on the lake, and generally improve the lake’s health overall. Because our lake does not have any major inlet streams and no outlets, there is a tendency for the lower levels of the lake to become oxygen depleted, particularly in the winter time. Aerators provide oxygen directly into the bottom of the lake but even more importantly, they cause convection cells to form. These convection cells circulate the bottom waters to the top of the lake where they receive oxygen at the air/water interface. Over time, these convection cells can mix all of the waters of the lake. This is very beneficial to the lake in that it helps de-stratify the lake and reduces the likelihood of oxygen depletion at any single point in time. At this point we have two windmill aerators on the lake. Unit A was installed in September 2007 and Unit B was installed in October 2009. These units have added oxygen into the lake and have established convection cells as evidenced by the open water that has occurred above the diffusers, even in the heart of winter. However, they are obviously not doing enough to destratify the lake since we are still experiencing very low oxygen levels at times in the lake. Part of the problem is that the windmill units have been prone to mechanical break-down. The units simply appear to have a hard time handling the high winds that sometimes occur at HL. Even though they are designed to cease operation in high winds, both units have literally had elements torn off on occasion leading to weeks of inoperation. The other problem with the windmills is that they do not operate when the wind isn’t blowing (duh!). Believe it or not, this does happen at Hidden Lake. For all of these reasons, your Board is investigating electric aeration for the lake. It turns out that electric aeration units themselves are slightly less expensive than the windmill units. They are much more efficient and can literally run 24/7 if we want them to. Electrical costs per month are estimated at about $50/month. Modern units are quiet and very reliable. The one large cost that can be involved is running power down to the lake’s edge. However, we have come up with a plan to minimize this cost. Paul Donisthorpe (Lot 50) has graciously offered that a separate electrical line can be run from his transformer down to the lake utilizing surface conduit. This line will be designed to be able to power several aerator units, if needed. I believe that this solution will give us the aeration we need to solve our oxygen problem at Hidden Lake, once and for all.
Note: The measurement stations shown in this graph were inconsistent until Jan 4, 2010. All measurements have been taken at the same station since that time. Soliciting Donations for Fish Stocking in 2011 At the annual meeting last August, the decision was made not to fund the stocking of any fish in Hidden Lake in 2011. I believe this decision was driven by the fact that we had a fish kill in 2010 and members did not want to “waste” money until they were sure the lake would support fish year round. However, the lake can and does support fish the majority of the time and additional aeration may solve our problems permanently. Fish in the lake serve at least three useful purposes. First, the trout provide recreational benefit to many of our members who enjoy fishing and are a selling point for anyone trying to sell their property. Second, they serve a role as the top predator in the lake and will keep the mud puppy population in check. Many people have commented negatively about the extremely large mud puppy populations in the past. Last, they are the proverbial “canary in the coal mine”. There is simply no way that we can prove that the lake has adequate oxygen levels 100% of the time to support fish without having at least some fish in the lake. For these reasons, the Board recently approved that the Lake Committee could try and raise donations for a stocking this spring. Please note that the intent is not to hit up members for donations every year. Rather, this is meant to be a one-time solicitation to get fish in the lake in 2011. Approximately $1500-$2000 is needed for a good stocking and several individuals have already agreed to donate. If you are interested in donating, please contact John Adamick at 713 818-9035 or at jaltona@comcast.net. We would like to do the stocking by early May so please let me know soon if you would like to help out. John Adamick Lake Committee Chairman
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Trophy Trout at Hidden Lake??? Welcome to the February 2011 issue of the Lake Committee Report. This month I would like to discuss the trout population in our lake, or the lack thereof. The title of this article is meant to be provocative. Hidden Lake has indeed had trophy trout in the past and has many of the attributes of a quality fishery. However, there are certain problems (namely consistent oxygen levels in the water) that must be solved if the lake is to be a consistent fishery year after year. The Good News- Attached are a few photos of the some of the fantastic fish that have been pulled out of Hidden Lake. A couple of the photos are thought to be from the late 90’s/early 2000’s and were taken by HL’s developer. However, the others were taken in 2009 by yours truly. The fish caught in June 2009 had been stocked in summer 2008. The brown trout had originally been stocked as 2-6” fish and a year later were being caught at average sizes of 12-14”. The rainbow trout had originally been stocked as 4-8” fish and a year later were being caught at average sizes of 16”+. There were also a few fish larger fish of up to 22” caught in summer 2009 but these were thought to be holdover fish from prior years. The 2008 stocked fish grew at a phenomenal rate of 1” per month during the growing season. How did this happen? The answer is that HL is a very rich lake with many food sources for trout. The plant life in the lake supports a variety of insects, scuds, snails, worms and leeches. The salmanders (mud puppies) are also a rich source of protein for our fish. Similar conditions and growth rates have been seen at Stone Lake, New Mexico not too far from HL. Another factor that favors fish in Hidden Lake is that the aquatic plants in the lake provide good cover for the fish from their main predator (eagles and osprey?). The temperature of the water in the lake is ideal for trout and the water chemistry is also favorable. Last, the fact that the lake averages over 12 feet deep means there is plenty of deeper water for fish to overwinter. The Bad News- The only negative associated with our lake as concerns fish is the oxygen level in the lake. Trout and most other fish need a dissolved oxygen (“DO”) level of 2 parts per million in the water to survive. If the