2008 RLAA General Activities

2008 RLAA General Activities

December 22 - Rice Lake monitoring recognized by the DNR as 2 seperate = bays (East Bay is the main portion of the lake; West Bay is the area wes= t of I-94 bridge where Elm Creek enters).

December 14 - Added L= ake Monitoring page (find on left under 'Site Links')

November 23 - Ice is = in on the entire lake, but it is not yet determined to be safe enough to walk on.=

November 13 - New pag= e (RLAA Agendas and Meetings page) added to this site.

November 9, 2008 - Ne= w page (Rice Lake Media Page) added to this site.

October 25, 2008 - Navigational buoy removed off Stonehenge Island for the seas= on.

October 9, 2008 - RLAA welcomes Shadow Creek-area residents to association - Several RLAA board members met with residents to reintroduce them to the lake association. Many residents are new to the area over the past several years and were not part= of the membership database. The board learned that these residents have differ= ent lake-related needs than those on the east side of I-94. Efforts are being m= ade to organize those concerns within the association so action may be taken to improve those conditions (e.g.: Heavy weed growth; shallow channels; shorel= ine erosion; wildlife preservation; and more).

September 28, 2008 - = RLAA requests endorsement from State Legislature for Iron Filings Treatment for Curlyleaf Pondweed - RLAA files endorsement request to State Sen. Warren Limmer to support LCCMR request for funding to conduct further research on Iron Filings treatment for Curlyleaf Pondweed (click he= re for that request).

September 19, 2008 - = RLAA endorses request to LCCMR for State of Minnesota to provide funding for iron filings treatment as a means for treating Curly= leaf Pondweed. Benefits for phosphorous reduction may also be realized by this treatment.

September 12, 2008 - = Local Cable Ch. 12 runs story about Rice Lake condition and association needs during newscast. Click here for the link to that story, w= hich is the 4th one on the newscast.

September 3, 2008 - L= ocal Osseo-Maple Grove Press runs story about Rice Lake and it's current condition and needs. Click here= for the article.

Rice Lake Newsbrief - The RLAA produced a 4-page newsbrief to remind our membe= rs and residents of what we are doing and how you can help us get there. (Click he= re for a copy of the newsbrief)<= /p>

August 30, 2008 - Wee= ds to the west of I-94 bridge have since diminished si= nce reported navigation problems on Sept 15. Area should be safe to travel at t= his time, although there is still heavy weed growth in the area.

A= ugust 28, 2008 - Added new page (Rice Lake History) to this site.

August 18-21, 2008 - = Fish Survey conducted on Rice<= /st1:PlaceName> Lake. Details with = photos of the survey will be published as soon as they become available. Stay tuned for details.

August 15, 2008 - Nav= igation severely impeded to the west of both I-94 bridges on Rice Lake due to heavy weed growth. Please use caution when entering those areas.

RLAA Board Meeting Mi= nutes from 8-10-08

Board held meeting on= Rice Lake to discuss association financial situation and ability to afford a whole la= ke algae treatment. Concensus was we cannot afford= it at this time, with monies already committed to other projects. (Click here for meeting minutes)

July 31, 2008 - Barle= y Straw bags placed in each of the 2 stormwater ponds o= n the east side of Rice Lake. Objective is = to reduce the amount of nutrients which empties into the lake, leading to algae blooms.

July 25, 2008 - RLAA = Board of Directors decided against pursing an algae treatment since the cost for treatment will exceed the funds we have available. If you know of a neighbor who should be paying their dues and are not, please encourage them to contribute. We need to increase our dues-paying membership to battle challe= nges like algae.

July 20, 2008 - Float= ing blue-green algae is starting to show along shorelines and in bays/creek this past week. RLAA Board will look into possible treatment.

May 4, 2008 - Navigat= ional Buoy placed over Stonehen= ge Island for the seas= on. Current depth is about 2.5 feet minimum in the area.

May 6, 2008 - RLAA An= nual Meeting took place at Angeno's restaurant in Maple Grove. Meet= ing minutes can be accessed through this link RLAA Meeting Minutes.<= /span>

April 5, 2008 - Numer= ous dead fish have been located on the western side of the lake this past week, as t= he ice breaks apart. The DNR Fisheries department suspects they died due to the low levels of oxygen from the effects of a harsh winter (early ice with snow cover). Majority of those affected appear to be sunnie= s, crappies, and carp, although some northerns and= bass were also sited.

March 2008 - Metal "dampers" were placed on the Rice Lake side of the culverts which connect to Fish Lake. These were recently installe= d by the City of Maple Grove with the intention= of helping stabilize the Fish Lake water levels after significant rain events (since Rice Lake receives so much more input from the watershed, it's waters backwash into <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Fish Lake on occassion. These "dampers" will be= used to help control those exceptional rain events for the Fish Lake residents.

Winter Fish Kill obse= rved in early April 2008

Reports of dead fish = were received beginning April 3rd as the ice breaks up. Most of these are locate= d on the southwestern corner near the inlet from Fish Lake under the I-94 bridge. Most of the dead appear t= o be sunnies and crappies, although carp and other species= were also observed. The local DNR Fisheries office suspects the deaths were due = to low oxygen levels in the lake during the winter, which is not uncommon for shallow lake like Rice Lake during a long winter.

Rice Lake Applications for City Funding vi= a Lake Quality Commission (for Budget Year 2008)

- February 20, 2008 -= The following projects were presented to the LQC by RLAA representative George Schneider at the

    mo= nthly LQC meeting:

      Projects Approved by LQC

        = Aquatic Plant Survey - Total Cost =3D $3,000; Requested funding =3D = $2,000

        = Fish Survey - Total Cost =3D $5,000; Requested funding =3D $3,000

         Sediment Nutrient Release Study - Total Cost =3D $3,000; Requested f= unding =3D $2,000

         Monitor Sediment in Storm Water Ponds - Total Cost =3D $1,000; Reque= sted funding =3D $500

         Preventative Algae Treatment (Barley Straw) in limited area - Total = Cost =3D $2,500; Requested funding =3D $1,500

         Algae Treatment with Copper Sulfate (if necessary) - Total Cost =3D $8,200; Requested funding =3D $3,200