The Indian Lake Watershed Project Board of Directors recently conducted monthly meeting at the Indian Lake State Park.
In attendance were representatives from Ohio Department of Natural Resources to discuss the aquatic weed conditions on Indian Lake. Local elected officials attending the meeting included State Rep. Jon Cross (R-Kenton), County Commissioner Joe Antram, and County Commissioner-Elect Mike Yoder.
The meeting was widely attended in person and online by viewers through Zoom and Facebook Live.
The Indian Lake Watershed Project announced receipt of a grant from Honda of America for weed harvesting in the amount of $50,000, which will be utilized in addition to the $250,000 approved through the state Legislature this past spring. During the meeting, the ILWP Board of Directors approved the proposal from Shoreline Construction & Excavating Ltd. to operate a large open-water harvester. The proposal required the contractor to clear a minimum of 225 acres each week and a minimum of 600 cubic yards each week.
This open water harvester is expected to be operational within the next couple of weeks. This open water harvester will be in addition to the three harvesters that are currently being operated by ODNR.
“The current situation at Indian Lake is serous and many solutions are being researched,” ILWP President-Elect Dustin Wickersham said. “Weed harvesting is the short-term immediate option available but the long-term solution has to include a multimillion dollar plan for privatized dredging on the lake.”
ODNR announced plans to hire an additional six operators for the three weed harvesters currently operating on the lake. This will provide a second crew of operators to run harvesters for an extended amount of time each week.
Anyone interested in applying is asked to contact the Indian Lake State Park Office.
For weekly updates on vegetation removal and dredging, visit the Indian Lake State Park website and look for the tab “Indian Lake Aquatic Vegetation Management.”
In addition to hiring more operators, ODNR announced the selection of a firm to complete a study of the weeds on Indian Lake to determine best practices for the future.
ODNR selected Certified Lake Manager, Edward Kwietniewski, an aquatic biologist from Aqua Doc, Inc. Kwietniewski holds a bachelor of science in aquatics and fisheries science from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and a master of science in lake management from the State University of New York College at Oneonta.
He will be studying the aquatic weeds and providing options for mitigation for the future. Kwietniewski attended the meeting and answered many questions from the public concerning the aquatic weeds on Indian Lake.
“We are working with ODNR, members of the State Legislature, and private entities to find solutions. While the current status is not what we want, we are dedicated to finding a long-term solution,” ILWP President Tom Langhals shared at the meeting.
To learn more about the ILWP, visit indianlakewatershedproject.com. The Board of Directors meet on the third Wednesday of the month. Membership dues are $15 annually and can be submitted through the watershed website.