Lake Sarah News
(updated May 9, 2008) |
Residents in the South Lake Sarah Drive area issue neighborhood alert. (5/7/08) Following an attempted (unsuccessful) break-in attempt, neighbors in the 4600 block of South Lake Sarah Drive have been sharing information with the residents in the area of the attempt and to recommend additional vigilence in our neighborhoods. The local authorities suggest keeping all doors locked and deadbolted even while you are at home. Also be wary of strangers that ring your doorbell and make up a story like they were searching for their dog, or they must have been given the wrong address, etc. If you have a suspicious visitor ring your doorbell you should write down a description of the person, license plate, type of vehicle and notify police. Such stories are commonly used by burglars trying to case your house. Please pass on this information to the rest of our neighbors, as we all need to take extra precautions, keep a watchful eye and report any suspicious activities immediately. The non-emergency phone number for our police department is 763-479-0500, in the event of an emergency always dial 911.
Lake Sarah water level on 5/9/2008 was 980.27 at Fred Lang's gauge in the East bay, and 980.23 on 5/6/08 at Cindy Keating's gauge in the West bay. These readings can be used to compare to the final reading of last year on November 17, 2007 of 978.98, our Ordinary High Water Level of 979.90, and our FEMA 100 year flood elevation of 981.20. More information, data, and charts can be found on the Water Level page. Thank you to Cindy Keating and Fred Lang for volunteering to be the official MN DNR lake level reporters supplying our lakes' water levels to the DNR and this website again this year!
Curious about how the current water level compares to previous years' levels at the same time of year? Our resident chart guru and water level monitor for the East bay, Fred Lang, has created comparison charts that compare water levels by month/day from 1999 to present. Click on the month to view each chart. April , May , June , July , August . Thanks Fred!
The early season aquatic weed treatment to control curlyleaf pondweed and eurasian watermilfoil which was originally scheduled for Friday May 9, 2008 was delayed by the MN DNR and will likely be rescheduled to occur sometime during the week of May 12-16 accrding to Tom Snook of Lake Restoration. The treatment plan for 2008 is privately funded by subscribing shoreline property owners and includes approximately 35 participants and will cover roughly 31-32 acres of lake Sarah's littoral area. Below is a map with the treatment areas marked in red. Click here to view the map in .pdf format. Additional information regarding the treatment program will be available soon. Information on last years pilot program can be found on the Aquatic Vegetation page.
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| Map of areas to be treated for curlyleaf pondweed and eurasian watermilfoil in early May 2008. Map courtesy of Tom Snook, Lake Restoration, Inc. |
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| Installing docks in a snowstorm? 4/27/08 photo by Ron Jorgenson |
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Are we having any fun yet?!?
Only thing that could add to the insanity of April 27 snow flurries would be crazy people wading around in freezing water (the ice just went off the lake on 4/22) installing docks for the season! Resident lunatics Mike Peterson, Fred Lang, Rick Pratt, Brad & Derek Spencer pictured here working on Mike's dock at 2 pm on Sunday in what eventually became a surprise late spring snowstorm with near whiteout conditions and snowfall that covered the lawns (and a few slow moving robins - right Paul Douglas?). Photo by Ron & Mary Jorgenson |
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| First bogs of 2008 - photo by Brad Spencer |
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First bogs of the 2008 season, April 26, 2008
Clearly one of the "silver linings" of the below normal water levels over the past few years has been the noted absence of free floating bullrush bogs. This spring's higher water levels combined with the freak late April snowstorm has ushered the return of the bog season! Like the sequel to a bad movie, this roughly 40' wide bog (photo on left) was seen drifting at a fair pace in the 25+ mph wind gusts. It passed through the midlake channel at about 3:00pm on 4/26/08 and should have landed, at least temporarily, along the Sunset lane shoreline at around 4:00pm. Several other smaller wayward bogs were reported along the Lake Sarah Heights shorelines. |
The Lake Sarah Improvement Association (LSIA) spring membership meeting was held on Thursday April 24, 2008. Independence City Hall / Community Center, 1920 County Road 90. Meeting began at 7:00pm. The low attendance at the meeting (insufficient number of voting memberships) failed to meet the requirements for a quorum in accordance with the current association Bylaws and as such, elections were not possible. The open officer and director positions were instead filled by appointment by the outgoing President. Continuing on the LSIA Board as Directors are; Mike Peterson and Jerry Wise. New members to the LSIA Board include our new President Len Nadasdy, Secretary Ann Slavec, and filling the remaining 1 year term of Fred Lang's directors seat will be Rick Pratt. The LSIA Thanks departing Board members Fred Lang and Becky Jacobsen for their efforts and service on behalf of the lake Sarah community! A complete list of LSIA Officers and Directors can be found on the Lake Sarah Association Board of Directors page.