DO level falls below this amount for more than a couple of hours the fish will suffocate. The natural DO level at HL is at levels above this amount probably for greater than 99.9% of the time but that is poor consolation if a fish kill occurs. For a variety of reasons, low DO levels mainly occur during the winter when the lake is iced over and the plants in the lake die off. However, low DO levels and fish kills can occur even in the summer if the lake “turns over” quickly. Fish kills did occur at HL in the winter of 2009 and another fish kill occurred in summer 2010. There are thought to be few, if any, fish present in HL at this time. What Can Be Done? We do know that the HL can go over a year with acceptable DO levels as proven by the 2008 stocking of fish which grew to impressive sizes and were caught in 2009. However, to ensure a consistent DO level we need to increase the level of aeration of the lake. The Association has placed two windmill aerators on the lake but additional aerators will be needed due to our lake’s size. As has been discussed before, aeration is the solution for many of the problems we have at HL. A well oxygenated lake will improve fish survival, reduce the large amount of plant life in the lake, improve water clarity due to the reduction in algal blooms, reduce the foul odor that sometimes occurs on the lake, and generally improve the lake’s health overall. As others have said before, HL is essentially an eutrophic lake. However, the lake will be around for decades, even centuries to come if we take care of it. Other News- An attempt was made to measure DO levels on the lake in late December but the ice on the lake was unstable and the attempt was aborted. The two windmill aerators have continued to operate through January although the tail fin on Unit B was recently torn off by high winds and will be replaced. Unit B is still functional but will not operate at peak efficiency until the tail fin is repaired. Unit A continues to operate at peak efficiency and has maintained an open hole in the ice throughout the winter. John Adamick Lake Committee Chairman |
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Lake
Committee December Report -
Plants in the Lake & How They Affect Its Health
In this
issue, I would like to review the plant types that are known to
exist in Hidden Lake and what affect they have on the lake's overall
health. The plants that have been identified so far are:
The first
three plants on the list are all rooted and grow in the shallow
waters around the lake. They were probably first introduced to the
lake by waterfowl. Each year these plants begin growing as the ice
melts away and sunlight begins reaching the water bottom. They grow
quickly and generally form a solid ring around the lake by July.
They usually grow from the shoreline out to about ten-twelve feet of
water depth. These plants provide food and cover for the numerous
insects, snails, leeches, and salamanders that live in our lake. Our
fish, in turn, benefit from the rich food sources that live in the
lake and grow to impressive sizes very quickly. The weeds also help
protect our fish from bird (eagle, osprey) predation. During the
summer, these plants consume carbon dioxide from the atomosphere/water
and add oxygen back into the system. However, once the lake freezes
over the plants die off and the decay of the plant matter actually
consumes oxygen in the lake. Because of this life cycle, it is
beneficial for us to have some rooted plants in the lake but not too
many.
The main
reason our lake has a lot (or a little) vegetation in any given year
is mainly related to the amount of free nutrients in the water. It
turns out that the main nutrient needed is phosphorous in the form
called Ortho P. Note that there are other varieties of phosphorus in
our water but only the Ortho P form is available for uptake by
plants. Having a high level of Ortho P is basically just like
adding fertilizer directly to our lake plants. They grow like crazy
as a result. Back in 2007 before we installed any windmills in the
lake, our measured Ortho P was .43. Some of you may remember the
abundant vegetation and poor overall health of the lake at that
time. After we got our first windmill up and running in 2009, we
took an Ortho P measurement and recorded a value of .04. Again, many
of you may remember the overally good health of the lake that
season. This summer our Ortho P level was measured at .13. This
level was better than the 2007 value but still a lot worse than our
2009 value and the overall health of the lake reflected this.
One indirect
indicator of Ortho P levels in the lake is the 4th plant type
listed, planktonic algae. Lots of planktonic algae in the water is a
clear indication that we have too many nutrients (Ortho P) in the
lake. The planktonic algae "blooms" in the summer/fall and is only
present when nutrient levels are high. Since the rooted plants grow
first, they consume most of the Ortho P in a year when this nutrient
is low or moderate. However, in a year when Ortho P is high, there
is plently left to fertilize the planktonic algae when it begins to
occur in the summer. As a result "massive" blooms of algae sometimes
occur. This is very bad news for the lake because these algae have
short lifespans and when they die off, their decomposition can
rapidly lower the oxygen levels in the water column.
So, in a
nutshell, what would be ideal for the lake would be some
rooted plants each year (not too much) and NO planktonic algae at
all. The way we can try to achieve this is to reduce Ortho P in the
lake. How do we do this? As far as we can tell there isn't any
phosphorous being introduced to the lake by man (ie sewage, etc).
It does turn out that volcanic rocks (the type of rock on the
surface at HL) naturally contain high levels of phosphorous.
However, as I mentioned earlier the only way this phosphorous is
available to plants is if it is in the form of Ortho P. And the key
to whether phosphorous is in the form of Ortho P or not is OXYGEN.
If the waters of Hidden Lake stay oxygenated at a consistently high
level, much of the phosphorous is tied up as PO4 and other
phosphorous compounds and is not available to plant life. If the
oxygen levels get too low, a lot of the phosphorous converts to
Ortho P and is available as fertilizer for plants. This is one of
the main reasons the lake committee continues to push for more
aeration of the lake. As we add more aerators to the lake over time,
we should achieve a consistently higher level of oxygenation in the
lake. There will always be seasonal fluctuations in oxygen level but
the aerators help keep the lake's waters mixed and WILL raise oxygen
levels. This also has the added benefit of helping our fish
population survive throughout the year.
