Geotube Breakwater Project The Geotube at Grass Lake in northern Illinois.

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Geotube Breakwater Project The Geotube at Grass Lake in northern Illinois. Final approval for our prototype Geotube project was received on October 21, 2005.

The filled tube will then sit on the hard pan of the lake bottom. The Geotube will allow water from the pumped slurry to pass through the Geotube side, but retain the sand and silt inside the tube.

The Fox Waterway Agency manages the Chain of Lakes for the State of Illinois, and has used Geotubes for both breakwaters and to create an island in the middle of Grass Lake.

1 Geotube Breakwater Project The Geotube at Grass Lake in northern Illinois. Final approval for our prototype Geotube project was received on October 21, The Geotube is a coated fabric tube that is filled with silt from the lake. The tube we are using has a 30-ft circumference and will be approximately 5 feet high when filled. The filled tube will then sit on the hard pan of the lake bottom. The Geotube will allow water from the pumped slurry to pass through the Geotube side, but retain the sand and silt inside the tube. Three of your commissioners visited Grass Lake, which is on the Chain of Lakes in northern Illinois. The Fox Waterway Agency manages the Chain of Lakes for the State of Illinois, and has used Geotubes for both breakwaters and to create an island in the middle of Grass Lake. Grass Lake is much like Sinissippi in that it is a shallow impoundment of the Fox River. The island they created enabled them to pump the silt out of the lake and also create a wetland for birds. The breakwaters they created are used in much the same way as what we are planning to do. Thus, we had a chance to see firsthand how Geotubes work, and they shared some suggestions and ideas that they learned over the years. There is a definite advantage in working with someone who is a few years ahead of us, and we look forward to an ongoing relationship with them. Our prototype Geotube project will be on the northwest side of the Wildcat Road peninsula. The tube will be approximately 700 feet long and will have an outflow culvert drain on the east end of the Geotube. This culvert will allow for displacement of lake water from the containment area during sediment filling and future drainage of rain water, snow melt and surface water from the drained wetlands to the north. A carp barrier will be installed within the drain to prevent adult carp from migrating from the lake to the back bay. Lake sediment will then be pumped in a manner to facilitate settling and consolidation to form a berm behind the filled Geotube. The sediment berm will help stabilize the Geotube breakwater. The area of the lake on the west side of Wildcat where we will be pumping the silt from has a hard bottom of 8 to 10 feet, which So, another boating season has come to an end. Last year, our summer was affected by too much water and flooding. This year was too little water and drought. Trying to look on the bright side, in another 5 years it will probably be shown as an average decade for temperatures and rainfall. So goes life. And now to report some GOOD NEWS. The District received final approval for the Geotube breakwater project on October 21, After over one year in preparation, the final project was submitted to the DNR, the Army Corps and Dodge County on April 25, Then, it was a very active six months of meetings, additional information, phone calls, and more meetings. Part of the challenge was that this is the first Geotube to be used in Wisconsin as a breakwater. The project is see Geotube Project, page 4 L.S.I.D. Chairman s Report scheduled to be installed next April, as soon as the ice goes out. More on the Geotube project in a separate article in this newsletter. So now a recap on why we are so excited about this prototype Geotube project. While the lake and the portion of the river in the District have many challenges, we all realize the biggest problem is that the lake and river are filling in with sediment. Our lake is a river-fed lake, and rivers carry silt. We all know that. But, equally important is that the wetlands on the river and lake hold the silt and runoff from entering the water. Most of the developed properties on the lake have some sort of a protected shoreline. They range from natural deep rooted plants to riprap or some type of seawall. This protects the shoreline see Chairman s Report, page 3 1

