At the SML July 9th Board Meeting our guest, David Christian (ERCOL-WPIT lake level chairman) updated us on the events concerning the lake level management.
History: in September 2019 concerned COL residents met with Mark Stone (Antrim County Dam Manager) to set guidelines for the opening and closing of the Bellaire Dam gates (located behind Richardi Park). The lake level gauge is located at the Central Lake bridge and the daily level readings are used for the operation of the dam gates. At the meeting we agreed to guidelines and the new numbers were approved by the Antrim Board of County Commissioners.
Dave Christian reported the following information:
The Corps of Engineers survey of the entire COL from SMLA to the second dam in Elk Rapids was completed last fall. The Corps mapped the bottom of all the connecting channels. This year lake level loggers were purchased and placed in the water along the chain. They automatically record the lake levels. In addition, rain gauges were placed along the chain. I have both at my house.
All this information will be compiled and the Corps will issue a hydro-logical report of the area. This will be a dynamic computer model. Who runs the program is still to be determined. Using this information we can determine “pinch points” and silted in areas that are preventing the rapid free flowing emptying of the system.
Some areas of concern arose at the meeting…
Jeff Rogers: We need the whole system drained of the extra water before the damage to property affects our assessments negatively.
Paula Stephanic: Her driveway washes out and the lawn mower gets stuck in the soft soil by the lake
Gregg Valerio: we cannot wait years to resolve the problem. Wants us to present our problem at the Antrim commissioners meetings. Wants a letter writing campaign to the local newspapers.
Will Wottowa: Wants the Board and Dam manager to abide by the court ordered lake level mandate. Our shore line degradation with the resulting silting in of the system is part of the court order. He checked the dam before our board meeting and found some gates closed. By our numbers they should have been open as we had not reached the low point.
Steve Bell: Visited the dam recently and determined all the gates were open but was discouraged by the amount of water volume. Agrees with Will that the dam needs work.
Linda Vanandel: There was a discrepancy in opening and closing levels of the dam from what Dave reported and from what I took away from the fall meeting.
Cherie Hogan: wants the SML Association to be more involved as the Lake level Committee does not have our best interests at heart. Wants us to sue the Antrim Board of County Commissioners and Mark Stone as we originally stated in Will Wottowa’s presentation of the history of the water levels and Mark Stone’s mis-reporting of the problem.