I have taken
a complex subject here and tried to provide a simple overview.
Hopefully, it gives you a basic understanding of some of the
ecologic aspects of the lake. I'd be more than happy to discuss this
subject in more detail if you have questions.
Regards,
John Adamick
Lake Committee
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Lake Committee Report for
October 2010
Hello Everyone. My name is John
Adamick and I am the current chairman of the Lake Committee. The
committee members and I would like to initiate a monthly web report
to keep property owners informed on the status of the lake and to
attempt to answer any questions that you may have. The lake is, of
course, the centerpiece of our development and it is critical that
we keep it in as good a condition as possible for our property
values, aesthetics, recreation, etc. You may not be aware but the
committee has been gathering detailed statistics on the lake for
more than a year now to try and learn more about the physical and
ecologic aspects of the lake. In this inaugural edition of the Lake
Committee Report, I would like to discuss lake water levels. Many
owners have expressed concern about the lake's level and we have
been measuring the lake level on a regular basis since July 2009 to
try and understand how the lake fluctuates over time. We have also
investigated inflows and outflows from the lake in order better
understand the reasons for the fluctuation.
Inflows to the lake: The main
inputs into the lake are precipitation (rain and snow) directly into
the lake, runoff, and a small spring on Lot 43 that runs into the
lake. The spring appears to run year round and provides an
estimated 10-12 gallons a minute into the lake in the spring. This
amount sometimes dwindles in the fall but doesn't seem to entirely
stop. There are also a couple of very small intermittent springs
that appear on the south/southwest shore of the lake during
April/May but these disappear once summer arrives. Years ago, there
was a flume (1960's and 70's) that ran from a pond and spring
further up the hill into HL. This flume fed a substantial amount of
water into the lake and appears to be the cause of the old, higher
shoreline that you can see when walking around the lake.
Unfortunately, the flume was taken out by court order in the 1970's
to protect the water rights of some property owners downstream.
Outflows: The only outflow that
we are sure of at present is evaporation. The combination of lots of
sun days and low humidity makes our area one of high evaporation
rates. Based on research by the United States Geological Survey,
these evaporation rates are quite consistent on a year to year basis
and in our area average 60 inches per year! There was speculation
by some owners that HL might have a leak and actually be leaking out
along the entrance road in the drainage ditch. However, we have not
found any evidence of this so far. The water found in the ditch
comes from a small spring located near the road. We had a lab test
the chemistry of the water from the ditch and the water from the
lake. The chemical profiles of the two samples were quite different
and the lab's conclusion was that the ditch water did not come from
the lake.
Seasonal Fluctuations: The chart
shown below illustrates how the lakes level fluctuates over time and
contains some interesting results. It is a little confusing at first
glance so let me explain what it represents. The x-axis of the graph
shows the date that measurements were taken. The y-axis shows
relative water level in inches. The pink curve represents the
lake's water level in relative terms. When we took our first
measurement back in July 2009 the lake level, as measured from a
fixed metal stake we placed in the lake, was 23". We then took
regular measurements at this same stake location over time until the
lake iced over in November and then reinitiated measurements when
the lake thawed out in April 2010. In the pink curve shown, we
subtracted 23" from all of the values to show how the water level
rose or fell over time relative to that first measurement. The
curve shows that the lake level varied but did generally fall about
8" during the second half of 2009 until ice-over. In 2010, you can
see that the first measurements in April 2010 were a couple of
inches higher than the original benchmark and then fell in the early
summer to about mid-July. After than point, the lake level rose
strongly due to some good rains through August before beginning to
descend again in September. The yellow curve that appears on the
right side of the graph is simply a year-on-year comparison of lake
water levels. As you can see from this curve, the lake's level is
currently almost 6" higher than it was a year ago. The purple curve
shown at the top of the graph is a measurement of precipitation
(snow and rain), as recorded by Joe Stehling. In this case, I have
baselined all of the measurements to 6" in order to place the curve
above the other curves. This means that if Joe recorded zero
precipitation for a week, it shows up as a "6" value on the curve.
This curve is good for showing when we had periods of strong
precipitation and by comparing this curve to the pink curve you can
see that precipitation does indeed have a strong effect on the
lake's level.
Addressing Lake Levels: As you
can see from the chart and text explanation, Mother Nature places
significant restrictions on what we can or cannot do to address lake
levels. Overall precipitation is the single largest variable and we
don't have control of that! Evaporation is pretty constant and at a
high rate. The things that we could potentially do to add water to
the lake are: 1) modify drainage on the south shore of the lake; 2)
Seek permission to rebuild the flume; 3) drill a water well to
supplement the lake. Modifying drainage on the south shore of the
lake is probably our best and least expensive option. There is a
considerable drainage area on the south side of the lake road that
is currently being diverted by a drainage ditch away from the lake.
Enlarging our current culvert system and perhaps adding additional
ones WOULD secure more water for the lake, A second alternative
would be to try and negotiate to have the flume reinstalled. This
would likely require buying some water rights and I have no idea how
expensive it would be. However, if successful, this would raise the
level of the lake substantially. Last, a water well could be
drilled to supplement the lake. This would probably cost on the
order of $15,000-$20,000 with no guarantee of success. In addition,
the volumes of water needed to supplement the lake would be large at
times and there is a risk that the well could affect the water wells
of homeowners in the area.
