An important project
High levels of nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus, in the lake water cause accelerated weed and algae growth. That's not good.
The concept of lake water nutrient reduction involves the natural inflow and outflow of water in the lake. The natural outflow thru the lake weir system would, over time, reduce the nutrient level in the lake, IF the only inflow was rainwater. Unfortunately, that is not how it works on PPL. County drains supply thousands of gallons of nutrient-rich storm water input from miles away into the lake every year. Lake water nutrient levels can't be reduced
as long as nutrient-rich inflows continue.
So a focus on reducing nutrients in the drain water is necessary.
The Foundation is in the process of determining how to reduce the huge nutrient runoff from a 75-acre fam located on the county drain that drains into PPL. The farm is located miles away form the lake to the north, between the lake and Covert....more to follow as we progress.
Paw Paw Lake Foundation News
Year End 2022
It's your property value
Can you imagine what would happen to lakefront property values if we allowed the condition of the lake to deteriorate? Invasive aquatic weeds could be out of control; the algae problem could be a lot worse; and the beauty of our lake tarnished. Your family's use of the lake would be in jeopardy. Our property values would quickly decline...Not a pretty picture.
In order to secure the continued health of our lake, we need to ensure that the lake has active lake management. We need organizations that have their primary focus on improving and protecting Paw Paw Lake.
Two of the lake organizations have a recent major accomplishment.
Working together, the Foundation and the Paw Paw Lake Special Assessment District (SAD) were able to provide the funding necessary to clean out ALL of the 494 street drains that surround the lake. Prior to the clean out, the drains were full of deteriorating road waste that was extremely high in nutrients. Rainwater ran thru the muck in the drains directly into the lake carrying the nutrients with it. Now all of the storm drains that drain into the lake are muck-free and clean. This effort helped reach an important goal of reducing the nutrient level in the lake water. The Paw Paw Lake Foundation contributed $27,000 to this project.
The Paw Paw Lake Foundation
The Foundation is a volunteer organization that has only one focus......to improve the water quality of Paw Paw Lake. Funding is provided by private donations, primarily from lakefront property owners and is used exclusively to improve the water quality of the lake.
Over-simplified, there are three primary goals for improving the health of Paw Paw Lake:
- Reduce lake water nutrient levels
- Control invasive weeds
- Manage algae
With the continued financial support of the lakefront property owners, the Foundation will be able to work on all of these goals.
Thank you for your support of the Paw Paw Lake Foundation.
This newsletter is provided at no cost to you by the Paw Paw Lake Foundation. Donations can be mailed to PPLF, P.O. Box 341, Watervliet, MI 49098. Donations are tax deductible under IRS rules for 501 (c) (3) organizations. Thank you for your support.
