Yes … Mother Nature Rules!!! Submitted by Steve Burgoon 
I know this sounds like a broken record but it is true. We live in and among nature but we can’t and shouldn’t control it… just live with it the best we can. The last three years have seen the driest summer in history, most harsh winter in Illinois history, and now the wettest June on record! July is seemingly setting records, too! All of these weather extremes put stress on the lake in many different ways. Luckily we have a strong and knowledgeable Lake Committee with the patience and persistence to work with the tools we have to meet the following Lake Committee Objectives as stated in the committee’s “Statement of Purpose” (November 28, 2014):
The objectives of the committee are as follows:
- To maintain and preserve all TLIA Lakes and waterways as “Recreational Properties” for the use of residents in Swimming, Fishing and Small Boat Boating (Canoes, Paddleboats, Sailboats, Kayaks, etc.,)
- To develop a comprehensive, long term plan that engages multiple tactics (“buffer zones” to leach water runoff prior to entering the lakes, shoreline management tactics to prevent erosion, silt and nutrient removal to limit chemical application, etc.) to achieve the stated objectives.
- To use as few herbicides as possible.
- To research, develop and implement Best Management Practice projects to reduce pollutant loads entering Tower Lakes as identified in the “9 Lakes Water-shed based Plan”.
- To ultimately eliminate Tower Lakes from the IEPA list of impaired lakes.
Characteristics of a recreational lake are defined as:
- Acceptable Water quality/clarity (not plant free but good water quality)
- Reasonably free of nuisance aquatic plants – to allow unabated paddling and sailing
- Deep enough to facilitate items 1 and 2 above
- Safe for all recreational use
As you can see from the objectives and notice from the many projects we are working on that management of the lake is a complex and comprehensive piece of work. See the following updates:
Re-landscaping at the east end of Davlin’s Pond – Rich Bahr and his son, Adam, attempted to move the top layer of the two bags behind the McCarthy home using a Bobcat but the wet silt (drying nicely in April but too wet the last 90 days) provided a slick surface making movement impossible. With any luck the weather will cooperate in August and September so this material can be spread using heavier machinery and then re-seeded. We thank the McCarthy family for their patience as we wait for Mother Nature to cooperate.
Lathan’s Landing – Nick Adams leads the charge on this. Our plans are being reviewed by Lake County and we hope to have a timeline soon to complete our shoreline restoration and then fill and relandscape the depression at Lathan’s Landing and North Lake entrance. We appreciate everyone’s patience in North Lake while we wait for warmer, drier weather. If dry the next three months we may be able to do this in the fall, but spring may be more likely. (Remember how cold it got early last fall).
Education Tent – Tom Kubala coordinated our Lake Committee Education tent this year. Thanks to Steve Barten and friends for an AWESOME education event for children and adults alike. There is a larger article on this in this month’s NEWS. Thank you Steve.
Rain Gardens – If ever a year to plant a rain garden or shoreline kit it is this year. I see many more TL homeowners joining the list of the Conservation@Home program as personal stewards of the lake.
319 Grant for Excavated/Enhanced rain gardens – The final paperwork has been completed and the application has been submitted to Illinois EPA for a large grant to develop and construct rain gardens at Bay’s Park and Wagner Park (East Lake Boat Landing). This is a collaborative effort of TLIA and the Village of Tower Lakes. Let’s hope for approval and construction in 2016.