01/30/2002 Env Bd Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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To Whom It May Concern: January 21, 2002 Summary — The Problem I am very concerned for the unique environment and wildlife in Peltier Lake and I am concerned for the hundreds of users of the Lake. It seems that just two individuals have insisted on constructing and using an illegal slalom water -ski course set in a sheltered part of the lake right next to the Heron rookery where 700 nests have been counted. (It is illegal to leave a course in place overnight without a permit.) I believe their noisy boats and activity disturbed the birds and essentially all the birds left the rookery for the 2001 summer season. In addition, mostly coontail and other beneficial aquatic plants were uprooted by their powerful boats causing environmental damage that can easily be seen from an aerial photo. The lake is only 3 to 4 feet deep in that area and I believe huge amounts of silt were put in suspension by their downward thrusting heavy inboard water -ski boats. The fall of 2001 gave Peltier Lake perhaps the worst water quality I have seen in my 22 years on the Lake and I suspect is could be due to the environmental disregard demonstrated by these two individuals. I have never seen coontail wash ashore like it did in August. After the sheriff finally made them remove the illegal slalom water -ski course, they continued to set up the course during days in the same location. Later they moved into various main parts of the Lake causing hardship and restricting others from full use of Peltier Lake. I saw fisherman and other boats forced to go around the slalom water -ski course they established. They essentially cordoned off their own huge private area in what is supposed to be a public resource. In 1998, these same 2 individuals constructed a slalom water -ski course in the same sensitive place right next to the Heron rookery. At the end of the year bird populations seemed down and there was great concern. A meeting with lakeshore owners and several government agencies was held on April 27, 1999, and an agreement was reached that there would be no water - skiing in the sensitive area near the Heron rookery. On July 7, 2001, I saw these same 2 individuals using a slalom water -ski course again in exactly the same spot. When I approached them with my concern, they said they didn't agree to anything and they could do anything they want. It is crystal clear to me that "informal agreements" do NOT work. Formal protection and regulation is required. Even if these 2 individuals quit their activities, there is always the potential for anyone from anywhere to come in and do the same or worse. All indications are that an entire species, the unique and uncommon Black - crowned Night Heron, has completely vanished since 1998, which exactly coincides with the start of slalom water -ski activity next to the rookery. To me, this is not a coincidence. After foraging at night, Black- crowned Night Herons come back to roost during the daytime and are extremely vulnerable to daytime disturbance which is what would happen with a slalom water -ski course next to the rookery. An entire species being wiped out from the rookery is very disturbing to me. Summary — A Solution I recommend protection with local regulation something like the below be enacted before Marchl5 to include ice -out to ice - covered (otherwise they could setup the day of ice -out). 1. North of the bog poles, all non - powered craft stay at least 500 feet away from the island, and power boats are not permitted. (The mostly beneficial aquatic plants are so thick there that power boats normally have difficulty anyway — it is only 3 to 4 feet deep.)