It’s YOUR Property

Your nose may have noticed the “perfume” emanating from area lakes recently.   From the reports of “old-timers” this may be one of the biggest June algae blooms ever.  Added to the mix in Rock Lake is the fish-kill of mostly bluegills.  If someone had dumped green slime and dead fish on your front lawn, you would be “mad as you-know-what and wouldn’t take it anymore.”  Well, folks, the waterways of Wisconsin ARE your property.  They belong to all the people of the state.  Are you going to stand by complacently and let your property get devalued?

At this time when the lake looks murky, people come forward and want to know what to do about it.  Actually, the water clarity should improve in the next weeks as this crop of algae dies off, but if we want to avoid having to put up with the stink in future years, some of the causes can be addressed right now.  We mere mortals can’t do anything about the high winds and rain, which are the vehicles that bring the phosphorus to the lake, but here are two actions that you can take immediately to make phosphorus less mobile and less available to the lake. 

*Think before you fertilize.  Don’t do it automatically.  And do not use (or let your lawn service use) any fertilizer with phosphorus.  Almost all the soil in this area has enough phosphorus naturally. 

*Let builders and municipal officials know that you don’t want phosphorus to get into the lake through soil and leaves that get washed onto roads or into storm sewers.

Remember, if you are in the watershed of Rock Lake, even if you are not a shoreline owner, what runs off your property eventually makes its way to the lake.  And, remember, too, that it is YOUR waterway!

Johanna Chworowsky, Pres., Rock Lake Improvement Association

June 14, 2004