Current Projects
Drainage Inspections
Site Yard drainage inspections can involve looking at a lot of different aspects of your property . On October 6th, We , the Board of directors went out to look to see if there is an existing problem with our drainage system. The question was "Is it moving water ? Where is the water discharging? Is rain water flowing away from the lake? Does the natural topography move water in the best direction ? Is our system clogged with leaves and dirt? Do we have to do exploratory digging. This overview and analysis during the drainage inspection can give you a starting point on where you are at with your drainage.
The drainage is designed to collect Rain water and move it via various drainage ditches along the lake and out into the street.
The lowest spot of the landscape is the North end of the Lake. Drainage ditches on the west side of the lake callect runoff and move the water northbound along several properties and out into the street drains.
Water draining from the south end of the properties , Hidden Valley rd drain into the north end of the lake, filtered thru trees and bushes in the landscape. It is important to not cut these trees as this is our natural protection from debris moving into the lake.
Properties on the East side of the lake drain southbound along the drainage ditches and into the south end of the lake.
Our drainage system is in very good shape. The original drains created at the inception of the landscape are still in tact . There are however a few spots that are a concern . We will be working with Individual homeowners to resolve these issues, suggest modifications to the howner involved and perform another inspection in the spring of 2016
Located at the lowest part of the lake the culvert maintains lake level. We are planning to add 1 more 4" log to raise the lake level by 4" Overall in excellent working condition
The drainage under the bridge may not be at the correct level to allow water from the east side of the lake to continue southbound
Can be cleaned out for better flow
Potential location of No trespassing sign
Can use crushed stone to prevent erosion
Good condition
Private Property Signs
On October 6th 2015, the board of directors, during a drainage inspection, identified a possible public access route into our lake located on the south end of the Lake just off Hidden Valley Road. Two Private Property signs were posted.
Stringing the Lake
Canada Geese are perhaps the most widely recognized birds in North America. Geese flying in a V formation signal changes in season and for many people have come to symbolize that summer is over . For Us in Wisconsin this usually occurs on October . A common complaint about geese is the accumulation of droppings and feathers.Heavy concentrations of goose droppings contain nitrogen, which can result in eutrophication of ponds and lakes, leading to excessive algea growth and poor water quality.
The scoop on goose poop:
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The average Canada goose dropping has a dry weight of 1.2 g (~ 0.04 ounces)
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Average droppings per day ~ 82 g/day (dry weight), that's 2.6 ounces/day (about 1/3 cup)
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Each dropping contains 76 % carbon, 4.4 % nitrogen, and 1.3 % phosphorus
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Geese can defecate as many as 92 times a day (numbers reported range from 28-92)
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What goes into a goose generally comes from within the watershed and what comes out also stays in the watershed (at least for resident Giant Canada geese).
(From Sherer, N.M. et al 1995. Phosphorus loadings of an urban lake by bird droppings. Lake and Reservoir Mgmt. 11(4): 317-327.)
Prevention is the Key!
Make your property less attractive to geese
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Don't feed the geese
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Leave a 20-30 foot barrier strip of tall grass (6 inches or more) adjacent to lakeshore
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Plant dense hedges or erect fencing near lakeshore areas to reduce access to your lawn
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Check your property frequently for nest building activity in the spring
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Remove any nesting materials found
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Harass geese that frequent your property
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Be as persistent as the geese
Thanks to the ingenuity of some of our Senior Property owners , Stringing fishline (30lb test) about 48 inches high across the lake has been Hidden Valley Lake solution for many years. The geese seem to avoid crossing the string and move on.
On October 10th we strung the lake . (look carefully for the reflection in the line)
