Category: News

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2020 Johns Lake Holiday Boat Parade

February 22, 2021

2020 Johns Lake Holiday Boat Parade

Karen Quill

The annual Johns Lake Boat Parade was held on December 13th, 2020, and was a fun night for all! There were forty-four (44) boats who participated in the parade and we had many, many viewers from the shoreline who made their presence known by clapping and cheering on the boats. A big thank you to all those on the shore who showed their appreciation as the boats passed by! It really energizes the boaters to know you’re out there enjoying the parade.

And a BIG THANK YOU to all the boat owners who put so much time and creativity into making their boats look festive and bright! The parade included a wide array of decor themes and the judging panel had a very difficult time choosing our First, Second, and Third prize winners last year. We’d like to thank Tommy’s Florida (in Clermont) for sponsoring our event and providing our Grand Prize; a complete boat detail! The additional winners received cash prizes from the JLIA association, responsible for hosting the event.

#1 Grand Prize winner went to the Deryk Family

Their boat was uniquely decorated in a patriotic theme and the American Flag was the prominent feature. It was an unexpected display and made for a very beautiful and heartwarming show of lights! 

#2 Prize Winner: The Carr Family

Their boat was not only beautiful on the outside but it was the participants on the boat and the interactive nature of their display that won the hearts of the judges. The boat had an overabundance of “Christmas spirit” on display!

#3 Prize Winner: The Galagher Family

Their boat was a true masterpiece of lighting, complete with the “Grinch who Stole Christmas” on full display. The boat was colorful, brought a smile to your face, and was a true showstopper

We look forward to hosting the Johns Lake Boat Parade again in December 2021. More details will be coming by early summer so keep your eye on:

Facebook: @johnslakeimprovementassociation

See you on the water!!!

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Johns Lake Outfall Study Update

October 4, 2020

Johns Lake Outfall Study Update

John Schmidt

The Johns Lake Outfall Study is nearing completion. A company was hired by Orange County in January 2020 to evaluate the outfall connecting Johns Lake to Lake Apopka. The main elements of the study were to collect data and identify updates to the stormwater management system and drainage basin hydrology, model the stormwater of Johns Lake Basin and establish flood control Levels of Service, and develop alternatives to improve flood control and the capacity of the outfall channel.

A meeting was held on 9/16/20 with Orange County, the Town of Oakland, Johns Lake Improvement Association, and the hired company to go over the watershed lake management alternatives and options for facilitating the maintenance of the channel. Three options were presented and the advantages and disadvantages of each were discussed to gain feedback and input. Not all of the options provided enough relief in the event of a major flood event with unusually high water. The FEMA 100-year elevation of 99.7 maps shows the potential negative impact of very high water to the area. None of the options provide more than 6” of drawdown improvement over 60 days and no decisions were finalized.

Some of the potential challenges include:

  1. Cost – who bears the responsibility for capital and maintenance costs?
  2. Function – options to fund capital improvements and long term, grant possibilities, other agencies?
  3. Options- what other options are there?

The Town of Oakland expressed concerns about their small footprint relative to the overall size of the drainage basin and how whatever is done will affect so many people and properties. Orange County and the Town of Oakland have a Joint Planning agreement to address this topic, but the details have not been finalized.

Action Items and Next Steps:

  1. The hired company will prepare a summary
  2. Present their findings and recommendations to Johns Lake Advisory Board
  3. Discuss recommendations with St. Johns Water Management District to discuss permit requirements
  4. Complete the Final Report

As soon as the options are firmed up, we will share the plan with you.

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Hydrilla Update

October 4, 2020

Hydrilla Update

John Schmidt

Good news! The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports that they have plans to treat the hydrilla on Johns Lake when the environmental conditions are favorable (lower water level and cooler temperature), hopefully in November. They plan to treat 250 acres along residential shorelines. Please see the highlighted areas outlined in yellow, not the colors in the open water but rather the yellow lines along the shorelines. The challenge might be the water level as we don’t see it coming down much by then and it may actually go up. It is now very close to the normal highwater mark. Anyway, we’ve told them we need this to be done ASAP.

