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Page 1 of 2 <br />Joel Hanson <br />From: Clifton Aichinger [cliff @rwmwd.orgj <br />Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2004 10:25 AM <br />To: twday @usa.com <br />Cc: Joel Hanson; Brad Lindeman; Greg Schroeder; Travis Germundson <br />Subject: Re: Savage Lake water levels <br />Tom - <br />Thanks for your email and your survey efforts. Sorry for the late response to your email. I've been on <br />vacation. You mention a very valid point regarding the water lilies. However, what you mention is one of the <br />reasons the water lilies have spread so much in the past two years (prior to our installing the new outlet). <br />The old outlet used to be manipulated at an artificial high level (actually above the top of the outlet pipe. In <br />the last five years or so, the gate has not functioned well and the lake level had dropped to a level about a <br />foot above the current outlet elevation (due to debris build up at the shoreline). When we put in our new <br />outlet at the old pipeline elevation, it accidentally ignored the debris build up and dropped the level about <br />another 6" from the low level we had last fall. <br />The DNR just completed their OHW (Ordinary High Water) survey for Savage Lake. This survey confirms <br />your findings. The lake is about 1.5 to 2 feet below the historical lake level as evidenced by the shoreline <br />vegetation. However, the recent lake levels were about 1 foot lower that the historical (artificially <br />maintained) levels. <br />Ordinarily, we could establish an outlet elevation at the OHW. But current state law does not allow going <br />higher the the established outlet elevation (where it is now and was before) unless we get DNR <br />Commissioner approval and flowage easements from all adjacent property owners. I think all adjacent <br />owners would be willing to go about 1 foot higher, but not 2 feet (from what we heard at the public meeting). <br />I will be going to my Board on November 3 to get approval to seek these flowage easements from adjacent <br />property owners. This will be expensive since we have to survey the new elevation line and create legal <br />descriptions for the easement and record the easement on all properties. If the expenditure is approved, we <br />will be contacting all residents and trying to obtain their approval for an easement. If everyone agrees, we <br />will complete the survey during the winter months as possible and creating the descriptions. The final <br />easement agreements would be presented to each property owner next spring and the modification made to <br />the outlet as soon as we can get the DNR Permit. <br />This is a frustratingly long and cumbersome process for the District as well as the homeowners. I just hope <br />everyone will be cooperative and work with us for a rapid conclusion to this issue. <br />Please contact me if you have any questions. A similar letter will be sent to all residents if the Board <br />approves proceeding with this process. <br />Cliff <br />T.W. Day wrote: <br />Mr. Aichinger, <br />I'm one of the lake owners who attended the meeting regarding our lake's condition a few weeks <br />back. Recently, we've had enough rain to rill the east side of the lake to the drain level, so it's <br />been possible to make measurements to determine how far off the Watershed District's original <br />measurements were. Based on the shoreline points established in the past, my measurements <br />10/12/04 <br />.9- <br />