WATERSHED

It has long been recognized that logs, sticks, and other woody structure in rivers provide habitat for a variety of aquatic insects. These insects are the foundation of the food chain and are essential to sustaining a healthy fishery. Recent research indicates that the same holds true for lakes. Several recent studies have examined the impact of shoreline development on lakes. The conclusion of these studies is that excessive development of shorelines and loss of shoreline vegetation are adversely impacting the quality of our lakes. For a lake property owner, these are extremely important findings and underscore the need to properly manage lakefront property on Van Norman Lake.

10 Ways to Protect Van Norman Lake

Don’t use lawn fertilizer that contains phosphorus—it's the law!
Use the minimum amount of fertilizer recommended on the label — more is not necessarily better!
Water the lawn sparingly to avoid washing nutrients and sediments into the lake.
Don’t feed ducks and geese near the lake. Waterfowl droppings are high in nutrients and may cause swimmer’s itch.
Don’t burn leaves and grass clippings near the shoreline. Nutrients concentrate in the ash and can easily wash into the lake.
Don’t mow to the water’s edge. Instead, allow a strip of natural vegetation (i.e., a greenbelt) to become established along your waterfront. A greenbelt will trap pollutants and discourage nuisance geese from frequenting your property.
Where possible, promote infiltration of stormwater into the ground. Build a rain garden to capture runoff from driveways and downspouts.
Don’t dump anything in area wetlands. Wetlands are natural purifiers.
If you have a septic system, have your septic tank pumped every 2 to 3 years.
Don’t be complacent — your collective actions will make or break the lake!

The map below shows the location of stormwater outfall structures draining to Van Norman Lake. The stormwater outfall structure inventory was completed in 2015 to assess if the storm drains were carrying excessive sediment loads to the lake. No excessive sedimentation of the lake was observed at the time of the inventory.

Caring for Your Shoreland

The take-home message here is straightforward: Maintain or restore as much natural shoreland as possible. That is not to say that you can’t—or shouldn’t—have an area to swim, moor boats, fish or lounge by the shore. However, manicured lawn to the water’s edge and boundless seawalls are not conducive to a healthy lake. Natural shorelines are easier to maintain and provide many ecological benefits.