Group to develop lake management plan

By Angie Landsverk

Weyauwega Lake Restoration Inc. is in the process of developing a Comprehensive Lake Management Plan for Lake Weyauwega.

This past spring, the group received a $16,822 planning grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The grant, which has a local share of $8,285, will focus on updating and rewriting sections of the lake management plan.

Stantec is the organization’s consultant and will be putting the plan together.

Among the first steps related to the process was a public meeting in June.

That meeting included a discussion about the lake planning process.

A public opinion survey, aquatic plant survey, water quality sampling, watershed mapping and analysis and a sensitive area evaluation will be part of the process.

“The plan will include looking up river and possibly organizing a lake district, long term,” said Bob Van Epps, who is a member of Weyauwega Lake Restoration.

The update of the lake management plan follows the drawdown of Lake Weyauwega, which began on June 17, 2011 and ended in April 2013.

The group needs an approved plan if it wants to apply for harvesting or a large-scale herbicide treatment of native or invasive plants on the lake.

In addition, a Comprehensive Lake Management Plan must be in place if the group wants to be eligible for other DNR grants.

“We’re also pursuing a state Rapid Response Grant to address a specific type of invasive plant lingering on the south and west shores,” Van Epps said. “We’re also looking at pursuing a youth fishing area on the north shore of the lake.”

Establishing a fishing area for youth is an immediate goal and one the group will work on this fall with the city, he said.

Weyauwega Lake Restoration receives support for its efforts from local organizations and businesses.

The organization recently held its annual raffle drawing, which is another way it raises funds.

The drawing took place on July 11 at Hidden Waters Golf Course, following a golf outing there.

Van Epps said between 300 and 400 tickets were sold for the drawing. Each ticket cost $50.

Winning the first-place prize of $10,000 was Russ Fietzer, of Waupaca.

Dale Earley, of Waupaca, won the second-place prize of $1,000, with Sara Herring, of Chicago, winning the third-place prize of $250 and Sharon and Scott Spigelberg, of Weyauwega, winning the fourth-place prize of $250.

Van Epps said the money raised through the raffle drawing will go toward the implementation of the Comprehensive Lake Management Plan.