Please feel free to contact me if
you have any questions/concerns about the lake and the Lake
Committee and I will try to address them.
Regards,
John Adamick
Lake Committee Chairman
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September 23, 2010
Subject: A HLPOA Lake Report Dear HLPOA Board Members and Owners: You know how some things grow and grow and just don’t want to stop growing? Well, this lake report is kind of like that. It started out with the chronology of Hidden Lake so that background data was available to board members to make informed decisions about the lake. Then I asked a fellow property owner, Susan Fakhrai, to help research lake ecology to help explain the events in the chronology. When the ecological and chronology were finished, a few owners had more questions that I had paper to write on so questions stemming from the chronology are included to show everyone that lake management is not an easy job. When the questions were completed, owners said we’d better come up with a draft implementation plan because the questions would leave everyone wondering how to address the lake issue. A draft plan, felt to be reasonable and achievable, was added. Susan Fakhrai wrote the Ecological Background and she is well qualified to write this article because she has worked as a science professional for over 30 years. I have been around Hidden Lake forever and experienced events prior to the formation of the HLPOA so I wrote the Chronology and compiled the questions. Susan was very helpful—providing ideas as well as acting as a sounding board for me while I was developing the “Plan”. This report grew and grew with so much information that several owners felt that all owners should have access to it, so here it is. Yes, yes, I know. It would be nice to have an executive summary, but I am plumb out of steam and want to get this information out before 2011 rolls around. Thank you for taking the time to read this document. I hope this information is informative and provides a better understanding of the complexities involved in lake management. Don’t hesitate to disagree, but if you do, please come up with helpful corrections, a valid analysis based on fact, or new ways to improve the lake.
Marilyn Borich 2010 Summer Site Manager Ecological Background Information Prepared by Susan Fakhrai, 9/2010 1. Hidden Lake formed in the remains of a volcanic structure--maybe a caldera (according to NM geo map, underlying rock = basalt). This agrees with appearance of area on topographic map. 2. Over years, water naturally accumulated in the depression--making a small lake/pond (it doesn't matter what you call it). o Known sources of water include rainfall and runoff from the surrounding area. o Additional water flowed into HL 1961 -1970's from a drainage impoundment located on Lot 36. o Amount of inflow to HL may have been higher prior to development of HL (ie: the grading of roads and establishment of lot lines may have channeled water to places other than the lake). 3. HL has no known outflow. 4. All lakes naturally accumulate sediments. 5. All lakes naturally move towards becoming completely filled-in and becoming marshes then meadows. This is called succession and happens over many, many (hundreds? thousands? millions?) of years. 6. Lakes without outflows, experience no or less throughput (flushing) and fill with sediment faster. 7. Lakes without outflows, accumulate the products of decomposition faster because there is no flushing. 8. When plants and animals die, they sink to the bottom of the lake where decomposers break them down into nutrients that get dispersed throughout the lake. 9. If there is a lot of biomass to be decomposed, too much O2 is used and lake O2 levels drop below that which can sustain some animal species (decomposing organisms use up O2). 10. Phosphorus is needed by all living things. 11. Phosphorus comes from rocks/sediments, decomposing organisms, fertilizers, and septic/animal wastes. 12. If there is a lot of decomposing matter, too much phosphorus is released, which causes too much algae. 13. When these "algae blooms" die, even more biomass is introduced to the system to be decomposed. 14. Once O2 levels in the lower levels of the lake start to decline, the phosphorus present in the sediments becomes available, and phosphorus levels increase even further. Initial research shows that volcanic soils such as those of HL contain especially high levels of phosphorus. 15. The remains of 1000’s of dead, rainbow trout are known to be sitting in the bottom of the lake. Most of the trout's added biomass has not been removed or flushed from the system. It has contributed to the decaying mass of biotics and sediments present on the floor of the lake. Hidden Lake Chronology 1970-2010 Prepared by Marilyn Borich, 9/2010 The purpose for gathering the following facts about the lake at Hidden Lake subdivision is to assist the HLPOA Board and Lake Committee to make informed decisions to improve the health and quality of the lake, including its ability to support a healthy fish habitat. Sources for information include the HLPOA Annual meeting Minutes, HLPOA special reports, HLPOA Lake committee reports and e-mails, research notes, lake observations, discussions with HLPOA like and alpine owners and persons participating in the development of the Hidden Lake subdivision. Any additions or corrections are welcome. 1970 to 1995 1. The flume was dismantled during the 1970’s. Between 16 and 25 years elapsed between the dismantlement of the flume and the development of the subdivision. 2. Owners learned that the lake was eutrophic and had no continual input/output of fresh water. It was formed in a volcanic depression and precipitation is the primary source of fresh water. All streams which could have fed the lake have dried up except for one small stream located on Lot 42. 3. The developer was advised by hydrology consultants to aerate the lake. However, the developer chose to do nothing other than stock rainbow trout annually. 2001-2005 4. The developer purchased the trout and Cutterine algaecide from the Crowthers Hatchery located in Colorado. When the HLPOA was formed in 2001, it continued this practice. The Cutterine was applied in 3 applications—1/3 of the lake at a time. In 2005. Luis Baca, the caretaker, applied Cutterine to 2/3 of the lake. 5. Several owners can verify Baca’s concern about the decreasing water level in the lake between 2000 and 2005. Baca’s concern is supported by the location of a boathouse and dock built on lot 46 in 2000. The dock is about 150 feet or more from the lake’s current shore. Luis Baca resigned from his position as caretaker in April 2005. 