PELICAN GROUP OF LAKES IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
(PGOLID)
Introduction:
Minnesota Statutes section 103 B.571 (4) require Lake
Improvement Districts are to file an Annual Report to the County Board, the
Commissioner of Natural Resources, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
This direction has been and will be interpreted to be the Otter Tail County
Commissioners, Land and Resource Management, Bill Kalar, the DNR Director, and
Tim James at the MPCA office in Detroit
Lakes.
The
Pelican Group of Lakes Improvement District (“PGOLID”) commenced 2005 with nine
members: Jeff Peltier, Fred Manuel, Butch Poolman, Vance Stueness, Faye
Engkjer, Lisa Wheeler, Skip Duemeland, Mike Ostbye and Brent Jenkins. At the
2005 Annual Membership meeting Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Peltier and Mr. Manuel were
elected to the board and Lisa Wheeler was appointed to fill the term of Norm
Robinson.
Current
Program Status:
2005 was the fourth year of monthly evaluation of the water quality parameters of Fecal Coliform Bacteria, Total Suspended Solids, Chlorophyll A, Two kinds of Phosphorus (Ortho and Total), Total Dissolved Solids, and Temperature which are taken at nine sites including the several inlets and one outlet. This information continues to be incorporated into a Comprehensive Lake Water Quality Study.
Management for mosquito
control has been assigned to the Mosquito Abatement Board, chaired by board
member Stueness. The continued presence of the West Nile Virus encourages a
continuing aggressive and expensive mosquito control program now.
Blue Water Science, 550
S. Snelling Ave, St. Paul, MN has completed its several year effort to prepare
and present a comprehensive Water Quality Study and Evaluation of the water and
land resources in the LID. Copies of the
Report are available on PGOLID’s web site and at the Pelican Rapids Regional
Library.
We remain encouraged that
the water quality parameters in the PGOLID are rated in the satisfactory
categories and that Eurasian Milfoil is not an imminent threat to the lakes in
the LID. Northern Milfoil is a real
nuisance in Little Pelican Lake and Curly Leaf Pondweed is a major weed in
Pelican Lake. This report continues to be our benchmark.
The LID now owns 22
buoys that are marked as PGOLID property and they are strategically placed in
the LID to mark channels, rocks, no wake zones, and other navigation needs.
Since the early 1930’s
the water levels in the lakes in the LID have been controlled by a concrete
structure of three weir levels, which is located in the Pelican River below
Fish Lake. The dam was flooded during the
high water years, but now due to erosion and age it no longer effectively
limits the outflow. It has been
determined that the dam is under the ownership and control of the DNR. PGOLID is working with the DNR to plan
repairs to the dam.
PGOLID contracted with
Minnesota Shoreline Restoration to spray this exotic species that has been
located in the lake. The results were
encouraging, however it is a three-year process
PGOLID is sponsoring a
voluntary, confidential septic tank inspections, as of July 8, 2006 194
property owners have signed up for this program.
DIRECTORS
INTENTIONS AND CONCERNS:
1.
Septic system compliance and monitoring is a continuing worry
since a significant number of private systems were found to be out of
compliance over 20 years ago. The LID
has assembled data and is working with Otter Tail County regarding future
inspections.
2.
Exotic weeds that have been introduced into the Pelican River
chain of lakes are a real nuisance; especially bothersome is Northern Milfoil
in Little Pelican Lake and Curly leaf Pondweed in Pelican Lake. The Directors are urged by many residents to
control the weeds by chemical or mechanical means. Cost/benefit evaluations have been
undertaken.
3.
The PGOLID is in a predominantly farming community and has
both livestock and cropland in the lake watershed. Several large agricultural efforts utilize
shallow well irrigation on crops of corn, alfalfa, potato, and sugarbeet. All are high users of water and soil nutrients. The Directors are concerned that e-coli and
weed-encouraging nutrients are being leached or transported directly into the
streams and river feeding the LID. The
Board is working with the lake coordinator to visually inspect nearby streams
and drainages leading into the LID.
4.
The Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners stated in the
Order establishing the LID, that “The PGOLID will benefit the property values
and quality of life within the district by enhancing and maintaining the
environmental quality of the Pelican Group of Lakes and the surrounding land
areas”. The discovery of naturally
occurring arsenic in deep water wells, the potential for nitrate and e-coli
contamination of the shallow water wells, and the ageing septic systems all
lead the board to continue to investigate alternative water and sewer
accommodations for property owners in the LID.
5.
An agreement with Cormorant Lakes Watershed and Becker County
regarding the control of water flowing out of the Cormorant Lakes will expire in
October of 2005. This agreement is
especially important when the lake levels are at or exceed the Ordinary High
Water Mark. Currently all lakes are
below the OHWM. The Agreement will be
addressed in 2006, and we will try including an Agreement with the Lake Ida
property owners over their new outlet. Work continues on the finalization of
this agreement.
FINANCIAL
SUMMARY:
The budget approved at the August 2005 meeting for 2006, of
$136,000 will utilize $50,000 of the 2005 carryover for a total assessment to
the LID property owners in 2005 of $86,000. If approved the 2007 budget of
$135,500 will utilize $35,500 of the 2006 budget for a total assessment of
$80,000 to property owners.
Respectfully submitted,
Board of Directors, PGOLID
Mike Ostbye, Chairman
Brent Jenkins, Vice Chairman
Faye Engkjer, Secretary
Fred Manuel, Treasurer
Skip Duemeland
Jeff Peltier
Butch Poolman
Lisa Wheeler
Vance Stueness