Category: Newsletter Archive

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Other Updates

February 23, 2021

Other Updates

John Schmidt

Lake Levels

Below is the 2020 Johns Lake water level chart.  The 60-year historical average lake level is 92.12 but it has been much higher than that for the past decade. This past year the average was 95.58.  The lake elevation change was similar to normal at about 3.3 feet this year.  These readings are from the “official county survey data collection points”.  Some variation above or below these readings is likely due to when the sample was taken, but overall, not significant. The water temperature got down into the high 50’s during the cold spell which is not unusual.

Outfall Drainage Updates

The study that Orange County and the Town of Oakland initiated is in the final stages.  The consultants conducted a virtual meeting with our Board on November 3rd to go over their findings and the options. We had some questions and concerns about the next steps and there is more work to be done to complete this study. After the study is complete, they will decide on which projects to pursue, where the funding will come from, and how the “ditch or outfall” maintenance will be handled.  Our initial reaction is that the options provided do not appear to provide the results we hoped would handle a 100-year rainfall event.  When this is completed, we will share the study summary and final recommendations.

Hydrilla Update

In the next few weeks, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) is planning to treat the southwest corner of the lake and will survey the smaller lake at the northwest corner of the lake near Johns Lake Landing (Clermont) any day now.  They are also planning to stock another 1,000-grass carp in the spring. This type of carp cannot reproduce and prefers to eat hydrilla over other water plants.

When we get an exact date, we will let you know on Facebook @johnslakeimprovementassociation. Due to the recent treatment and the colder water temps, we have noticed the hydrilla is regressing. Please keep in mind this invasive species will never go away with the technology we have today.

Wildlife Activity

Duck Hunting season ended on January 31st and the birds are beginning their annual mating ritual. 

Wood Ducks
Wood Ducks are particularly active now and starting to look for nesting boxes.
Wood Storks
We have been watching Wood Storks (threatened) feeding along the shorelines.
Limkins
We have been watching limkin feeding along the shorelines.
Ospreys
Osprey have been busy building nests.
Bald Eagles
We have even seen some Bald Eagles
Hawks
We have spotted numerous hawks in the past few months as well.
Owls
We have spotted numerous owls in the past few months as well.

Southern American Kestrels

In Johns Cove, we have been fortunate to have a Southeastern American Kestrel hanging around which is the smallest falcon found in the U.S.  It’s a really pretty bird with a brownish back (dorsal) area with black flecking, a white belly (with males having fewer dark speckles on it), and black marks extending from the eyes downward.  The colors of their wings differ by gender, as males have bluish-gray wings while females have brown wings.  It is a non-migratory subspecies of kestrel found in open pine savannahs, sandhills, prairies, and pastures in Florida and the southeastern United States. It is listed as threatened in Florida due to a decline in nesting and foraging habitat.  

Alligators

We are not seeing many Alligators due to the colder air and water temperatures.  Alligators are most active when temperatures are between 82° to 92°F. They stop feeding when the ambient temperature drops below approximately 70° F and they become dormant below 55° F. Alligators are dormant throughout much of the winter season. During this time, they can be found in burrows (or “dens”) that they construct adjacent to an alligator hole or open water, but they occasionally emerge to bask in the sun during spells of warm weather.  So as the temperatures rises expect to see more of them again.

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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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Lake Vegetation Update

October 4, 2020

Lake Vegetation Update

John Schmidt

The annual Lake Vegetation Index (LVI) survey was conducted by Orange County Department of Environment Protection in June of this year. The Lake Vegetation Index is a bioassessment procedure that measures the degree to which a freshwater lake supports a healthy, well-balanced plant community. Please see the sample locations below.

     Below is a graph that shows the past LVI scores for Johns Lake. In the past, the lake was separated into two different lake systems but after 2017 the lake was sampled as one unit. Due to the requirement to randomly select the sample locations and it is hard to tell if the impact of the County’s treatments versus the property owner removal treatments are impacting the overall score. There is a difference in the score for the eastern portion of the lake versus the western portion. This suggests that development along the lake may have an impact on the scores. The overall score for the lake in 2019 was 43. Scores 43 and above are considered good. Our score this year was 42.

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Scrub Point Preserve

October 4, 2020

Scrub Point Preserve

Guest Author: Biagio Gugliotti (Lake County Water Authority)

     Scrub Point Preserve is owned and managed by the Lake County Water Authority. The Preserve is a 93-acre peninsula that juts into Johns Lake from the southern shore on the Lake County side of the lake. Ecologically, the site has been well preserved and there are at least seven threatened or endangered species and many endemic species (native species that occur in a limited geographic area). There are some exotic plant species, usually around the boundaries and along roads, which staff works to control. The staff has also used prescribed fire to manage some of the dryer habitats on the property. Fire is a very important tool for managing habitat for the rare and endemic species.

     Staff periodically leads field trips on the property. In the past, they have led trips for Festival of Flight and Flowers (formerly the Wings and Wildflowers Festival), and for groups like the Florida Native Plant Society. The Water Authority has also partnered with the Lake County Parks and Trails to lead kayaking trips leaving from the County boat ramp on Highway 50 and paddling across the lake to the Preserve. Staff would then lead a guided hike on the preserve before paddling back to the boat ramp.

     Currently, there is no public access from the land, but access is allowed by boat at the northern point. In recent months more and more boaters are using the preserve. It appears that during the Covid-19 outbreak, more people are socializing on their boats and watercraft since bars and other social venues are closed. Unfortunately, this is having a negative effect on the preserve. The preserve is opened from sunrise to sunset. Alcohol, pets, hunting, trapping, and camping are not allowed on the preserve. All plants, animals, and cultural and historic resources are protected. Some of the issues have been with alcohol and trash on the preserve. The other big issue is the native shoreline vegetation is being destroyed by boats. The original beach area at the point was about 40 feet wide and would accommodate 3-4 boats. As attendance has increased, the opening in the vegetation has become wider and wider.

     Staff installed signs (pictured below) on either side of the opening in an attempt to educate boaters and create a physical limit to the extent of the opening in the vegetation. Within a week of installation, both signs were torn down. Staff was able to relocate the signs in the water and reinstall them. At the time of this writing, one sign has been torn down a second time and the other was twisted around so that the sign was facing the shoreline. The Water Authority is also working with the Lake County Sheriffs Marine Unit to increase patrols of the area.

     The Water Authority wants the public to enjoy the natural beauty of the property, but please be respectful and follow the posted rules.

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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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