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Wolverine Lake board weighs sonar surveys and EcoHarvester permit to address muck and invasive plants
Summary
Board discussed options to measure and remove lake-bottom muck — including professional bathymetric sonar surveys (estimated ~$30,000) and an EcoHarvester permit to reduce chemical use — and agreed to pursue cost estimates and a permitting timeline aligned with next year’s budget cycle.
Wolverine Lake’s management board spent a major portion of the meeting on strategies to measure and remove organic muck and reduce the lake’s reliance on chemical treatment.
Chair (Speaker 1) reviewed materials Jared circulated about bio-dredging, an EcoHarvester and a bathymetric survey method that uses sonar to map bottom sediment. The Chair said Progressive (the board’s consultant) had not found rigorous scientific studies supporting bio-dredging’s effectiveness. “Progressive basically made it sound like that was not viable,” he said.
The Chair described bathymetric scanning as a way to establish a baseline for muck (measured in cubic yards) and monitor change over time. Based on a preliminary online search he cited a ballpark figure of about $30,000 for a full-lake professional survey for the lake’s size, acknowledging his number came from quick web estimates and that vendors such as SSI, Bridal Marine and SeaWorks operate in the region. He recommended the board solicit firm bids before committing to a survey.
On the EcoHarvester, Jared’s proposed permit map would cover shoreline areas that currently receive the most chemical treatments; the Chair said the permit narrative should state the intent “to reduce chemical usage.” Board members debated extending the operational area to include all shallow shoreline areas and the canal where the current harvester cannot reach. Committee members cautioned that permit authorities (Eagle and DNR) sometimes limit disturbance in natural shoreline or wetland zones, and the board agreed to send Jared targeted feedback to refine the map.
The board also discussed timing and budget implications for acquiring an EcoHarvester. The Chair said the village council approved funds to pay for permitting assistance from Progressive but not for purchasing the harvester. He walked members through the village budget timeline: staff-level budget prep in April, council discussion in May and final action in June, meaning any purchase would likely need permits completed and budget proposals ready well before next summer. He noted EGLE reviews and permitting timelines can take months, and asked Jared and Progressive to define deadlines and milestones aligned with the budget process.
Next steps recorded: Chair to email vendors for ballpark bids on bathymetric surveys; Jared/Progressive to refine the EcoHarvester permit map and confirm which shoreline and canal areas should be included; the board to incorporate permit and procurement milestones into the budget calendar for the next fiscal year.