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20th Annual Johns Lake Holiday Boat Parade

October 4, 2020

20th Annual Johns Lake Holiday Boat Parade

John Schmidt

This year is the 20th Annual Johns Lake Boat Parade! The event will be held on Sunday, December 13th at 6:15 PM. Come out and decorate your boat with lights and join in the fun! We usually have many spectators in their back yards, as well as at the public boat dock on Lake Boulevard in Winter Garden.

     All boats participating should gather by 6:10 PM in the NW corner of Johns Lake; otherwise known as Clear Lake (see map for exact location). THIS IS A NEW MEETING LOCATION FROM LAST YEAR. The lead boat will start the parade at 6:15 PM by blasting an air-horn several times. 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 the parade ends). The parade will take about 2 hours to complete. Please see the Parade Route Map.

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.

  • The use of LED lights provides 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!

  • If you do not live on the lake, you can view the boat parade from the public boat ramp on Johns Lake located at 13620 Lake Blvd., Winter Garden, FL 34787 (north shore of Johns Lake, off of Hwy. 50 at the Lake/Orange County line). The parade should be passing the ramp at approximately 6:45-7:15 PM. If you have any questions about the boat parade, please call Ann at 407-701-8033 for details.
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Johns Lake Drainage Study Update

February 23, 2020

Johns Lake Drainage Study Update

John Schmidt

In August of 2019, Orange County hired an independent company to evaluate the existing condition of the outfall canal connecting Johns Lake to Lake Apopka. The County, the Town of Oakland, and the Johns Lake Improvement Association have expressed concerns regarding the ability of this canal to adequately convey stormwater flows to Lake Apopka during wet periods without causing adverse impacts to property and infrastructure. The canal is more than a mile long and has a lot of trees and brush growing in it which requires regular maintenance

The steps identified were:

Step 1

Data collection and evaluation to identify relevant updates to the primary stormwater management system (PSMS) hydraulics and drainage basin hydrology.

On February 2, we received an update that shows they have been working on step 1 of Johns Lake models. So far, they have looked at the data from the 2001 study and are looking into the changes since that time. They are considering all the land-use changes, local road and highway changes including those proposed, and studying the lake levels since 1959. The data is currently being obtained and reviewed that will support the remaining steps of the Johns Lake Outfall Study and Conceptual Design.

Step 2

Stormwater modeling of the Johns Lake basin to establish the flood control limits provided by the existing PSMS.

Complete watershed evaluation and develop the project model. Proposed model methodologies include: Drainage basin numbers, storage-area relationships, and times of concentration for newly incorporated projects and developments (e.g., Oakland Park, Heritage Hills, Johns Landing, SR 429) will be used from the source models.

Step 3

Development and evaluation of alternatives to improve flood control in the vicinity of Johns Lake and the outfall channel with input from the County, the Town, and the Johns Lake Improvement Association.

Conceptual alternatives are being identified. Once they have identified the alternatives, they will hold a meeting to discuss these alternatives with stakeholders including the Johns Lake Improvement Association. Hopefully, this will occur by the end of the first quarter of 2020. A significant amount of work has been completed and we are hoping this will eventually improve the Johns Lake outflow in the long term.

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Johns Lake Quality Indicators

February 23, 2020

Johns Lake Quality Indicators

Rick Stuebing

Over the years, the Johns Lake Improvement Association (JLIA) has dealt with numerous potential problems and threats to Johns Lake.   JLIA has recently identified five Quality Indicators that will be monitored and reported in the newsletters moving forward. They included Lake Levels, Water Quality, Invasive Vegetation, Drainage, and Habitat.

An easy to understand reporting tool has been developed using a stoplight approach with a brief explanation for each quality indicator. The JLIA will use data provided from the county and other organizations and will make some subjective measurements. The intent is for lakefront owners to be able to easily see where the JLIA feels issues involving the lake need attention or additional discussion in the newsletters.

