Category: News

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May 2026 Newsletter

We had another great Holiday Boat parade last year and the weather was perfect. Please see our plans for next year in this newsletter.

In this issue, we have a feature article on our own Jana Shelfer, a World Champion Adaptive water-skiing champion. 

Johns Lake is currently at a good level.  It is at roughly 94 feet (NAVD88) which is about 16 inches below the normal high-water mark so we should be able to handle large amounts of rain this Summer. The official hurricane season begins on June 1. 

The hydrilla is less of a problem then in the past thanks to the carp that the FWC added in the past.  Eel grass is currently a larger problem, but it is not considered an invasive species like hydrilla, so the FWC will not treat it. The Eel grass is close to the surface and gets tangled in boat propellors.  Once the lake level goes up this will  become less of a problem.  

The lake water clarity is not currently as good as it was due to pollen.  Once the pollen ends and it starts raining the water clarity will be excellent once again.

Although our lake is very healthy, let’s continue to be careful when fertilizing our yards and don’t remove the non-invasive plants on your waterfront. These plants provide natural filtration for the lake. 

I would like to welcome Chris Taylor to the board.  He has a strong business background and will offer a lot of great creative ideas.  

If your neighbors are not on our email distribution list, please have them go to our website johnslakeflorida.com and sign-up. 

I hope you enjoy our newsletter and hope to see you on the lake!

Rick Stuebing President, Johns Lake Association

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November 2025 Newsletter

November 2025
November 2025 Newsletter
Rick Stuebing

Message from the President

The 24th annual holiday boat parade will take place on December 13.  We will start at 6:15 PM on the far west side of the lake.

 

Johns Lake is currently at a decent level.  It is at roughly 96 feet (NAVD88) which is about 15.6 inches below the normal high-water mark so we should be able to handle large amounts of rain in case we get a hurricane this month. The official hurricane season ends on November 30. Additionally, we probably have enough water to get us through the Winter drought season.   

 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recently added 800 hydrilla eating carp to Johns Lake which is great news! Hydrilla will always be a problem for Johns Lake. Although it is bad in some parts of the lake there is much less of it now than normal. We currently have a lot of Eel Grass and Eurasian Watermilfoil.

 

Although our lake is very healthy, let’s continue to be careful when fertilizing our yards and don’t remove the non-invasive plants on your waterfront. These plants provide natural filtration for the lake.

 

 

I would like to thank Elisabetta Garcia for serving as a board member for several years.  She recently left the Board for family reasons.  If anybody wishes to join the JLA Board, please send me an email and say why you would like to be on the Board.

 

If your neighbors are not on our email distribution list, please have them go to our website www.johnslakeflorida.com and sign-up.

 

I hope you enjoy our newsletter and hope to see you on the lake!

 

Rick Stuebing

President, Johns Lake Association

 

Click here to read the newsletter

We elected new officers for the Johns Lake Improvement Association in
January. The new board is made up as follows:

President – John Schmidt (Johns Cove)
Vice President – Rick Stuebing (Johns Lake Homesites OC)
Secretary/Treasurer (combined) – Ann Megler (Magnolia Island LC)
Communications – Jason Nadrowski (Johns Cove)
Martin Davis (Deer Island)
Don Hickman (Johns Lake Homesites OC)
Frank Dreano (Johns Landing)

     We are working on several issues and have plans to do a better job communicating, setting up a proactive website, and add value to our stakeholders. We’d like to be a proactive one stop shop rather than having you to reach out to all the various agencies, counties, towns, and so on.

     There are several examples of Lake Associations in the County/State that do a great job of this for their lakes. We believe that as the lake continues to be more populated with residences that we can also educate and provide valuable information to new or prospective owners.

     One of the immediate actions is to make sure we have a good contact list for lake and near lake owners who utilize the lake, so we may need help from HOA’s. We’ll certainly make sure the HOA presidents and agencies are kept informed. Please feel free to forward or provide added contacts for us. Let us know if you have any questions/comments.

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May 2025 Newsletter

June 3, 2025

May 2025 Newsletter

Rick Stuebing

Message from the President

By Rick Stuebing

Thanks to our Board VPJB Bricklemyer, we are now a 501 C3 not for profit organization.

We had a very success Holiday Boat Parade in December and on the next page you will see Karen’s overview of the parade.