2 The following is a news release that appeared in the Beaver Dam Daily Citizen, Watertown Daily Times, Horicon Reporter and the Dodge County Independent News in August The water quality monitoring program will be continued in Visit the Lake District website to view the water quality data. Greg Farnham Lake District Tests Quality of Recreational Waters Lake Sinissippi Improvement District has undertaken a program to evaluate water quality of Lake Sinissippi and the Rock River from the standpoint of public use of recreational waters. Water samples are being collected weekly at five sites and analyzed for presence of fecal coliform and E. coli bacterial contamination. The program was established in conjunction with Dodge County Public Health Unit and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources and Health and Family Services. The Rock River and Lake Sinissippi are used extensively for recreational water contact activities, such as water skiing and swimming, said Richard Ploeger, chairman of the lake district. Monitoring water quality for possible microbiological contamination is important to promote water safety and health for residents and visitors. Water sampling is conducted at River Bend Park on the Rock River in Horicon; public boat launches at Spearhead Trail and Neider Park, Hustisford; and open water areas of the lake near Butternut Island and Anthony Island. Laboratory analyses for enumeration of fecal coliform and E. coli are performed at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, Madison. Initial samples were collected May 24th and we ll continue sampling on a weekly basis until Labor Day, offered Greg Farnham, lake district commissioner. We re pleased that the data we ve seen thus far indicate that the bacteriological quality of the open waters of the lake continues to be at a safe level. Unfortunately, there have also been several instances in which certain nearshore waters have shown fecal bacterial levels above the advisory index of 1,000 organisms per 100-ml sample, added Farnham. Contamination appears to be related to shoreline runoff in the immediate area of sample collection. We are looking at possible corrective measures. Analysis of Cyanophyta (blue-green algae) concentration in waters near the Butternut Island causeway was also performed recently. The hot, dry weather conditions, warm water temperature and high nutrient levels can create conditions that are conducive to blooms of blue-green algae. Enumeration of blue-green algae in our sample was at a level of 65,000 cyanobacterial cells per ml, Farnham said. This is below the concentration level established by the World Health Organization for a moderate probability of health risk. We ll keep watching this, but so far water quality from the public health standpoint is at a safe level. The lake district is working with local and state agencies to improve the water quality of Lake Sinissippi and tributary waters. Results of the water quality monitoring program and information on blue-green algae are available on the website for the lake district at Boating 2005 Boating on Lake Sinissippi in 2005, with Mother Nature s help, was the best in many years as temperature and winds were very favorable. Limited rainfall persisted through the summer, however, resulting in algae blooms and low water level in the fall. Some boats needed a tow from shallow areas after Labor Day. We had a safe year on the water as the only emergency response was for a dislocated knee resulting from a tubing incident. The Sinissippi Ski Club installed and removed the lake buoys. The Lake District is responsible for the 26 wildlife area buoys and the Lake Sinissippi Association is responsible for the 19 hazard and 12 channel-marker buoys. Solar-powered lights were installed on the Oxbow area stone wall and channel buoys this year. If you found these lights to be helpful while on evening boat cruises, please let us know. Rocks at the south end of Crane Island will be updated on future lake maps. Other rocks, stumps or hazards found in main boat traffic areas that are not shown on the lake map may be reported to dbehl@gdinet.com. Lake maps that show hazards, habitat-protection zones, channel markers, etc are available at Mike s Hardware, Hustisford. These maps are posted on the three Lake District notice boards and will also be displayed at public boat landings. Water Quality Tests for Home Drinking Water Dave Behl Many of you will recall the problems last February with contamination of private wells near Juneau from runoff of manure spread on agricultural fields. A number of Lake District residents in the Town of Oak Grove had their private wells tested for presence of coliform bacteria as a precaution. Underground water aquifers from which our drinking water is drawn can also be contaminated with a variety of chemical pollutants, which at high concentrations can pose problems for safe water. The Lake District, in cooperation with UW-Extension and the Center for Watershed Science and Education at UW-Stevens Point, will provide to interested homeowners a service for having your well water tested for presence of bacterial and/or chemical contaminants. The tentative date for the water analysis service is June 27, Prior to that date, homeowners will receive a mailing that will provide details of the service. Sample bottles will be available through the Lake District and UW-Extension. Homeowners will be able to select a single test, several tests or a complete homeowner package that consists of eight bacterial and chemical analyses. The cost of the lab analysis will be paid by the homeowner. Costs range from $19 for total coliform bacteria to $40 for the homeowner package. The Lake District will provide the logistics of centralized collection of the sample bottles, transport to UW-Stevens Point and an education program to review the test results with homeowners. Mark your calendar for Tuesday June 27, 2006, for well water testing! 2

Chairman s Report Wetland Habitat DNR Grant The Lake District completed a major lake planning report prepared under a grant provided by the Wisconsin DNR.

A major focus of the planning effort was to develop strategies to protect existing sensitive habitat areas and to restore lost riparian wetlands on the lake.

