We have great news to share with all members of Indian Lake Property Owners Association.  The lake water quality and health is improving – scientifically improving – with the latest report from our contractor SIS-Bio.  The full report is available at the bottom of this update.

$1,271,891 has been raised so far as of 4/2/2024 from 311 families, as well as donations provided from ILPOA dredging funds, the Men’s Club, the Ladies Club and from the Booster Club.  These gifts enabled our community to study, equip and maintain the ambitious water quality improvement project for the lake that was set into motion in 2019.

Before hiring the project contractor and consultant in 2021, we all saw first hand in 2019, evidence of algae in the lake that looked harmful and in fact, had the potential to be harmful.

After deciding that a Biological approach rather than mechanical cleanup of the lake was necessary, SIS-Bio and Restorative Lake Sciences were hired to equip and monitor the lake quality project.  As we embark on our third year of the process of infusing oxygen and the continual and periodic dosing of enzymes to enable constructive algae growth back into the lake, the results are very encouraging that our lake is improving and showing signs of a healthy ecosystem. A few key points in the report below:

• Improving depth of dissolved oxygen and increased biodiversity: we now have full oxygenation in our water column whereas prior to system implementation depths below 22’ were anaerobic.
• Increases in “good green algae” and decreases in “bad algae” or cyanobacteria. Bad algae comprised 96% of the lake’s biovolume in 2021 and has been reduced by 75%!
• Removal of equivalent of 384,000 cubic yards of organic muck

The cost to continue the project have remained in line with our original estimates and we have done an excellent job keeping on track to our initial budget of $1.75M over five years.  However, some pledges have not been fulfilled and new or still unpledged members have not kept pace with the financial needs.

After paying all bills for 2024, we will have no funds left to pay for 2025 and forward treatment expenses and ongoing operating expenses. 92% of Lake Restoration expenses through the first three years have gone towards Sis Bio program expenses, with the remaining 8% going towards electricity to run the pumps, water testing, and set up costs for the equipment.

Therefore, $400,000 is needed to fully fund the original 5 year, $1.75MM project.  Unfulfilled pledges from 2021-2023 total $86,800 and fully funding the next two years of treatments requires $313,000 more.  For all members to benefit, the improvement project should continue past 2026, and can be maintained at approximately $100,000 in successive years which would fund a combination of bioaugmentation treatments and the electricity to run and maintain the pumps.

Only with your help can this be continued, so please consider doing your part in any way you can to Love the Lake!