6. Kris Perreault was hired as the caretaker in November 2005. 2006 7. Kris applied the remaining Cutterine to the lake. Fish were stocked but no additional algaecide was applied in 2006. The lake reportedly had a significant amount of rooted and surface plants and salamanders thrived. 8. A Lake Committee was formed at the 2006 Annual Meeting. Committee members elected to apply a “semi-scientific” approach to lake management. Six owners donated $500 each to support the Committee’s research efforts and to purchase scientific equipment. The Committee researched data and interviewed experts on water quality issues, fishery habitats, appropriate fish species, and plant identification and control. 9. The Committee soon learned that aeration and plant management were essential to making the lake healthy. Research on aeration products was straightforward while research on plant management was more difficult. 2007 10. A dissolved oxygen (DO) measuring system was purchased with donated funds. Jim Coy performed the first DO test in February under 19 inches of ice. The measurement date proved that there was virtually no oxygen in the lake. 11. In April, stakes were placed at the water’s edge in 5 locations to monitor the water level. During the summer of 2007, the level of water in the lake increased a few inches at each location. Annual precipitation was 24.68 inches. 12. In May, Mike Smith and Tom Rahage measured the lake. The surface area, the volume, the depth, the width, and the length were measured. 72 depth measurements were taken to establish 7 depth profiles. The output of the spring on Lot 42 was also measured. The length of time that the spring contributes water to the lake is dependent on the height of ground water and precipitation. It was also recognized that due to the mesa’s topography, the lake probably received additional runoff from the area above the north shore and from higher ground to the south of the lake. These investigations and calculations require a significant effort and were not implemented in this measurement. 13. The 2007 lake measurements provide valuable information and baseline data from which to compare 1995 data as well as to monitor future measurements: a. The lake receded from 42 acres to 36 acres since 1995. This is a reduction of 6 acres in 12 years. b. The depth of the lake decreased from 35 feet to 24.7 feet since 1995—a reduction of nearly 10 feet in 12 years. c. Distribution of the 72 depth measurement points showed that 16 points measured depths between 20 and 24.7 feet deep, 18 points showed the lake to be 15-19.9 feet deep, and 8 points showed that the lake depth was 10-14.9 feet. 30 measurement points revealed that the lake was 10 feet or less in depth. In other words, 53% of lake measurements were 15 feet or less deep and 47% of the measurements were between 15 and 24.7 feet in depth. 14. The depth data above supports the average lake depth of 12.8 feet in John Adamick’s lake report. 15. The stream of water feeding the lake at Lot 42 was measured in May at 12 gallons per minute. It is estimated that it would provide 12x60x24x30x5 = 2,592,000 gallons annually if precipitation was “normal”. 16. In June 2007, the first water quality analysis was performed by Aquatic Control and showed an extremely high Ortho Phosphate (P) level of 0.43 ppm. A result greater than 0.03 ppm is considered too high. Total Phosphorus levels were 0.77 ppm, and measure all phosphorus both organic and inorganic. Only the amount of Ortho P is available for uptake by plants and the rest indicates a large sink of nutrients that can become available over time. The water quality analysis showed that all other measurements were within normal ranges. 17. In September 2007, the first windmill was erected and installed at the east access between lots 51 and 52. The windmill aerates 3-5 acres of water. 18. A DO test in October 2007 showed that dissolved oxygen was very good at 7.68 ppm at a depth of 21 feet. Per several fishery and lake consultants, fish need at least 4.0 ppm and preferably 5.0 ppm to survive winter stress under ice. 19. No fish were stocked or algaecide applied in 2007. A significant amount of surface and rooted plants were visible in the lake. 20. The Lake Committee was concerned about copper-based algaecides because the copper settles into the sediments and could be released as a nutrient at a later time. 2008 21. In April and June, 2930 fish were stocked. 800 fish were 2-4 inches, 1,440 fish were 4-6 inches, 640 fish were 6-8 inches and 50 fish were 10 inches in length. 22. Since the subdivision was formalized in 2001, about 1,000 rainbow trout were stocked annually for fishing. Algaecides were also applied. Although the size of the fish stocked is unknown, and the stocking of 2,930 fish contained very small fish, the number of fish stocked in 2008 was triple that of the prior 1,000 fish stocked. Relative to the algaecides applied, we do not know if the applications were annual. There is no evidence that a sprayer was used. 23. Only one record on lake levels was recorded in 2008. On October 24, a distance of 6.7 feet between the stake and the water’s edge was recorded at lot 53. Lot 57 showed a distance of 5.1 feet. Although this measurement was crude, it did indicate that lake levels could be dropping. 2008 precipitation was recorded by Joe Stehling as 25.27 inches. 24. No DO tests were conducted or algaecides applied in 2008. Owners reported a significant amount of surface and rooted algae in the lake. Also, odor on the north shore was reported. 2009 25. One DO test occurred in 2009. A January 25 DO test showed marginal DO in the lake. The windmill was damaged and inoperable for over a month. The DO was 5.26 ppm at location one and 4.63 ppm at location two in a water depth of only 3 feet. In 6 feet of water, the DO was 3.42 ppm at location one and 3.7 ppm at the second location. 26. In May 2009, 1,000 rainbow trout were stocked. Their sizes ranged between 9 inches and 11 inches. 