Let’s all continue to do our part to keep Johns Lake an enjoyable place to live!

Lake Level

Improving

The lake level has receded somewhat from the recent high level but significant rainfall or future hurricanes could push it too high. With reduced rainfall at this time, the trend here is improving.

Also, we are hopeful that the county will maintain the drainage canal to Lake Apopka after their study is completed. A county study is underway to do an assessment and recommend options to address this important issue.

Water Quality

Stable

Water quality has been steadily improving during the past ten years according to county testing. Long-term, frequent participants in lake sports activities (skiing, wake-boarding) have reported a significant improvement in water clarity.

Invasive Vegetation

Improving

Hydrilla, Cuban Bulrush, and other invasive species are an ongoing concern for Johns Lake. The county will continue to treat as needed and additional grass-eating carp will be added to the lake to augment their efforts. This quality indicator is constantly changing and a combination of weather and treatments can affect the status either way.

Drainage

Being Studied

Johns Lake drainage (aka outfall) is an ongoing concern. Recent water levels are higher than previous years and there is a concern that the current outflow is not sufficient. We will keep you posted on this issue.

Habitat

Stable

Even with the new developments around Johns Lake it is still a vibrant habitat for wildlife. We have otters, alligators, turtles, bald eagles, osprey, ducks and many other species of water fowl. And, as always, the lake is a premier fishing site.

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2019 Johns Lake Holiday Boat Parade

February 23, 2020

2019 Johns Lake Holiday Boat Parade

John Schmidt

     This past Holiday season we held the Boat Parade on Saturday evening instead of Sunday evening. In the past, we had as many as 42 boats in the parade, with the average being about 20-30 boats.  Sadly, this year we had only 10 boats to start the parade and only four at the finish. We moved the parade to Saturday in hopes of having better attendance.

     Although there were many spectators on the shore, there weren’t as many boats in the parade this year.  The weather wasn’t a factor, as the temperature was mild and there was no rain.  We believe the reason for this poor turnout is that many lakefront residents attend holiday parties and other activities on Saturdays leading up to Christmas.

     In consideration of the turnout this year, next year’s Parade will once again be held on a Sunday and be our 20th Holiday Boat Parade! Thank you to the lakefront residents that attended both on the water and onshore. 

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19th Annual Johns Lake Holiday Boat Parade

October 1, 2019

19th Annual Johns Lake Holiday Boat Parade

John Schmidt

This year is the 19th Annual Johns Lake Boat Parade! The event will be held on a SATURDAY this year, December 14th. Come out and decorate your boat with lights and join in the fun!

     All boats participating should gather by 6:00 PM in the SE corner of Johns Lake. THIS IS A NEW MEETING LOCATION FROM LAST YEAR. The lead boat will start the parade at 6:15 PM by blasting an air-horn several times. 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 the parade ends). The parade will take about 2 hours to complete. Please see the Parade Route Map.

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.

  • The use of LED lights provides 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!

  • If you do not live on the lake, you can view the boat parade from the public boat ramp on Johns Lake located at 13620 Lake Blvd., Winter Garden, FL 34787 (north shore of Johns Lake, off of Hwy. 50 at the Lake/Orange County line). The parade should be passing the ramp at approximately 7:30-8:00 PM. If you have any questions about the boat parade, please call Ann at 407-701-8033 for details.
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The Year in Review

October 1, 2019

The Year in Review

John Schmidt

If you are not receiving our electronic newsletter please click on the “Subscribe” button on the bottom of the page and then add your contact information. Also, please support our cause by joining JLIA.

     We elected new officers for the Johns Lake Improvement Association in January. We completed scheduled board meetings, published three electronic newsletters and provided information about proper fertilizer use, shoreline maintenance, fish habitat, and recreational opportunities. We updated the contact list for the various agencies that are involved with the lake.

     The group was active in getting a new Web Page and Facebook page set up. We completed an extensive search of all property owners around the lake and have been working to get as many as possible migrated to email rather than hard copy to cut costs and have quicker response. We worked to transfer some of historical documents from the past. We changed the format of the newsletter and sent it out to as many people as we have contact information for.

