Lake Committee Responsibilities

Chairperson

Select Chairperson. The Chairperson is responsible for:

Presenting the Lake Committee report at board meetings.
Providing the Lake Report for newsletters.
Formulating and presenting the budget for the Lake Committee. Some of the budget items include: Lake Water maintenance and marine weed control, pump maintenance, electric power for pump, island maintenance, other maintenance (for swim beach, boat launch, bridge).
Ensuring the Lake Committee stays within their budget.
Presenting all plans and spending to the Board for approval.
Delegating various duties to the Committee members.
Ensuring Lake Committee responsibilities are completed in a timely manner.
Establishing a Lake Committee meeting schedule. Ensure it is published on the Association’s website and in the newsletter.
Ensuring “Lake Committee Responsibilities” document is kept up-to-date.
Notifying Secretary of agenda items so that time may be appropriately allocated at Board meetings.
Working with Secretary to ensure Reader board is kept up-to-date.
Ensuring Lake Jane Estate’s Rules and Regulations are followed; submitting suggested changes to the Board.
Keep a yearly log of when tasks are completed. Include details of which vendors or contractors were used and their cost. Also include details of all materials used and their cost.

Well Pump

Turn the well pump on and off at the appropriate time of year. Pumping water into the lake does not increase the lake level. It only helps to maintain the water level and offset evaporation during the drier months of the year. The pump also introduces fresh oxygenated water into the lake. The additional oxygen helps to keep the carbon dioxide and oxygen in balance, thus helping to prevent a toxic blue green algae bloom. The pump is a 3-phase deep well pump”. To turn on:
1. Turn on set clock
2. Turn on circuit breaker
3. Turn on pump box
4. Push and hold start button 5 seconds or so
5. You will hear a loud crack
6. Listen for pump and water
7. Check inlet into lake to see if water is flowing
You may be able to enlist the homeowner at 18610 McGhee Dr. or at 18612 to keep watch and report any malfunction visible at the lake inlet. The usual timeframe for turning on the pump is mid-June to mid-August. The Lake Committee should closely observe the water level and turn on the pump earlier if necessary. The usual date to turn off the pump is September 1. The pump could be turned off earlier if there are decent summer rains.
The pump runs on a 24-hour timer. A suggested timing plan is to let the pump run for two hours, then off for three hours (allowing the well to recharge), then on again.
The Lake Committee is responsible for housekeeping in and around the pump house. This work is contracted with the Park Maintenance Co.

Lake Water Maintenance

Ensure lake water remains in the proper condition for recreational uses such as boating, swimming and fishing. Include any cost of this maintenance in the budget.
Proper condition means controlling excessive growth of marine plants and the toxic bloom of blue green algae, within the guidelines set down by the Washington State Department of Ecology. Maintaining a relationship with a qualified contractor for application of marine plant herbicides is the best method found for maintaining lake water quality.
The lake should be closed for swimming if there is a toxic algae bloom. Proper signage should be posted at swimming beach , boat launch, near the outlet, and the beach area of lakeside homes.
Herbicides are generally applied in the late spring to early summer, depending on rainfall and temperature. The herbicides are applied at this time of year in order to knock back the weeds before they grow so much as to be a nuisance. Make sure that water quality contractor posts appropriate signage at swimming beach, boat launch, and lakeside home owner’s beaches.
Since 2003 the DOE has banned the use of copper for the treatment of toxic blue green algae blooms. Other compounds approved for the treatment of blue green algae have proved to be beyond our budget.
Filamentous algae is a nuisance plant (this is not a toxic algae). Treatment of this plant should be done with care or not at all, since the filamentous algae helps to inhibit the multiplication of the blue green algae to toxic levels.

Lake Outlet

Ensure the lake outlet is checked weekly and kept free of debris. Most debris floats to the outlet end of the lake and should be cleaned up a minimum of once a month during summer or as often as needed.
Adjust outlet dam and fish screen as needed for storm runoff. Recommendation for adjusting gate and fish screen are as follows: When the water level is 4 inches above the gate, it should be opened 2 inches. Open it 2 inches more for each additional inch over the top. The gate only opens a maximum of 6 inches total. Diligent (perhaps daily) attention should be paid to keeping the fish screen clear of debris. It should be removed when the water is 6 inches above the gate. The fish screen is the biggest impedance to water exiting the lake. The fish screen is required in order for us to plant any type of fish.

Islands

Make a plan for maintaining the islands and present it to the Board for approval. Include cost of this plan in the budget.
Currently all vegetation on the islands is cut except for the trees and major shrubs. The islands are cut with an edge fringe three times a year and up to the water’s edge once a year.
Pruning of shrubs should be done periodically. Dead trees should be cut down. The debris from pruning and tree cutting should be cut into small pieces and scattered around if it cannot be removed from the island immediately. No new brush piles should be made on the islands. Burning brush piles on the islands is very dangerous, and is prohibited by law.
Blackberries and similar vine like plants should not be allowed to establish themselves on the islands.
There are a few picnic tables and swings on the islands. The Lake Committee is responsible for the maintenance of these items.

Fish Stocking

Make a plan for stocking the lake with fish and present it to the Board for approval. Include cost of this plan in the budget.
Contract with a reputable supplier for the delivery of fish. The ideal time for stocking fish is October/November and March/April when the water temperature is between 48 and 52 degrees.
Submit an application annually for permission to plant fish to The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Region 6, 48 Devonshire Road, Montesano, WA. 98563. This permit application can be obtained from Trout Lodge or the WSDFW.

Lake Water Monitoring

Keep a record of the lake’s water level and temperature. These readings should be done once a month. Currently, the Lake Committee is working with the Pierce Stream Team monitoring the clarity of the lake, dissolved oxygen and amount of phosphates in the water, as well as temperature and water level. Lake monitors are trained by the Pierce County Stream Team usually sometime in April.

Beach and Boat Launch

Ensure these areas are raked as needed, preferably weekly or monthly in summer months. They should be kept free of litter and debris falling from trees. The vegetation at the boat launch area should be regularly cut back as part of the island maintenance contract. The swings on the beach are to be maintained by the Lake Committee.
Pea gravel should be added to the swimming beach every 4-5 years. The gravel should extend out into the water 4ft. and up the beach 4ft. Coarse beach sand should be added to the rest of the beach at the same time as gravel is added.

Coordination

Coordinate with both the Pool and Park Committees regarding maintenance of the overall area and be involved in decisions and negotiations regarding maintenance agreements.

Meetings

Attend and come prepared for Board and Lake Committee meetings. Inform chairperson if unable to attend a Board or Committee meeting.

Report any and all projects for the year at the Annual Meeting and answer all questions pertaining to the lake at that time.