COMMITTEE REPORTS
Fundraising
The database of watershed property owners and fundraising data has been transferred to the new fundraising program “Little Green Light.” It has streamlined the fundraising process.
The latest fundraising letter will be going out shortly. It will include the Lake Protection Zone brochure.
The question was again raised about sending a fundraising letter to area businesses. In 2019, MLIF sent 25 letters to real estate offices in Ridgefield and received no response. There was a suggestion that we do it again this year.
Grants
The Grants Team worked to prepare and submit three 2022 grant applications.
The Thrift Shop Grant application was submitted in mid-January and subsequently approved.
The DEEP Aquatic Invasive Species grant was submitted in late January for the control of Curly-Leaf Pondweed (CLP) using the systemic herbicidal product Galleon that gets into the roots. If funded, this will be a mid-March 2023 project.
The Anne S. Richardson Grant was submitted for removal of dangerous debris on the lake bottom near the cliffs. We expect to hear in mid-July about this grant.
Lake Management
State Boat Ramp – At our request, the Town was contacted about the condidtion of the road into the State boat ramp. We were told by the town that they cannot do anything as this is State land, but the Town did reach out to the State.
Egg Addling – Six nests were addled, and another one found just today.
Lake Treatments – The first treatment was 4/27. The feedback from Pond and Lake Connection (PLC) was that there wasn’t as much Curlyleaf Pondweed as in past years, but there was lots of algae throughout the water column. Lake treatments will be every two weeks. The Phragmites treatment plan that was approved by the Board last fall will be May 18. The second treatment will be next fall. PLC already has DEEP approval to use the herbicide.
MISCELLANEOUS
Mechanical Spillway Update
Three engineering firms were contacted regarding this project. The firms explained that they would work in four phases:
Inspection – of both the 1750 dam and the spillway
Design and Budget
Final Design and Permitting
Construction
The whole project could take 2-3 years. We are awaiting their estimates.
