Lake District Results

As many of you know, a great deal of discussion took place throughout the summer last year regarding the creation of a lake district around Lake Wandawega. While the idea of a lake district had been debated for many years, the Lake Wandawega Improvement Association (LWIA), the organization that represents lake interests and is the intermediary with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, took the legal steps necessary to make a lake district possible. Because a lake district is funded by taxing the owners within its boundaries, it requires that a majority of these owners sign a petition in favor of its creation. As an organization that falls within the proposed boundaries of the district, the WCC board sent a letter to inform every owner in the association, created an online survey, and held discussions at all of our meetings throughout the summer with the expectation to gauge the community’s sentiments. After debating the pros and cons, as well as considering the popular support among those who made their opinions apparent, the WCC board ultimately decided to sign the petition in favor of a lake district.

While we do not know all the details regarding the process that will follow, we do know that LWIA has since received approval from the county to create the district and will take the necessary next steps. As the organization that has shouldered the financial responsibilities for lake related management over many years, the WCC board believes that the newly formed lake district will now create more equity amongst all lake stakeholders. We also believe that Lake Wandawega is our community’s greatest asset, and we fully expect that this district will not only increase its protection, but will also enhance its health and beauty for years to come. Thank you to the members of the LWIA board for the work they have done and to all those in the WCC community who contributed to our discussions and helped to shape the decision of this board.

Sincerely,

WCC Board

Chemical Treatment of Lake 2022

Lake Wandawega Improvement Association (LWIA) has applied for a DNR Permit to treat Lake Wandawega primarily for Eurasian Water-milfoil (EWM) in the spring of 2022. The treatment typically takes place during the month of May with a liquid form of 2,4-D or a liquid form of florpyrauxifen-benzyl. All lake front residents that are in or immediately adjacent to a treatment area will have a yellow warning sign posted on their frontage stating that there is up to a 21-day irrigation restriction. Note that there is NOT a swimming or fishing restriction following treatment.

If you would like your frontage to be considered for treatment, please contact LWIA in writing by March 31st, 2022 (PO Box 902, Elkhorn, WI 53122). Or via email at info@lwia.org.

Please visit the LWIA website, lwia.org, for important information regarding this treatment including a copy of the DNR permit application, tentative treatment date(s) and final treatment maps as they become available.

DNR Permit Application

Ongoing Aquatic Vegetation Harvesting, a.k.a. Weed Cutting

The LWIA with the support of WCC, IPOA, Camp Wandawega and the local community continues to arrange for Midwest Aquatics to visit our lake to do aquatic harvesting. Please donate to LWIA to support this worthwhile effort. Make checks to LWIA and earmark them for Weed Cutting. If you're a riparian owner, please be sure to include your address. Mail checks to: LWIA, PO Box 902, Elkhorn WI 53121

Lagoon Cleanup

Thank you to everyone who participated in the WCC Lake Wandawega Lagoon Clean-up Day!  The removal of over 70 dead trees and debris will make the area safer, allow for the growth of native vegetation, and improve the use of the area for our community. While the beautification and improvements made to our entire lakefront will be an on-going project, the WCC Board members believe this event was a step in the right direction.  A special thanks to arborist Mike Vant who went above and beyond as a volunteer on this project.  He not only secured the permit from Walworth County and met with the DNR, he spent hours documenting the dead trees and many more hours felling and cutting up trees. Without his efforts none of this would have been possible—and we thank each of you for donating your time and energy. Please watch this website for information on next steps.

If you have any tree service needs, please contact Mike Vant at M & E Tree Service LLC.  He is an ISA certified arborist and is fully insured.  He offers free estimates and 24-hour emergency service.  He can be reached at (262) 215-8749 or emvtree@hotmail.com

Attention shoreline owners: 2015 Chemical treatment update

Wandawega Country Club, the property owner organization on the east and north sides of Lake Wandawega, is planning to chemically treat its beaches again this year. We are contacting all shoreline owners to notify them of our intent and to ask if any property owners might be interested in chemical treatment on their shoreline. A copy of the Permit  is available here.