27. Distances between the stakes and water’s edge continued to increase indicating lower water levels. By the end of July 2007, four lots showed significant increases of 27.7 feet, 20.5 feet, 24.5 feet, and 10.2 feet. Precipitation for 2009 was recorded at 23.15 inches. 28. In August, an accurate lake level measurement system was installed and monitored weekly. On August 1, a depth of 23 feet was recorded. This is a decrease of 19 inches since the 2007 lake depth measurements. 29. Concern over continuing decreases in the lake levels prompted the HLPOA Board to hire a consultant recommended by Eric Frei, NM Game and Fish. Wildcat Environmental offered several diagnostic options but major costs without reasonable expectations were an issue. The consultants recommended carp to help control algae and offered to prepare an Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan for $475. Additional services were not purchased by the Lake Committee or the HLPOA Board. 30. Several consultants, including Wildcat Environmental, told us that water is lost each year due to evaporation. Two consultants said to expect between 24 and 36 inches of water loss annually minus precipitation. Recorded precipitation for 2007, 2008, and 2009 was 24.68 in, 25.27 in, and 23.15 in respectively. Using an evaporation average of 30 inches, the precipitation modified our evaporation loss to 5, 3, and 7 inches. 31. Fishing during the summer of 2009 was reportedly the best ever. Per John Adamick’s report, the catch rate was 3-4 fish per hour per person. The rainbows were very fat—close to 3 pounds each and the average size was 16 inches. This information proved that the 2008 stocking survived the winter in spite of minimal oxygen available to fish. 32. In October 2009, a second windmill was installed on the south side of the lake on the easement for lot 42. The water aerated by both windmills is 6-10 acres. 33. The second water quality analysis from Aquatic Control in October 2009 showed tremendous improvement in the quality of water. Total Phosphorus went from 0.77 ppm to 0.05 ppm and the critical Ortho P went from 0.43 to 0.04 ppm. 34. No algaecides were applied in 2009. Rooted and surface algae were abundant. 2010 35. DO tests taken in January (with ice measuring 17 inches), and in May showed good DO levels (6.04 ppm and 6.5 ppm) in water at 13 feet and 18 feet deep respectively. 36. Between January and April, the second windmill’s compressor malfunctioned and did not push oxygen down to the diffusers. The compressor was replaced in July. 37. The absence of fish was noted after the ice melted. At first, it was thought that some fish survived. Continual monitoring and fishing proved differently. Nearly 4000 fish died. Fish in both the 2008 and 2009 stockings were lost. 38. 1,000 fish were delivered for stocking on June 28. 39. DO tests in July 2010 showed good DO down to 12 feet of water. The third water quality sample was taken on July 6th and reported a higher Ortho P than reported in 2009. Without aeration, the Ortho P was 0.43 ppm in 2007. In October 2009, 28 months later, the Ortho P was 0.04 ppm while the July 2010 analysis resulted in 0.13 ppm. Normal results should not be higher than 0.03 ppm. 40. The depth of aerated water decreased since 2007. In the October 2007 DO test, good oxygen was available at a depth of 21 feet. The DO test in May 2010 showed a depth of 18 feet while the July 2010 test showed good oxygen at a depth of 12 feet of water. 41. Rich Palmer, our caretaker, reported a dead fish on July 19 and several dead fish on July 26. Mike Vorst stated that several times 100 dead fish washed up on his bank between the middle and end of July. Janet Matthews reported seeing dead fish on the shoreline also. 42. Based on the above-reported facts, it is assumed that the June 28 stocked fish are also dead. About 5000 fish have died in 2010 or between the last fishing event and July 2010. 43. There have been no algaecide applications made to date in 2010. 44. At a HLPOA Board meeting in August, Bill Frazelle questioned whether Whirling Disease (WD) could be the cause of the summer fish kill. Marilyn Borich said she’d talk to Lonnel Crowthers and Mike Vorst. She also talked to Eric Frei (NMG&F) and sent an email with a summary of all conversations to the HLPOA Board. Eric felt our problem was a water quality problem and not WD. 45. After the Annual meeting, Marilyn Borich asked Susan Fakhrai of Lot 5 about lake carrying capacity formulas. Susan has an Environmental Science degree and has an excellent background for researching lake issues. She emailed me a sample of many available charts showing stocking rates. I’ve included a copy of one in the Plan section, below. Questions (Resulting from the Chronology) Some questions have been answered or implemented, others may not be reasonable while others may merit further investigation. Many people have contributed to these questions and the range and depth of questions do reflect the understanding that owners have about lake management. A. Does the HLPOA have goals for the lake? Should the goal be a healthy lake? Should it be a healthy lake and fishery? Should it include a community dock? Should we plan a path around the lake for strolling and bird watching? Should the debris in the easement be collected, and the debris in the lake hauled out, chipped or burned and disposed of? Should the lake be a trophy fishing lake? Should the maintenance of the windmill access be part of the lake program? Should we do minimum improvements and keep the lake and surrounding area as natural as possible? B. Why does the lake continue to decrease in size and depth? Is it evaporation only? Is it low precipitation? Is it a combination of both? Is it because the flume is gone? Do we have an output flow that we are not aware of? Is the bottom filling in with decomposed material? Is it from the construction of roads or from wells? Is it because we have a eutrophic lake and little can be done to slow down the aging process? C. Why aren’t the lower depths of water getting as much dissolved oxygen as the lake received in 2007? Are the windmills too weak to push enough air through the lines to generate oxygen? Is the decomposition of algae so excessive that it is using the lower levels of oxygen? Is the decomposition of many fish using the oxygen? Is it a combination of fish and algae? Are the diffusers plugged? Are their limits to the lake’s ability to support specific fish populations? Are there years of stored nutrients in the