July 29, 2006 Update: August Meeting Cancelled, Lake Stabilization Presentation, Douglas County Commissioners Meeting, Grant Submitted, Watershed Planning August Carter Lake Preservation Society Meeting is CANCELED ----------------------------------------------------------- Summer is winding down, vacations and boating are more important than meetings so the August CLPS meeting has been cancelled. Thursday, September 14 will be our next meeting. We will be celebrating our one year anniversary. July 13, 2006 Meeting on the Lake Stabilization Solution --------------------------------------------------- Dale Jacobson from Jacobson Helgoth Consultants presented the recommendations for the Lake Stabilization Solution to the public and then again to the Carter Lake City Council meeting on Monday, July 17. This study was funded jointly by the Cities of Omaha and Carter Lake.  The power point presentation made on July 13 is posted under “Monthly Meetings” on our web site at: http://www.carterlakepreservation.org/id34.html. There is also an article from the World Herald posted on the web site under “In the News”. The cost of the intake well and pump is over $1.4 million dollars. Both Carter Lake and Omaha are reviewing the recommendations. More information about our efforts to “fill the lake by 2008” will be available later this summer.  Douglas County Commissioners Board Meeting ------------------------------------------------------------- After sending emails and having breakfast with Chris Rogers, Douglas County Commissioner, Steve Wilbur and I were invited by Mike Boyle, another County Commissioner, to speak about Carter Lake to the Douglas County Board meeting on Tuesday, July 25. Our presentation followed information about Storm Water Management Policies.  We talked about the lake impairments, Omaha storm water, and what the Carter Lake Preservation Society is doing.  We said we needed Douglas County's help, money and attention.  The Commissioners were surprised that 83% of the lake was part of Omaha, Douglas County and Nebraska. When the CLPS has outlined specific project (the lake stabilization system) will need to come back and get on their agenda. Watershed Improvement Review Board Grant Submitted ------------------------------------------------- This $49,420 project includes replacing two concrete storm water shoots with two rain gardens in the Carter Lake Club Park. This project is replacing only two of the total 27 storm drains surrounding the lake. These gardens will be considered a pilot project that may be expanded to the other storm outlets around the lake and on private property. The construction of the gardens will be in the spring of 2007 after the City of Carter Lake completes their shoreline work and the dirt compacts and settles. The Society is asking the WIRB to provide $22,000 for plants and materials plus signage and educational materials. The City of Carter Lake is contributing $7,500 in kind labor, West Pott. County Soil and Water Conservation is contributing $1,500 in technical consulting and the Carter Lake Preservation Society is adding $18,420 in plants, material and labor to complete these two HUGE rain gardens totaling almost 6,000 square feet. Pam Christensen is the Chairperson of the Rain Garden Committee. Carter Lake Watershed Technical Advisory Team ------------------------------------------------------ The City of Omaha Parks and Recreation has agreed to be the sponsor for the Community Based Watershed Planning Process. This is great news because that means the City of Omaha brings along the Papio Natural Resources District from the Nebraska shore. The City of Carter Lake along with the West Pottawattamie County Soil and Water Conservation District will be the sponsors from the Iowa shore. Now with the city sponsorships, we can move ahead to develop the long range development plan for the Carter Lake Watershed. This planning process will involve stakeholder input… everyone who gets this email is a stakeholder in the lake’s future. There will be a public meeting scheduled sometime in early October, and we are counting on all of you coming to provide your input and ideas. What’s happening on the LAKE? --------------------------------- * The blue-green algae levels have dropped well below the health alert level to under 5 parts per billion. * Baby ducks of all sizes are floating around, and there have been some turtle sightings. * There is at least one egret hanging around the shoreline and we have a variety of new crested ducks floating around. * Fishing continues, but is slowing down in the heat. * A few jet skis, some water skiers and a handful of pontoon boats are venturing out in the low water. One Year Anniversary for the Carter Lake Preservation Society ------------------------------------------------------------- Even though we didn’t file our articles of incorporation until November 2005, I am counting September 17, 2005 (the first Lake Clean Up) as the beginning of the Carter Lake Preservation Society. So much has been accomplished since that first lake clean up. Check out the web site with the page called “SUCCESSES” to see review what has been done so far, you will be amazed! What’s New at www.carterlakepreservation.org? --------------------------------------------------------- The Carter Lake Preservation Society web site is becoming a depository of information about the lake and previous studies conducted. The following studies and information has been posted on the page “Watershed Planning”: * WIRB Grant Application for $49,420 Project for Two Rain Gardens * Omaha Public Works - Omaha Storm Water Drainage Area to Carter Lake * Omaha Public Works - Omaha Land Use near Carter Lake * JEO Consulting - City of Carter Lake Drainage Area * JEO Consulting - City of Carter Lake Land Use * Iowa DNR Fishery Census 2005 * Carter Lake Preservation Society March 10, 2006 Stakeholder Meeting Issues * Nebraska DEQ - Carter Lake Sediment Data * Iowa and Nebraska 303 (d) Lake Impairments for Carter Lake * Layne-Western - Pump Proposal and Well Samplings - August 2003 * Schemmer Associates -Carter Lake Lake Level and Groundwater Study - September 1998 * Schemmer Associates - Carter Lake Water Control - January 1997 * Omaha Public Works - Technical Report for Carter Lake Water Diversion Project - August 1986 * Army Corps of Engineers - Evaluation of Lake Levels and Hydrology Analysis, August 1985 * Army Corps of Engineers - Stream Bank Erosion Control Technical Assistance  - May 1985 John and Mary Jo Pinkerton provided their documents from 1985 and 1986. The oldest studies have some good ideas from the Omaha Public works about the lake recharge solution, and I think it is worth reading. “In the News” has an article from the Omaha World Herald about the engineering study and “Successes” page has been updated.