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- Legal Recourse to Address Lakewood Shores Drain Impact - During
the fall of 2008 and winter of 2008/2009 we researched with our lawyer and
the DEQ the potential possibility of legal action and the probable outcome
of such action to address the lake level lowering unintended consequence of
the Lakewood Shores Drainage System. Attached is a document that
summarizes our meeting with the DEQ
REGARDING CEDAR LAKE WATER LEVELS LOWERED BY THE LAKEWOOD SHORES DRAIN
and the following is the legal opinion of our attorney
News/AICLA - Cliff Bloom Opinion on Sueing the Drain Commissioner.pdf
- Evaluation of Alcona County Proposed Repairs to the Timberlakes
Subdivision Drainage System - In early December 2007 the association
board became aware of planned work by the Alcona County Road Commission to
effect a drain-off of excess spring groundwater in Timberlake's subdivision.
While we were assured by Greenbush township that
this work is minimal, necessary for the wellbeing of Timberlake's residents,
and not expected to cause the lake further water level problems, the
similarity of the problem and solution so closely tracks with Lakewood
Shores POA back in the 90's, that flags were raised with us. While we
had no reason to believe that this would even be a problem, let alone
one of the magnitude of the Lakewood Shores POA project (40% of our water
loss every year is an unintended consequence of the "fix" of the Lakewood
Shores problem), we were not leaving anything to chance. Kieser &
Associates was contracted using "Save the Lake" funds to assist in an
investigation of the impact of the solution planned for implementation in
the spring.
Kieser has completed their work. Click on
LakeInformation/AICLA - Timberlakes Drainage Repairs - Kieser Report.pdf
to read the complete Kieser report.
Basically, Kieser finds that this particular repair should not affect our
water level. However, they do warn us that, should an effort ever be
considered to completely restore the Timberlakes drainage system to its full
functioning condition, there will be added water level losses experienced on
Cedar Lake.
- Hydrological Evaluation of Cedar Lake - In 2004 the lake
association embarked on an effort to determine the reasons for dramatic
drops in lake water level every summer. A lake that starts the
spring overflowing at the dam, and averages less then five feet deep,
experiences water level drops of up to two feet or more by September every
year. Kieser & Associates, an environmental science and engineering
firm out of Kalamazoo Michigan was contracted to study the matter.
Over a two year period the lake was monitored and researched. All
sources of water coming into the lake were analyzed, as were all the various
ways for water to leave the lake. Kieser's work was completed in two
phases and is documented in the
following studies: Final Report - Phase I_7-15-05.pdf and
images/AICLA - Kieser Final Report Phase II 9-15-06.pdf
- Piezometers - Part of the Kieser study was to monitor ground
water flowing into and out of the lake. This is done by sinking pipes
(piezometers) located strategically along the shoreline at various places.
Quite simply, if water is higher in the pipe then the lake level, then
ground water is flowing into the lake. If water in the pipes is lower
then the lake level, then water is flowing out of the lake. The well
pipes were monitored throughout the study period by volunteers from the
association. The pipes will remain in place and will continue to be
monitored to provide continuous information regarding ground water movement.
This will become extremely important as the association takes action to
correct the water level problems. The pipes will be a means to measure
the effectiveness of actions taken. The location of the piezometers
and names of the volunteers monitoring them are depicted on the following
map;
LakeInformation/Piezometer Locations - Volunteers Winter 2008-09.psd
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