The lake level has gone down a lot this Winter and Spring, but this is good since the rains have already started and the lake is expected to go up considerably this Summer. Hurricane season begins on June 1 and ends on November 1.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recently said, “During our last survey, we didn’t see enough hydrilla to warrant a treatment. If you have an abundance of hydrilla, please send us a location where you see a hydrilla problem and also pictures of the “bad plants” so we can assess. FWC will conduct a survey at the end of the growing season to determine if stocking additional carps in the Fall will be needed.” Our contact at FWC is Richard.poole@myfwc.com.

Although Eelgrass is a beneficial plant for Johns Lake, we currently have much higher amounts of it than normal and it is currently a nuisance. Please see page 6 for more details.

Although our lake is very healthy, let’s continue to be careful when fertilizing our yards and don’t remove the plants on your waterfront. If your neighbors are not on our email distribution list, please have them go to our website www.johnslakeflorida.com and sign-up.

I hope you enjoy our newsletter and hope to see you on the lake! Rick Stuebing President, Johns Lake Association

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October 2024 Newsletter

October 2024 Newsletter

Message from the President

By Rick Stuebing

Hurricane Milton was a very large storm and many of our lakefront homeowners sustained significant damage. Our lake level went up approximately 27 inches which was close to the normal high-water mark.  Many docks are now under water so please stay away from them while boating or go slow at a no wake speed.  

The FWC treated our lake this Summer for hydrilla and although some parts of the lake still have a lot of hydrilla, most of the lake has less hydrilla than normal for this time of year. Hydrilla is almost impossible to permanently kill and the FWC allows some hydrilla to live since small amounts are good for the lake. 

The County recently closed our public ramp due to high water.  As soon as they open it, we will let you know via email and on Johns Lake Association and Johns Lake Life Facebook pages. 

The Johns Lake Holiday boat parade will be held on Saturday December 14.  We hope to see you then and a big thanks to Karen Quill and our sponsors! 

Scott Boyd has included an update on our outflow canal which is currently moving a lot of water out of Johns Lake but continues to require additional maintenance. 

Lana Larrivee interviewed Don Hickman who is one of the original members of the Johns Lake Association Board and built his home on Johns Lake over 60 years ago. 

I hope you enjoy our newsletter and hope to see you on the lake!

Rick Stuebing 

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Boat Ramp Closed Following Hurricane Milton

October 14, 2024

Boat Ramp Closed Following Hurricane Milton

Hi Everybody:

I hope that all of our lakefront owners are safe from Hurricane Milton! Our public boat ramp is closed due to high water. According to John Schmidt, the lake has risen 27 inches so far since October 4 and is still rising due to drainage from Black Lake, Lake Tilden, and other sources.

We are approaching the normal high water mark, and the County may close the lake again to protect our docks and boathouses.

     

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April 2024 Newsletter

May 7, 2024

April 2024 Newsletter

Rick Stuebing

Spring has arrived as witnessed by the change in weather and the
end of the Oak leaves falling. I have recently seen the American
Eagles that nest in Oakland, are back on their nests and the bass
beds are back. And finally, some lakefront owners told me they can
now see the bottom of Johns Lake at the end of their dock for the
first time. These are all great signs that Johns Lake is healthy. Our
water level is currently low (93.99 on 4-1-24) for this time of year
but the good news is rain is forecasted for mid-late May and the
lake level will hopefully rise fairly quickly.

P. S. The lake is expected to be treated for hydrilla late May according
to the FWC’s plans!

For the full newsletter, please click here.

 

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2023 Boat Parade Winner

December 22, 2023

2023 Boat Parade Winner

Karen Quill

JOHNS LAKE HOLIDAY 2023 BOAT PARADE – GRAND PRIZE WINNER!
 
It was VERY difficult to choose a winner this year. We had so many beautifully decorated boats!
 
The winner’s patriotic spirit was on full display with their decor, featuring a large American Flag displayed in lights. A photo of the boat appears in this post. Unfortunately, it’s not the best picture but for those who watched the parade in person, you’ll remember how great the boat looked!
 
Congratulations to Robi and Lisa Zaldeti!! This is the first year they have participated in the parade and they enjoyed it immensely. And they said “we’ll be back next year” which we love to hear!
 
The winning boat will receive a full boat detail from Tommy’s of Clermont. They have been a sponsor and friend of JLA for many years, and we appreciate their support very much!
 