We are required to provide all shoreline owners with the following notification: This correspondence is to notify you that the Wandawega Country Club will apply for a DNR Permit to treat Lake Wandawega primarily for Eurasian Water-milfoil (EWM) and Curly-leaf Pondweed (CLP) in the spring of 2015.  The treatment typically takes place during the month of May with a liquid form of 2,4-D (EWM) and a liquid form of endothall (CLP).  All lake front residents that are in or immediately adjacent to a treatment area will have a yellow warning sign posted on their frontage stating that there is up to a 21-day irrigation restriction.  There will NOT be a swimming or fishing restriction following treatment.  Additionally, if property owners request, one small area on the South shore of the lake may be considered for Water Lily control (based on DNR approval).  Water lilies would be treated with a granular form of triclopyr which does carry a 120 day irrigation restriction (unless water sampling shows concentrations <1 ppb).  As with the other treatments, there would NOT be any swimming or fishing restrictions following treatment. If you are interested in treatment for your shoreline, please contact Wandawega Country Club in writing by March 16th, 2015 at wcc@lakewandawega.com  or PO Box 624, Elkhorn, WI  53121.  Please visit our website, www.wcc.lakewandawega.com  for important information regarding this treatment including a copy of the DNR permit, tentative treatment date(s) and final treatment maps as they become available.

If you are interested in chemical treatment, please let us know your name, tax ID number and whether you want treatment for Eurasian milfoil and/or treatment for some other issues on your  shoreline. WCC shoreline owners typically need to respond to Eurasian milfoil or Curly-leaf Pondweed and the cost per frontage foot is likely to be in the $3 dollar range.  Treatment for Water Lily control is much more expensive and we would not expect that it will be cheaper this year than last. In all cases of treatment, the cost per foot is cheaper when more people participate. If you have specific questions about treating your property, I would encourage you to contact our Lake and Pond Solutions representative, Mr. Jeff Stelzer, jeff@lakeandpondsolutions.com or 262-742-2600. Your response now will get your property on the permit. After the estimates come out, you can decide whether you actually want to move forward with the treatment on your shoreline and pay the cost of that treatment.  Please note that though you may choose to have treatment, the DNR has the final say on if treatment will be allowed based on conditions and growth the day of treatment. Please contact us by March 16th.

 

Lake Weed Harvesting Update

Wandawega Country Club (WCC) is organizing for mechanical weed harvesting this summer by contracting with Midwest Aquatics, and has received the required DNR permit from the Wisconsin DNR on behalf of property owners.

The weed harvester requires a minimum commitment of $3300 to cut the weeds on Lake Wandawega. This is more time than is required to cut the properties owned by the Wandawega Country Club. The permit application to the DNR includes a request to cut navigation lanes around the perimeter of the entire lake and through the center of the lake. At this time, WCC is the only lake organization making efforts to contract for cutting.

Because we all have a vested interest in the condition of the lake, we are reaching out to all WCC property owners, as well as to all shoreline property owners for donations to help cover the cost of the lanes that will allow everyone to use the lake. This is a general donation to the cutting that provides lanes to navigate around the lake, and access to the shoreline. Wandawega Country Club and any other entities with beaches will need to pay the cost of cutting their beaches. We anticipate an early-mid July date with the harvester. The date will be influenced by weather and the appropriate coordination with the shoreline chemical treatments.

Donations can be made to WCC and mailed to P.O Box 624, Elkhorn, WI 53212

Notice: 2014 DNR Permit

This is to notify you that the Wandawega Country Club has applied for a DNR Permit to treat Lake Wandawega primarily for Eurasian Water-milfoil (EWM) and Curly-leaf Pondweed (CLP) in the spring of 2014.  The treatment typically takes place during the month of May with a liquid form of 2,4-D (EWM) and a liquid form of endothall (CLP).  All lake front residents that are in or immediately adjacent to a treatment area will have a yellow warning sign posted on their frontage stating that there is up to a 21-day irrigation restriction.  There will NOT be a swimming or fishing restriction following treatment.  Additionally, one small area on the South shore of the lake may be considered for Water Lily control (based on DNR approval).  Water lilies would be treated with a granular form of triclopyr which does carry a 120 day irrigation restriction (unless water sampling shows concentrations <1 ppb).  As with the other treatments, there would NOT be any swimming or fishing restrictions following treatment.  We will also be posting other important information regarding this treatment including tentative treatment date(s) and final treatment maps as they become available. A copy of the permit is available here.


2013 Summer Lake Care Recap

Wandawega Country Club received a DNR Permit to treat for Eurasian Water-milfoil (EWM) and Curly-leaf Pondweed (CLP) in the spring of 2013. The treatment took place during the month of May with a liquid form of 2,4-D (EWM) and a liquid form of endothall (CLP). All lake front residents that are in or immediately adjacent to a treatment area had a yellow warning sign posted on their frontage stating that there is up to a 21-day irrigation restriction. This treatment does not require any swimming or fishing restriction following treatment. Should you have questions, please reach out to us via the Contact section of this site.

In addition to the chemical treatment, the WCC also hired a weed cutter/harvester to cut and remove some aquatic vegetation. If you'd like to learn more about the many ways lake residents work together, volunteering time and making donations for the good of the lake, please join us at our board meetings and become an active member in the Lake Wandawega Improvement Association. Learn more about the LWIA.