2008 Lake Sarah walleye stocking plans announced - We’re entering the third year of the privately funded walleye stocking program in Lake Sarah. Joe Slavec, founder and the driving force behind the Lake Sarah Walleyes organization, is planning to change this years stocking from walleye fry in the spring to a fall fingerling stock. Goeden Fisheries (our supplier and advisor) recommends a stocking of fingerling every few years - fingerlings are 4” walleye typically stocked in the fall season. These fingerlings have a much higher survival rate as the fish that can prey upon them are limited to fish that are able to consume them. With Walleye fry, many become an easy snack for hungry panfish such that the first year survival rate can be as little as 1% to 5%. With the larger Walleye fingerlings, the initial survival rate can be much higher, as much as 80%. Fingerlings, however, do cost quite a bit more at roughly $.80 each, so the trade off is quantity. The Walleye fund has a current balance of about $1500.00 to fund the planned stocking of fingerling in this fall. "Our aim is to raise another $500 and introduce 2500 walleye fingerlings into the lake this year. Any funds over and above the $2000 per year goal can and will be used in following years." Reports of occasional walleye catches have been helpful as it allows us to monitor the growth and survival of previously stocked fish. Unfortunately, there is no way to measure to what degree we have been successful. If you catch a walleye in lake Sarah please email this site with date, location, and size of the fish caught or call Joe directly. Remember, all contributions to this fund are tax deductible! Checks for contributions can be made payable to LSIA - Walleye fund and mailed to: Lake Sarah Improvement Association, P.O. Box 25, Loretto, MN 55357. More information can be found on the Walleye Stocking page.
Harold Burrows, LSSC chairman, announced that the next meeting of the Lake Sarah Stakeholders (LSSC) will be held on June 16, 2008 at the Independence City Hall, 1920 County Rd 90, Independence, MN. Meeting will begin at 6:30pm, all interested parties are invited.
Volunteer(s) Needed! The 11th Annual Independence Day Boat Parade and decorating Contest is on the schedule for Friday July 4, 2008 but the event is lacking a Chairperson / Judge. If you are interested in chairing this fun annual event please contact LSIA President Len Nadasdy or email this site and I'll forward your information to the appropriate Board member.
Angling for the local newspaper award "Hack job front page title of the year" - is the article featured on the front page of the South Crow River News on 4/21/08. The article titled Lake Sarah declared polluted - help is on the way by Linda Herkenhoff was based upon a presentation by John Barten (Three Rivers Parks Limnologist) to the Greenfield City Council requesting governmental commitment and possible future funding to help correct phosphorus loading from external, non-point sources within the lake Sarah watershed (of which roughly 60% lies in Greenfield). The article, while correctly citing the high levels of phosphorus (a problem faced by many lakes in metropolitan areas), also reports on the preliminary findings of the current TMDL study. The article's alarmist title, however, clearly puts it at the head of the list of sensational bullshit all too often found in printed media today (IMHO). To read the full story as published click this link.
