Update: Lake Weyauwega Project Lake Filling

THE DRAWDOWN OF LAKE WEYAUWEGA

 COMES TO IT'S CONCLUSION 

Swim Beach. Grasses from the drawdown stick above the
waterline. They will soon decay and be gone. 

It's been a long winter but as of April 1 2013 the lake has begun to fill. All but 1 of the three gates at the bottom of the dam are closed. This will allow the lake to rise at a rate of 6 inches per day.  We anticipate the Lake to be at level by the end of April.

With the filling, we can call the project a tentative success. We will know more after several surveys have been completed.

Of the three gates at the bottom of the dam, only this one is left
 open to prevent the lake from filling too quickly.  This rush
of water is still moving silt and sand out of the lake and
down the water system. 

We are encouraged that we have gained significant depth in the lake and that we moved much of the goo that filled the lake bottom out and down the river. (In a future post we will address the issues of where the goo went, and how Gills Landing is doing) The one gate that is open at the bottom of the dam is shooting water at a fast rate.  It is hoped that this will help to move the sediment further down the river. What we need is several strong spring rain storms to speed this process along.

Peterson Park next to the Hydro Dam. 

The weeds we expected to rise when we refilled the lake, never materialized as you can see in the picture at left.  Just a few stalks are all that is left of the plant material that grew in the lakebed while the lake was down.  This is great. It means we will not have to spend extra monies to remove the debris. This one worry has become a non-issue.

A good sign is the clear water filling the lake.
Nothing could be better.

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There was some concern (I have received many questions on this subject) about cement dumped along highway 110 north of the bridge over the lake. This was requested by the DOT to stabilize the sidewalk. The DOT wants to prevent the sidewalk from washing into the lake as the lake rises. The cement was dumped by the Waupaca County crew and is not quite an eyesore but it could have been done with a little more care.  The DNR has a complaint with the cement, as the lake shore is their responsibility. This has caused some consternation among the Weyauwega Lake Restoration members, the DOT, county and DNR. Patrick Wetzel, the Weyauwega City Administrator, is working with the DNR, the DOT and the county to resolve the issue.

The Boat Landing at Lake Street. The lake is filling nicely.