And this post can’t be without a BIG THANK YOU to all the boaters who came out this year. Your boats looked amazing and all of us watching the parade were very appreciative of your hard work. And to top it off, the wind and choppy waters did not make it an easy ride so on behalf of JLA and all the residents around the lake who enjoyed the parade WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!
 
All of the road signs were picked up. We appreciate you leaving them at the neighborhood entrances for two weeks, given we had to reschedule.
We look forward to our parade again next year and in the interim, we wish you a very merry holiday season and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!
 
 

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Outfall Canal Update (March 2023)

March 26, 2023

Rick Stuebing

Outfall Canal Update (March 2023)

 

The town of Oakland commits to the first steps toward reconstruction of the Johns Lake Outfall Canal. 

Below is a summary of an article published by the WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER (March 22, 2023).

At the Oakland Town Commission meeting on March 14, Assistant Town Manager Jack Butler recommended the commission accept a bid from Solitude Lake Management for a contract price of $103,500 to reconstruct the Johns Lake outflow canal.

The town is committing up to $85,000 to reconstruct the canal and dredge a portion of the south side of Lake Apopka. The balance is expected to be contributed by other entities, including Landeavor, the developer of Oakland Park, and the Southern Oaks Homeowners Association.

Is this the only work needed? “We’re not done when this (initial project) gets done,” Commissioner Mike Satterfield said at the meeting. “We promise you we’re not going to walk away.” Town Manager Steve Koontz added that Orange County has agreed to update its most recent study.

The full article written by Amy Quesinberry can be found here. 

This has been an important issue for many years. The former president of the JLA, John Schmidt, has published several informative articles over the past few years, including the JOHNS LAKE OUTFALL STUDY (Oct. 2019), the JOHNS LAKE DRAINAGE STUDY UPDATE (Feb. 2020), and the JOHNS LAKE OUTFALL STUDY UPDATE (Oct. 2020).

The Oakland Park developer appears to be doing some major clean up of the trail adjacent to their development.
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JLA Advocates for Johns Lake at Oakland Town Meeting Discussing Major Issues with the Outfall Canal (Feb. 2023)

February 5, 2023

JLA Advocates for Johns Lake at Oakland Town Meeting Discussing Major Issues with the Outfall Canal (Feb. 2023)

Rich Eicher

 
Progress has been made toward resolving significant concerns with the Johns Lake Outfall Canal. 
 

According to an article published by the WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER (Feb 1, 2023), “The town of Oakland has agreed to lead the mission to determine what course of action needs to take place to remedy the serious property issues that have arisen because of changing flow patterns in the Johns Lake Outfall Canal — and exactly who will be responsible for the costs. Commissioner Mike Satterfield stepped up to lead the discussions during the Tuesday, Jan. 24, Oakland Town Commission meeting.”

In the  article, Town Manager Steve Koontz is reported to have said “there are two major aspects to the outfall canal issues: the rerouting of the flow, slowing down the velocity of the water and the removal of sediment at the terminus of the canal; and the long-term funding, stabilization and maintenance of the entire length of the canal.”

Johns Lake Association (JLA) president, Rick Steubing, and board member Scott Boyd attended and advocated for Johns Lake at the meeting. Critical will be plans and funding for ongoing upkeep, maintenance, and repairs of the canal, not only for the benefit of Lake Apopka homeowners but also for Johns Lake homeowners as well.

The full article written by Amy Quesinberry can be found here. 

This has been an important issue for many years. The former president of the JLA, John Schmidt, has published several informative articles over the past few years, including the JOHNS LAKE OUTFALL STUDY (Oct. 2019), the JOHNS LAKE DRAINAGE STUDY UPDATE (Feb. 2020), and the JOHNS LAKE OUTFALL STUDY UPDATE (Oct. 2020).

* Image published by the WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER (Feb. 1, 2023)

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22nd Annual Johns Lake Holiday Boat Parade (2022)

November 20, 2022

22nd Annual Johns Lake Holiday Boat Parade (2022)

Karen Quill

 
UPDATE
Johns Lake Holiday Boat Parade December 11, 2022

Parade Participant Instructions

The event will be held on Sunday, December 11th at 6:15pm. Come out and decorate your boat with lights/holiday décor and join in the fun!
All boats participating should gather by 6:10pm in the NW corner of Johns Lake; otherwise known as Clear Lake (see route map for exact location). THIS IS SAME MEETING LOCATION FROM LAST YEAR.  Please do your best to “line-up” and be prepared for departure promptly at 6:15pm.