sediment which are being released? Is there another condition we are not thinking of? D. What options in addition to aeration do we have to improve the lake’s health? What about a dye that discourages plant growth? What about an algaecide that does not hurt fish or humans? Would one time dredging remove plant materials, increase the depth of the water, and remove phosphorus-producing decaying plant and animal materials? What about carp or some other fish that feeds on algae to help us control plants? Is there a product that reduces Ortho P and releases nutrients in the water column more aggressively if there is no fish in the lake? E. Should we be looking at methods to harness more precipitation to increase the water level in the lake? Should snow fences be installed to collect snow on and around the lake? Should high drift areas be identified and snow fences used to collect precipitation? Should the stream on lot 42 be researched to determine if the flow can be increased? Should a ditch system be engineered to direct the flow from higher elevations to the lake? F. What is the impact of algaecides on a eutrophic lake? Do we know what the rate of algae growth is annually over a five year period? What is the tipping point when algae consumption of oxygen starts to kill fish? Are there any cost effective alternatives to the use of algaecides (other than dye or carp)? How dangerous to fish is copper in the sediment? Do we need an aquatic plant management plan or a similar plan as suggested by the consultant? G. Why did fish survive the 2009 winter when the DO was minimal and only extended down to 6 feet in depth? Were smaller fish a consideration? Was the Ortho P of 0.04 ppm a factor? Were the algae not using as much oxygen to kill fish? Were 3000 small fish a more sustainable quantity? Did the smaller fish adapt to our lake environment more readily than larger fish? Are there other reasons we haven’t thought of? H. Why did the fish die in the 2010 winter when the DO was very good and extended to 13 feet in January? Was the water quality poor due to algae or some other factor? Did an unknown condition increase oxygen consumption? Were the fish in poor health before winter and unable to sustain themselves under winter stress? Were there too many fish competing with algae over the oxygen? Is there another issue we haven’t addressed? I. Have the Koender windmills performed as expected? Are the two malfunctions, in two windmills, in two years acceptable? What about another type of unit where spare parts and repair can be done expeditiously on site? Do we need to appoint a person to research other types of windmills used by local ranchers? Does the HLPOA Board need to support the Lake Committee more effectively? J. Should we be spending money on fish and aeration when the lake level continues to decrease and the cause has not been identified? If the lake level has been receding between 1996 and 2000 until present, do we need a consultant to help us? If the water level continues to decrease and the issue cannot be resolved should we go back to the developer’s practice of annual stocking and algaecides without concern for the quality of water in the lake? Should we accept the lake as dying and invest as little as possible in it knowing that a marsh will replace the lake in the future? Is the lake an asset to the community? If so, should we set aside budget, experiment ourselves, purchase professional help, and improve the health of the lake to the best of our ability in a cost effective manner? A Plan (That Just Might Work) We need to establish goals for the lake’s water quality and fishery. Step One should be Water Quality goals and the steps to achieve those goals. The fishery is improved as a by-product of a healthy lake. Therefore, fishery goals and improvement steps are Step 2. When water quality and fishery goals are being successfully implemented, goals to improve the community’s opportunities to enjoy the lake can be Step Three. Steps One and Two are addressed below. Step One: Water Quality A. Water Quality Goals 1. Recommended goals include: a. Establish the desired Ortho P levels b. Control aquatic plants c. Increase the distribution of oxygen to the lower depths of water d. Stabilize the lake’s size (depth, volume, etc.) B. Water Quality Improvement Steps 1. Establish desired Ortho P ppm, control aquatic plants, and increase oxygen at lower depths. a. The first step is to give the lake a rest and a chance to heal—a chance to decompose the fish and algae lying in the sediment. b. Establish the desired Ortho P ppm. We recommend 0.03 ppm. Continue water quality analyses. Monitor, compare and record current Ortho P ppm with the established Ortho P ppm goal. c. We recommend that the first water quality analysis be initiated in October 2010 and again in July 2011 after aquatic plant control is initiated. d. Research products that may be available to reduce Ortho P ppm, by accelerating decomposition. e. Obtain aerial photos of the lake taken prior to the installation of the flume to compare the previous size of the lake to its current size. f. During the winter of 2010/2011 options and products proven to control algae should be researched. The focus should be on surface plants but rooted plants may also require “thinning”. We recommend that aquatic plant control commence in June 2011. g. Since owners at the 2010 Annual Meeting voted not to stock fish in 2011, an aggressive plant control option can be pursued. h. Aquatic plant control selection can be simplified and research reduced by purchasing an aquatic plant management plan similar to that offered for $475 by Wildcat Environmental. If recommendations and instructions are followed, we should be fairly successful. However, we may find that the recommendations are expensive or difficult to implement. i. The alternative option is to research and screen the many available products to find the most cost effective plant control. Dyes and carp, as well as algaecides are used in this part of the state. j. Whether to buy an application sprayer or rent one must be determined before algaecide application begins. Hand broadcasting may also be an option. k. Continued water analyses and DO testing will show us if we are going in the right direction or whether we must modify our improvement programs. Per the NMG&F expert, experimenting is often necessary. l. Prepare a budget which addresses water analyses, interviews, reference and instructional materials, consultants, and algaecide applicator and a reserve for additional aeration if needed. 