3 Chairman s Report Wetland Habitat DNR Grant The Lake District completed a major lake planning report prepared under a grant provided by the Wisconsin DNR. The report is entitled, Wetland and Habitat Restoration Planning, Lake Sinissippi, Dodge County, and is co-authored by Hey and Associates, Inc., and the Lake District. A major focus of the planning effort was to develop strategies to protect existing sensitive habitat areas and to restore lost riparian wetlands on the lake. This work was an integral part of developing the plans and objectives of the Geotube breakwater project. The report details nine recommendations that will guide future restoration efforts: 1. The establishment of rehabilitation projects in which designated restoration areas are contained with geotextile tube systems as breakwaters for shoreline erosion control, and as revetments with back filling of dredged sediment to create shallow water depth for development of wetland habitat. 2. Continuation and expansion of the slowno-wake, habitat protection zones under WDNR boating ordinance and permit to restrict boat traffic within sensitive habitat areas. 3. Encouragement of private landowners in the watershed with drained wetland to consider voluntary enrollment of lands in the Wetlands Reserve Program or the Glacial Habitat Restoration Area. 4. Work with Dodge County and WDNR on potential acquisition of undeveloped riparian property in the Town of Hubbard for use as public recreational area. 5. Actively participate in zoning and variance decisions by Dodge County and local townships and village to assure that environmentally sensitive areas near the lake are protected. 6. Encourage lake property owners to integrate natural shoreline protection and wildlife habitat into their shoreline landscape plans. 7. Work with USFWS, WDNR and conservation organizations to promote habitat protection and ecotourism measures, such as establishing an official Wisconsin Bird Trail for the Upper Rock River Basin. 8. Determine whether one or more riparian sites of sensitive habitat qualify as State Natural Area. 9. Further refine alternatives for and feasibility of dredging and rough fish control to provide suitable aquatic habitat for development of a self-sustaining game fish population. from eroding away and the silt and runoff from entering the water. The problem is the undeveloped properties, such as the islands (some islands have completely washed away in the past 50 years), the undeveloped bays and the river. This is especially true on the river due to the constant current. Those of you who have been on the lake for many years remember when the back bays on the lake and river were solid cattails. These areas held back a lot of silt and runoff. But, over the years due to wind, wave action, ice, carp and high water (remember the bogs from last year) these areas are now just open water. Most of silt they were holding now moved to the lowest spot or the calmest water. In addition, there is nothing to hold or stop the new runoff from entering the water. This brings us to the Geotube prototype project. The District s long range plan is to place the Geotubes on the edge of the wetlands that have been lost and pump some of the silt back behind the tube into the wetland and use the silt to help restore the wetland. And, no, we do not envision a restored wetland being solid cattails. There are multiple reasons for using Geotubes for this. First is that the waves, wind, carp etc. will not move them. We are creating a breakwater or shoreline that will last for many years. By creating a berm behind the tube, we can plant trees and other permanent vegetation that can develop into a stronger, natural shoreline. Finally, there is the cost. To try to dredge any part of the lake or river and haul the silt away is cost prohibitive. And that would do nothing to stop the silt and runoff from continuing to come into the water. Any of you who were on the lake last summer know the problems caused by the low water levels. The low water levels caused by the drought last year are just a glimpse of normal water levels in future years unless something is done to address the siltation problem. We will continue to work with area landowners to reduce the incoming siltation, but this is a slow and tedious process. A successful Geotube prototype will add yet another tool to help us return the lake and river to a healthier state. The added depth we create will also benefit a fish restocking program in the future, just as the restored wetlands will provide habitat for ducks, birds and all the other critters that used to live there. Have a good winter and I will see you on the lake next spring. Dick Ploeger 3

Waterfowl Hunting on Lake Sinissippi With the opening of duck hunting season on October 01, 2005, no doubt Lake Sinissippi residents heard much shooting and with it came complaints and actions on my

4 Waterfowl Hunting on Lake Sinissippi With the opening of duck hunting season on October 01, 2005, no doubt Lake Sinissippi residents heard much shooting and with it came complaints and actions on my part as the Conservation Warden. Most noticeable, even prior to the duck season, was the abundant wood duck population using the lake, primarily in the associated cattail wetlands. The duck hunters obviously noted the same and hunted these wood ducks rather heavily. Other ducks, such as mallard and blue-winged and green-wing teal were also taken by hunters. The daily bag limit for wood duck is two/day/hunter, and, unfortunately, we had to cite several hunters for shooting over the daily bag limit. Some citations were also issued for shooting before and after legal hunting hours. I don t need to tell anyone about the numerous local (giant-non-migratory) Canada geese using the lake all summer. I also noted significant usage of the lake by larger flocks of migrant Mississippi Valley population of Canada geese. Most of the local giant Canada geese we see all summer have moved on to metropolitan areas of eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. This increase usage of the lake by waterfowl and waterfowl hunters may be a function of the prolonged drought forcing water birds to use the lake since most other wetlands are dry. However, in areas that are separated from carp access, or exposed mud flats, valuable submergent aquatic weeds and moist soil species of wetland plants have taken hold. This vegetation provides an excellent food base for waterfowl and other aquatic dwelling mammals, e.g. muskrat and beaver. The slowno-wake zones established on the lake have aided an increase in aquatic vegetation fringe by limiting the wave action, thus providing more useable habitat for waterfowl and aquatic mammals. This year s abundant acorn crop has also been an asset to the wood duck, with the many oaks associated with the lake. On many occasions I have observed hundreds of wood ducks using the oak canopy for feeding, even when the hunting season was on-going. The white pelicans seemed rather undisturbed by the hunters, unless a boat passed very near the flock. With increased housing expansion about the lake, the expected conflict with hunters is beginning to arise, with some complaints regarding hunting too close to residences. Hunters need to be at least 100 yards from residences (unless they have permission to hunt closer). Hopefully, common sense and courtesy will prevail in the future to avoid any additional conflicts. I urge Lake Sinissippi residents to call me when obvious fish and game related violations are noted, or if they have general natural resource related questions. John R. Christian State Conservation Warden (920) Fish Stocked in Lake Sinissippi The Lake District joined with Lake Sinissippi Association to stock fish in the lake this fall. Lake District funds of $2,000 for the fish stocking effort were approved at the annual meeting in August. This money came from the lake improvement fund and was earmarked for the purchase of channel catfish. Catfish are natural predators of carp. Four different types of fish were stocked: black crappie, walleye, perch and channel catfish. Sizes ranged from 2- to 3-inch crappies to 8- to 12-inch channel cats. The Lake District purchased 2,600 channel cats, while the Lake Association purchased 2,300 assorted game fish. A total of 4,900 fish were released at four locations around the lake: Ox-bo Marine, Bill Germer s property, Lone Pine on County Highway E and along Wildcat Road. The fish were purchased from Keystone Hatcheries, Richmond, Illinois, and stocking was done under a DNR permit. Replenished stocks of fish will be a welcome addition to the lake. Supplement 1

