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Everything You Wanted to Know About Lake Levels But Were Afraid to Ask

Everything You Wanted to Know About Lake Levels But Were Afraid to Ask. Public Information Meeting John P. McCulloch Oakland County Drain Commissioner. Today’s Discussion Topics. Lake levels Why they’re established Why lake levels fluctuate Available options Establish a new lake level

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Everything You Wanted to Know About Lake Levels But Were Afraid to Ask

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  1. Everything You Wanted to Know About Lake Levels But Were Afraid to Ask Public Information Meeting John P. McCulloch Oakland County Drain Commissioner

  2. Today’s Discussion Topics • Lake levels • Why they’re established • Why lake levels fluctuate • Available options • Establish a new lake level • Augmentation wells/pumps • Do nothing

  3. Historical Rainfall Data Data from Oakland County rain gauge #841 at Orchard Lake Village City Hall.

  4. Why Levels Are Established • To provide the greatest public benefit • To protect public health, safety, welfare • To preserve the natural resources • To protect property values around the lake

  5. Factors Impacting Lake Levels Natural causes such as rain or snow melt Drought or excessive dry weather Adjusting the height of the dams Pumping water from another source

  6. Existing Conditions • Orchard Lake • Rain and surface runoff • Augmentation pump (Cass Lake) • Pine Lake overflow

  7. Methods to Increase Lake Level at Orchard Lake • Establish new, normal lake level • To capture more water in the spring • Construct augmentation well

  8. Action Plan for Orchard Lake • Residents determine what steps to take • They can decide to do nothing • Whether they want a new normal level • If they want to build an augmentation well • Initiate a study • To show if it is feasible to raise the normal level • To show whether augmentation well is feasible

  9. Economic Impact for Orchard Lake • Cost of engineering study - $20,000 + • Augmentation well costs - $500,000 + • Costs would be distributed among current lake level assessment district residents • Approximately $81 per district parcel for the study • Approximately $2,016 per district parcel for the well

  10. Existing Conditions • Upper Straits Lake • Level dependant on rain and surface runoff • Currently no augmentation well/pump

  11. Methods to Increase Upper Straits Lake Level • Establish new, normal lake level • To capture more water in the spring • Construct augmentation well • Add Upper Straits into augmentation pump district with… • Middle Straits • Lower Straits

  12. Action Plan for Upper Straits Lake • Residents determine what steps to take • They can decide to do nothing • Whether they want a new normal level • If they want to build an augmentation well • Initiate a study • To show if it is feasible to raise the normal level • To show whether augmentation well is feasible • To show whether Middle/Lower Straits augmentation pump can accommodate the addition of Upper Straits

  13. Economic Impact for Upper Straits Lake • Cost of engineering study - $20,000 + • Augmentation well costs - $500,000 + • Costs would be distributed among current lake level assessment district residents • Approximately $59 per district parcel for the study • Approximately $1,475 per district parcel for the well

  14. Existing Conditions • Middle & Lower Straits Lakes • Level dependant on rain and surface runoff • Level maintained by augmentation pump • From Huron River • Currently experiencing no low level issues

  15. For more information about lake levels please visit our web site www.oakgov.com/drain

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