     Many of the board members attended the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (“FWC”) hearings and provided input and feedback for the control of excessive vegetation, including hydrilla, and/or exotics on freshwater lakes in Florida. The meetings were conducted during a “pause” in the use of herbicides throughout the state. The result is a mix of controls rather than stopping herbicide use or relying on it entirely. Over 1,000 grass carp were planted in the spring as a result.

     We monitored the algae blooms through the year and worked with Orange Country (OC) and FWC to provide feedback and input. Water samples were taken during the most severe incidents. We are copied on the Orange County lake level surveys and record the data in between reports. We provided information about the FWC fish study that was conducted.

     We worked with the Town of Oakland, OC Public Works and the OC Commissioners to get a study approved to understand the storm water runoff and the capacity of the outfall from Johns Lake to Lake Apopka. We participated in the kickoff meetings with Orange County Commissioner Betsy VanderLey to secure the funding and support. We attended the project meetings and are actively working with the study team to find a resolution for the proper drainage of the entire basin. We also worked with the Town of Oakland on the outfall maintenance plan identified in the Joint Planning Agreement with OC.

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Removal of Lakefront Vegetation

June 6, 2019

Removal of Lakefront Vegetation

John Schmidt

Background

As many lakefront homeowners already know, adding, removing or modifying the vegetation along the shoreline of Johns Lake is regulated by the state of Florida. These activities are monitored through a permitting process as part of the ”Florida Aquatic Plant Management Act” and the “Florida Aquatic Weed Control Act”, both are administered by the Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC).

A few definitions are in order:

  1. “Aquatic plant” means any plant, including a floating, immersed, submersed, or shorefront species, growing in, or closely associated with, an aquatic environment, and includes any part or seed of such plant.
  2. “Aquatic plant management” means an activity designed to control the growth of aquatic plants so as to protect human health, safety and recreation and, to the greatest degree practicable, to prevent injury to non-target plants, animal life, and property.

Removal of harmful/invasive plant life is encouraged but it must be done properly and in most cases replanting of eco-friendly vegetation in place of the plants removed is required.   This is necessary to strike a balance between allowing lakefront residents to enjoy the benefits of a nice, aquatic environment along their shoreline while maintaining healthy standards for appropriate foliage around Johns Lake in general.  Part of the conditions of issuing a permit may be the requirement to replant specific vegetation to support a healthy lakefront.

Florida law requires all persons to obtain a permit from FWC prior to controlling, removing or altering aquatic plants in waters of the state unless the waters or activities are expressly exempt from the permitting requirements.

Exemptions

Permits are not required for waterfront owners seeking to remove non-woody vegetation and shrub species from fresh water bodies by physical or mechanical means along 50 feet or 50% of the shoreline (whichever is less) in order to allow open water access for boats or swimmers. 

This exemption does not apply to “Aquatic Preserves” or “Outstanding Florida Waters” locations.

Purpose

With a permit you can remove exotics which will allow room for native plants to grow and expand. This ensures that you have a plan for managing your waterfront that will not harm the water body and help protect the investment you have made in it.  The work can be done through physical or mechanical means.  Removal by herbicides also requires a permit.

Physical Clearing of Aquatic Vegetation
Mechanized Clearing of Aquatic Vegetation

Proper management of the shoreline will also:

  • Enhance aesthetics
  • Improve food and habitat for fish and wildlife
  • Provide erosion control and soil stabilization
  • Ensure plants are present for nutrient uptake which will result in cleaner water

How to Obtain a Permit

Obtaining the right permit(s) can be challenging, depending on where a homeowner resides on Johns Lake.  A State FWC permit is required, a county permit may also be required as well as a city permit in some cases. Here are some guidelines but a homeowner should confirm and adhere to the latest requirements of his/her locale – (checking government web sites is one way to do this):

Orange County:

  1. You are required to obtain a state FWC “Aquatic Plant Management Permit (its free and easy to fill out the online forms)
  2. If you live in Orange County, but outside the city of Winter Garden (Oakland for instance), in addition to the FWC permit, the homeowner should obtain an Orange County “Clearance of Shoreline Vegetation Permit”
  3. If you live in Orange County, in the city of Winter Garden, in addition to the FWC permit, the homeowner should obtain the Winter Garden “Shoreline Alteration Permit”.   Note that this permit negates the requirement for the Orange County permit but not the FWC permit.