5 Lake Sinissippi Citizen's Handbook The Lake Sinissippi Citizen's Handbook was produced by the Lake District to provide important information to everyone who owns residential property on or near the shoreline of Lake Sinissippi. The handbook offers a summary of lake history, views of lake protection and rehabilitation and ways in which individual homeowners can help improve lake quality. A section of the handbook discusses various legal and regulatory issues that affect our use of the lake and shorelands. The last section of the handbook provides a list of references and government contacts. If you have questions about water quality issues, zoning and land use, water regulations, etc, the contacts section of the Citizen's Handbook is the place to start! Copies of the Citizen's Handbook were mailed to Lake District residents in As names and addresses change and new people move into the lake community, we mail copies of the handbook. If you have not received your copy, or if you would like an extra copy, please contact one of the commissioners -- we'll send a copy to you. LSID Board of Commissioners 2006 Richard Ploeger Chairman (920) Diane Jones Secretary (920) Greg Farnham Treasurer (920) Howard Kriewald Dodge County.....(920) Dave Behl Commissioner......(920) Jim Gronowski Commissioner......(920) Supplement 2

Diane Jones Appointed Lake District Commissioner Diane Jones, of Wildcat Road, Iron Ridge, has been appointed to the board of commissioners of the Lake Sinissippi Improvement District.

6 Diane Jones Appointed Lake District Commissioner Diane Jones, of Wildcat Road, Iron Ridge, has been appointed to the board of commissioners of the Lake Sinissippi Improvement District. The Town Board of Hubbard made the appointment at its November meeting. Wisconsin law requires the municipality with the largest valuation within a lake district to appoint a commissioner to the board. This position was previously held by Larry Sullivan, who has moved to Hartford. Jones is a long-time resident of Dodge County. She and her husband, Bill, moved to the Lake Sinissippi community in 2004 after many Geotube Project continued from page 1 years of farming in the Ashippun area. She served as clerk of the Town of Ashippun for a number of years and has been employed by Dodge County since I love everything about Lake Sinissippi, said Jones. The natural beauty and wildlife refuge are important lake resources and sources of recreation and relaxation for the lake community. We need to be stewards to protect these resources. Lake rehabilitation is a complex process involving the lake community and county, state and federal agencies. I look forward to serving as a commissioner and helping to rehabilitate our lake environment. The Lake District Board has also elected Jones as board secretary. Inspecting the Grass Lake Geotube. means we will be removing 3 to 5 feet of silt from that portion of the lake. After the Geotube and berm are in place, we will be working with Ducks Unlimited to plant specific vegetation around the protected wetland. Our plan is not to just fill in the wetland with cattails, but to create a habitat for waterfowl, birds and other wildlife. Much of the wetland will have surface water present. We are really excited about this project. After the successful completion of this project, we will then be able to use this process to reestablish the river channel and restore the wetlands on the river and on the back bays of the lake. This will remove silt from the lake and river bottom and stabilize the wetland shorelines. Two plus years of hard work are finally starting to pay off. LSID Newsletter P. O. Box 89 Hustisford, WI Newsletter Editor: Greg Farnham Lake Sinissippi Improvement District P. O. Box 89 Hustisford, WI Annual Meeting Saturday August 12, 8AM, Hustisford High School All District Residents Invited

Cat Island Chain Restoration

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