Group proposes improvements to Lake Altoona during drawdown

Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Amanda Tyler, WEAU

ALTOONA, Wis. (WEAU)-- A group of homeowners living on an area lake say they're in a race against the clock. The group, known as the Lake Altoona Rehabilitation and Protection District, is hoping to fast-track permits to help maintain the lake before it becomes more expensive.

In early October, the Eau Claire County Parks & Forest Department announced the water level on Lake Altoona would to be lowered significantly in order to perform dam repairs.

Members of the Lake Altoona Rehabilitation and Protection District want to use that drawdown as an opportunity to dredge part of the lake and improve fish habitats.

Tuesday night the Chair of the Lake Altoona District called for the Eau Claire County Board and the Wisconsin DNR to get together for an emergency meeting.

He says the district wants to work with the county and the DNR to improve the habitat on the lake while the water levels are low.

Greg Kotecki is the secretary of the Lake Altoona District and has lived on the lake for six years. He says about a month ago he and other homeowners on the lake heard that the lake would be drawn down 9-10 feet for repairs to the dam.

Over the past few weeks, Kotecki and others who live on the lake have been busy trying to take advantage of the lower water level on the lake.

The Lake Altoona District is proposing to mechanically dredge about 160,000 cubic yards of sediment that's currently located where the Eau Claire River meets Lake Altoona.

Kotecki says the Lake District has had to dredge this area in the past and dredging when the lake is drawn down will save a lot of money.

"It's a lot cheaper to dredge when the sand isn't covered up with water. You can probably come in with a back hoe and scoop it out versus using a floating dredge that has to pump slurry," Kotecki explained.

In addition to the proposed dredging operation, members of the Lake District also want to install new habitats for fish.

In order for the Lake District to dredge and work on fish habitat, they must apply for a permit from the Wisconsin DNR. Those permits can take 3-4 months for the DNR to process unless organizers work out a faster timeline by expediting the permit process.

With the water level expected to be drawn back up in spring of 2016 time is tight.

"Because of this small window you've only got five months that the water will be down and then it's coming back up so if you have projects that you can get done when the water is down you have a five month window to get permits," Kotecki said.

Members of the Lake Altoona District have yet to submit those permit applications to the DNR. They hope to have them submitted in the next few weeks.

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