Lake County:

  1. Lake County has no local permitting requirement.  The FWC permit process for management of aquatic plants is all that is required.
  2. If you live in Clermont (within Lake County), there are no special permits required. The FWC permit suffices for homeowner aquatic plant management activities.

In the case of multiple levels of permits,  the homeowner must comply with the permit with the strictest requirements.

For the sake of brevity the general requirements of the individual permits will not be covered here and the homeowner must read and carefully adhere to the mandates.

For instance, Orange County requires that a permit applicant contact adjacent property owners to make sure there are no objections to the lakefront activities covered by the permit – this can be done by a “No Objection” form filled out by the neighbors.  Winter Garden permits require a Homeowner’s Association letter of approval if the property lies within an HOA managed subdivision.   The point being that the homeowner should not assume that the general requirements of one permit automatically satisfy another.

In addition, any of the permit issuing agencies may reach out to the homeowner for further information on the project.  The agency may make suggestions or alterations to the project, inspect the results of the project when completed and even take enforcement action if a project has failed to adhere to the permit guidelines.

Permit Assistance and Resources

Florida Wildlife Commission:

Obtaining an FWC permit is a relatively simple process and is free.

  1. Those homeowners wanting to fill out a permit online need to first register as a user on their website.
  2. Click on the text “Register New User” to the right of the User ID box.

If additional help is needed with the application it can be obtained by contacting Sharon Stinson at Sharon.Stinson@myfwc.com or by calling 863-534-7074.   An existing permit can be easily renewed through the same method.

Orange County:

If the property lies in Orange County the permitting falls under the auspices of the EPD (Environmental Protection Division) and the permit application can be downloaded and filled out for submission. It is called a “Lakeshore Vegetation Removal Permit”.  There is a $126 fee for this permit and it can be mailed in or delivered in person to the EPD.   Details concerning application, submission and requirements are on their website.

For additional information the homeowner can contact:

Environment Protection Department
3165 McCrory Place, Suite 200
Orlando, FL 32803

Email: EPD@ocfl.net
Phone: (407) 836-1400

City of Winter Garden:

For the City of Winter Garden permits a homeowner can visit the government office in downtown Winter Garden (300 W. Plant St, Winter Garden, FL 34787) or call the city (407-656-4111) or download the permit application online.

Responsibilities

With a permit you can remove exotics which will allow room for native plants to grow and expand. This ensures that you have a plan for managing your waterfront that will not harm the water body and help protect the investment you have made in it.  The work can be done through physical or mechanical means.  Removal by herbicides also requires a permit.

Additional Considerations

  • If a lakefront construction project (seawall, dock, etc.) in any County or City includes, modifications to Johns Lake aquatic vegetation then a Saint Johns Water Management District ERP (Environmental Resource Permit) may also be required.

    More information is available at:  https://www.sjrwmd.com/permitting/#about-erps

  • If a lakefront aquatic management plan will involve the removal of large growth vegetation, such as trees, the homeowner must contact the state Department of Environmental Protection in addition to the other permit requirements above. This may be done through the following contact:
Capture

Conclusion

Through the permitting process, lakefront owners can insure they are in compliance with the various government guidelines and that the aquatic plant management they are requesting is appropriate and beneficial for the lake and the resident.  Proceeding without proper permitting is a code violation and could result in serious fines, delaying of the project or having to correct work that was done improperly which will result in significant costs to the homeowner.  A government agency could require a remediation plan for the homeowner to correct discrepancies.

Let’s all work together to ensure that Johns Lake continues to be clean and enjoyable for many decades!

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