The Mission of the Rock Lake Improvement Association is to promote and generate positive action on issues concerning the preservation, protection, and improvement of Rock Lake.
June Meeting of RLIA, 7/13/09
Lake Mills Municipal Building, 6:30 p.m. All current or would-be members welcomed.
We received a $10,000 lake
planning grant to identify the sources of bacteria, sediment and
nutrients flowing into Rock Lake through the Miljola Shores channel on
the west side of the lake. The grant will be used to monitor the
stream flowing into the channel to identify pollution sources, and
then recommend solutions to improve water quality in the stream. The
grant was received from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Consultant Dave Marshall of Underwater Habitat Investigations LLC of
Barneveld will conduct the study with the help of RLIA members and
prepare the final report. The project includes water sampling with
analysis of water samples by the State Lab of Hygiene.
The RLIA is undertaking the project as part of its 2006 Management
Plan for Rock Lake. One of the priorities of the plan is to reduce
sediment and phosphorous entering the lake from the Miljola Shores
subwatershed of Rock Lake. The subwatershed drains approximately 177
acres in the southwest corner of Rock Lake.
Field observations conducted in the past year indicate a large amount
of sediment and phosphorous has been carried from the stream into the
channel through a culvert on Cedar Lane. In June and July of 2008,
testing revealed that fecal coliform and e-coli counts were extremely
high in the stream and the channel. Sediment and associated
phosphorous and bacterial contamination are a significant cause of
lake contamination. The RLIA applied for the grant as part of its
mission to preserve, protect and improve Rock Lake.
More information and a progress report on the study will be given at
the RLIA annual meeting to be held at Korth Park at 10 a.m. on Aug. 22.