There will be a boat manned by JLA who will motor alongside the parade to help maintain distance and speed. This boat is equipped with a bull-horn and if we see “gaps” in the parade, this vessel will ask you to speed up (or slow down), so we can maintain a proper distance so the viewing is the best it can be from the shoreline.

As always, there will be a lead boat who will start the parade by blasting an air-horn several times. I’d like to give a big SHOUT-OUT and THANK YOU to the Megler family, who have led this parade for many years. We appreciate you!!

All boats should follow in-line and slowly head east. The parade route will follow the northern, eastern, and southern shores of Johns Lake (from Johns Lake Landing in Lake County to Twinwaters in Orange County, where parade ends). The parade will take about 2 hours to complete. Please see the Parade Route Map.

IMPORTANT: Please see the updated parade route map and notice the areas highlighted in yellow. In these two canals, some of the docks are very close to being underwater so we must GO SLOW WITH NO WAKE in these areas in order to be respectful of those homeowners. In all other areas of the lake, there is not a “no-wake” requirement and we ask all boaters to keep a safe distance between boats but not allow for big “gaps” to occur.
If this is your first time decorating your boat for a parade, here are a few tips:
Christmas lights run on 120v AC and are designed to operate from your home electrical current. To operate lights on your boat, you will need to purchase a DC to AC power inverter. Power inverters are available at most auto parts stores, Wal-Mart, and Harbor Freight. Power inverters convert your boat’s 12v DC power to 120v AC. Inverters do have a limit as to how much power they can generate from your boat’s DC battery. Inverters are rated by watts; the more watts the inverter can handle, the more lights you can put on your boat. Most power inverters above 150 watts will need to be connected directly to your boat’s battery terminals to provide full power as 12v outlet plugs (cigarette lighters) are power limited by a fuse.

Use of LED lights provide the ability to power many more lights than incandescent lights. A 300 watt power inverter connected directly to your battery could power over 600 LED lights as opposed to 60 incandescent lights! Be careful though, as some units will overheat if too much load is placed on them. Test your lights for a period of time before the parade starts. Make sure you use UL approved outdoor lights as the lights on your boat may get wet and you do not want to cause a fire or shock someone on your boat!
 

—————————————-
 Original post:

Johns Lake Association is happy to announce that the 22nd annual JOHNS LAKE HOLIDAY BOAT PARADE will be held on Sunday, December 11th, beginning at 6:15pm at the NW Corner of the lake.
 
Over the last year, we’ve had a lot of activity around the lake and have seen many new homeowners join our community, so for those who have not yet experienced the annual parade, GET READY, you’re in for a fantastic holiday experience!
 
We typically have approximately 40 boats participate, each decorated with colorful lights and teaming with holiday spirit. So please mark your calendars for Sunday, December 11th and join us for all the fun!
 
JOHNS LAKE BOAT PARADE 2022 – PARADE ROUTE
 
As you’ll see on the parade map below, we have done everything possible to ensure we are motoring past all the densely populated areas on the lake. It’s difficult to include ALL the shoreline each year, as this current route takes nearly two-hours to complete and for the boaters, that is the maximum amount of time we can expect them to stay in the parade without needing a break!
 
If you don’t see the parade coming by your house this year, please know the Association looks at our changing community and makes adjustments to the route every few years, to try and accommodate everyone.
 
We just won’t be able to please everyone, every year! Two hours is all we can ask from the boaters, particularly since many include their children/families on the ride.
 
Enjoy the parade this year and they’ll be more posts to follow leading up to the parade!
 
JOHNS LAKE BOAT PARADE – THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!!!
 
Johns Lake Association is a non-profit organization, and the parade would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. I’d like to give a big THANK YOU to all of our sponsors!
 
Tommy’s (Clermont) – Tommy’s has been a sponsor for many years, helping us produce the road signs, the graphics and also providing the grand prize “A FULL BOAT DETAIL”. More detail to come on how to win this amazing prize!
 
Yellow Dog Eats! This fabulous restaurant has been a friend and sponsor of the parade for many years, and without their funding, it would be difficult to put on this event. We thank Yellow Dog Eats for their continued support!!
 
Carr’s Flooring America – This incredible company has sponsored the prizes for the parade over the years, which would not have been possible without their help. Thank you to Carr’s Flooring American for being an enthusiastic supporter of this event! We appreciate you!

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