Delano School District voters approve purchase of land but reject the funding for construction of a grades 4-6 school building. Residents on Tuesday 4/22/08 voted 1,782 to 1,304 to approve $980,000 for acquiring land for the new school. However, they rejected a $27 million construction bond by a vote of 1,694 to 1,388. After losing their second bid for $27 million in bonds to build an additional elementary school, Delano School District officials must decide whether to put the question before voters again this fall for a third vote within 12 months. link to the full Star Tribune story
ICE OUT! The judges (Tim Wuollet and Mike Peterson) have ruled that April 22, 2008 is the official ice out date for lake Sarah this year. April 22 ties the record for the latest Ice out date as set on April 22, 1996 based upon the ice out observations / records provided by Kathy Hahn and Tim Wuollet that date back to spring 1981. The 6th Annual Guess the Ice Out Date Contest winner is Derek Spencer as he was the only entrant to choose April 22. The list of received entries can be viewed on the Ice Out Contest page - Derek will be awarded a $75 gift certificate to Axel's in Loretto. (prize donated by lakesarah.com and Kelly Kippels of Axel's Tavern).
Outlet Update 4/19/08 - In response to inquiries regarding the condition of the lake Sarah outlet channel, Mike Peterson, Fred Lang, and Brad Spencer walked the runout from County Rd 92 to the outlet (old RR weir) on April 19, 2008. The photos on the Outlet project page show various points of interest. For reference, the visit took place 3 days before ice out, water level estimated by Mike and Brad to be at about 979.80. The runout, CP rail culvert, creek channel, and the culvert under county rd 92 were all found to be flowing well and completely unobstructed. The outlet channel north and south of the CP rail culvert which was restored in February/March 2005 has regrown to a more natural look but remains largely clear of vegetation and is flowing well. Photos taken that day can be found on the Outlet Project page.
Useful Website of the Month - Shorelandmanagement.org - The Minnesota Shoreland Management Resource Guide provides easy access to information about sustainable shoreland practices to improve management of Minnesota's lakes and rivers. By putting resource materials in the hands of local government and citizens, the Shoreland Guide offers an effective, low cost means to reach the people who make the everyday decisions that impact our lakes and rivers. The Web site contains scientific and technical background, camera-ready quick and easy answers (FAQs), highlights of citizen action, and contact information for Minnesota counties.
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Many of the questions emailed to this site regard illegal or inconsiderate snowmobile, atv, boat or pwc operation or fishing/hunting violation questions. To report illegal vehicular activity you should contact Hennepin County Sheriff Water Patrol (952)471-1300, or West Hennepin Public Safety (763)479-0500, The Water Patrol will not issue a citation for offenses they do not witness. They may issue a citation if the witness agrees sign the complaint (much like a citizens arrest). If you plan on filing charges against an individual you should make note of the date, time, vehicle description and license number, identity or good description of the operator. A side note; If the offender wishes to appear in court you may be required to appear as witness / accuser. To report hunting or fishing violations call DNR area Conservation Officer Todd Kanieski at (763) 576-8876, DNR Enforcement (651)296-6157, or orTIP (turn in poachers) toll free hotline 800-652-9093. Click the blue text for a copy of the 2008 Minnesota Snowmobile Regs , Personal Watercraft Regs , 2008 MN Boating Guide , 2007-08 ATV/OHV Regs, or the 2008 MN Fishing Regs, in Adobe Acrobat Reader format (.pdf).
Lake Sarah (MN DNR #27-0191) is located in sections 1 and 2, township 118, range 24; and in sections 34 and 35, township 119, range 24, Hennepin County, Minnesota. GPS 45°4'19"N 93°41'24"W surrounded by the Minnesota cities of Independence, Greenfield, Loretto, Medina, and Rockford. Click here to view a Google hybrid map of lake Sarah. Suggestions for content and services to be provided by this site are always welcome! E-mail this website with your feedback, suggestions, comments or ideas.
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