2. Lake Stabilization a. Stabilization is probably our biggest financial and technical challenge. b. One owner recommended putting a dye in the center of the lake and tracking its flow. If a source of leakage is located, a clay product (used in the oil business) could be applied to seal the outflow. c. Another owner has suggested drilling a well, installing a windmill, and pumping water from the well to the lake (this may require permission from the State Engineer). d. Streams have been seen on several lots. Once identified, with owners’ permission, they can possibly be routed to the lake. e. Several owners have discussed the design of a ditch system from the southern and higher part of the subdivision to bring more precipitation to the lake. This system should also look at the feasibility of incorporating some of the mapped streams. f. The use of snow fences was also a suggestion to collect snow. The identification of high drift areas and the installation of snow fences is a good first step while the design and implementation of a more permanent system could be developed. g. We should not rule out the use of consultants. They are expensive but so are losing water and fish. Consultants could shorten the time it takes to get results if the recommendations are reasonable. Consulting with owners of large ranches with lakes/ponds may also be helpful. Step Two: The Fishery A. Fishery Goals 1. Recommended goals include: a. Establish the appropriate DO ppm to support a healthy fishery b. Monitor and record the actual DO ppm measured and compare to the established DO pm goal. c. Ensure that the aeration system supports the established DO ppm. d. Establish a stocking program based on the lake’s capacity to support fish. e. Prepare instructional procedures. B. Fishery Improvement Steps 1. Establish an appropriate DO ppm. a. Establish the DO ppm (we hear most often from 4.0 ppm to 6.0 ppm) requirements to ensure fish survivability during winter. Also establish the desired depth that DO should be available to fish. b. We recommend that several water quality experts be consulted while DO requirements addressed in a. (above) are established. The NMG&F personnel in Raton have a wealth of experience and should be an excellent source of guidance on this topic and others. 2. Monitoring, Testing, and Recording DO ppm a. Monthly monitoring of DO levels should be at 3-foot depth intervals. This information will inform us when the desired DO ppm is achieved or when the desired DO ppm is not achieved. Monthly data may also be a useful indicator to recognize an oxygen reduction trend. b. If the amount of oxygen necessary to maintain a healthy fishery was available at 21 feet depth in 2007, and if monthly DO monitoring showed a trend of less oxygen at lower water depths for a few months, we may have known much earlier that something in the fishery was not right. However, with the few DO samples taken, this warning was not available. Monthly DO testing will determine if this trend indicator is reasonable. c. The frequency of DO testing, water quality analyses, and the water level monitoring is critical as a basis for making fishery habitat decisions. Obviously, during water quality restoration, the frequencies should be often; once quality levels are achieved, monitoring would require less effort. 3. Ensuring the Aeration System Supports the Baseline DO ppm a. A question asked at the Annual Meeting was whether a third windmill should be purchased. A decision to do so or not should be part of this plan. b. There are many unanswered questions at this point that impact fish survivability including Plant Management, High Ortho P, Reduced Oxygen at lower lake levels and perhaps, even stocking levels. Aeration is the number one contributor to water quality and a fishery habitat but it is not the only contributor. c. Since there will be no stocking in 2011, there is no immediate concern about fish survivability. This gives us time to thoroughly address aeration. d. Our approach is to implement plant control and Ortho P reduction, establish a DO baseline, and monitor until the desired level of DO is achieved. Stock fish at an appropriate stocking rate and continue monitoring DO monthly. If the DO levels are maintained with a little surplus DO, we may not need additional aeration. e. However, if plants are controlled, Ortho P is reduced appropriately, and fish thrive, and the DO is lower than the DO requirement, then serious consideration should be given to additional aeration or addressing the DO requirement. f. Based on information from NMG&F personnel, aeration—be it windmills or electrical systems—may not be able to quickly supply enough DO to sustain fish when a huge draw on oxygen occurs. It’s our job to ensure that such a huge draw on oxygen does not occur. 4. Fish Stocking a. Determining the appropriate number and size of fish to stock depends on available lake volume and adequate water quality. b. We recommend that—prior to the next stocking activity—the NMG&F be consulted regarding their recommended stocking rates. Other sources, such as the table below should also be consulted (From: Managing Michigan Ponds for Sport Fishing, 1994. JD Schrouder et.al. MSU.)
c. Relative to available water acres used in the above chart, we would not use the entire lake acreage (36 acres) in the stocking calculation. Since about one-half of the lake is 15 feet or less, and ice thickness can be 19 inches thick, we suggest using 15 acres as the starting point. d. If continued fishing, monitoring and water analyses reflect healthy fish, increase stocking—one acre at a time—up to 18 acres. 5. Prepare Instructional Procedures a. The recommended instructional documents include windmill maintenance and DO test procedures. These procedures should be written by persons knowledgeable about each topic. At the very least, knowledgeable persons should review the work and approve it. b. The steps in each procedure should be given to a person not familiar with the procedure. If the procedure is followed easily, the procedure is well written. If an unfamiliar person has a few problems understanding the process, some changes may be necessary.
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