Residents have taken steps to implement a lake management program to stop the spread and continued growth of Eurasion Watermilfoil and other nuisance aquatic plants in Lake Chemung

WEED CONTROL

• 2002 - Work began to create a Special Assessment District (SAD) to fund weed control on the lake.

  • Petition signatures supporting a SAD to fund a chemical weed control program on the lake were turned in to Genoa Township in October 2002.

  • Genoa Township's tax assessor verified that 54.8 % of the residents from around the lake signed the petitions to create the SAD .  The township approved the project to proceed.

• 2003 - On January 6, 2003, the Genoa Township board approved a resolution to create a SAD to fund Lake Chemung's weed control project.  The first of two (2) required public hearings was held at the Genoa Township Hall on February 3, 2003.  The second of the two (2) required public hearings was held on Monday March 17, 2003 at the Genoa Township Hall.  The township passed a resolution to create the SAD at the March 17th meeting.  Residential properties will be taxed approximately $85/year to fund the project.  The tax will be assessed yearly (in the amount of $85/year) for five years.  Commercial properties in the SAD will be taxed a larger dollar amount based upon their front footage on the lake and the number of parcels owned.  During the spring/summer 2003, the lake was treated with two applications of fluridone (to treat for Eurasian Watermilfoil) and one localized application of copper sulfate to treat for algae.

• 2004 -  The Year 2004 program addressed control of chara, Curly Leaf Pondweed, and filamentous algae.  A lake survey was completed in late May 2004 and Copper Sulfate (to treat the chara and filamentous algae) and Aquathol-K (to treat the Curly Leaf Pondweed) were applied to the lake in early June 2004.  Lake surveys were performed on several occasions throughout the summer 2004 and chemicals were applied to the lake as needed.

• 2005 - Lake Chemung applied to the DEQ for their herbicide application permit  in December 2004 and the permit was issued.  The Lake Chemung Weed Management Program was expanded in 2005 to include a contract for weed harvesting as an optional weed control method.  The program was also expanded to include an investigation of the surface water drains that empty into the lake to determine if they are having a negative impact on the lake's water quality, and, if so, to propose work that could feasibly be done to correct problems.  Two chemical treatments were done in the lake, one in May and and the other in June 2005, and weed harvesting was done in Mid-July 2005.

• 2006 - Aqua Weed Control submitted an application to treat the lake with herbicides to the DEQ in December 2005.  The DEQ reviewed the application and the permit was issued in March 2006.  ProgressiveAE surveyed the lake on several occasions and determined the lake's weed management needs.  Herbicides were applied to the lake in early and mid-May, in mid-June, and in late July 2006.  Weed harvesting occurred in late June 2006.  Click Here to view the weed survey maps, recommended herbicides , harvest areas, and herbicide treatment locations.

• 2007 - Aqua Weed Control submitted an application to treat the lake with herbicides to the DEQ in December 2006 and the permit was issued on 3/6/2007.  The LCRA petitioned the township to continue their SAD for a second five year period (2008-2013).  The township adopted a resolution to proceed with the LCRA's request on March 13, 2007 and the first of two public hearings to discuss the proposal was held on April 2, 2007 at the Genoa Township Hall.  The second required public hearing on the SAD was held on May 7, 2007.  The township passed a resolution to approve the SAD for an additional five years at a cost of $62.00/property/year for residential properties and a fee based upon front footage on the lake and acreage of the property for the three commercial properties on the lake.

• 2008 - ProgressiveAE prepared a 3 year lake management plan for the lake and submitted it to the DEQ as part of the permit process to chemically treat the lake. Aqua Weed Control submitted an application to treat the lake with herbicides to the DEQ in January 2008.  The permit is to apply Sonar (Fluridone) in the early spring to control Eurasian Watermilfoil, Curly Leaf Pondweed, and other nuisance plants and to apply selected algaecides to control algae as needed. The DEQ reviewed the application and the permit was issued on April 10, 2008.  Our lake manager, ProgressiveAE has tentatively scheduled the Fluridone treatment in the lake for April 29, 2008.