Newsletter Archive - Johns Lake Association

October 1, 2019April 6, 2022

Johns Lake Water Level Update

October 1, 2019

Johns Lake Water Level Update

Rick Stuebing

Lake levels are measured by using the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). It is similar but not the same as measuring from “Sea Level”. The official recorded lake level as of September 20, 2019 was 96.70 feet above NAVD 88 and the Normal High Water Level is 97.36 NAVD 88. This level is less than one foot below the Normal High-Water Elevation.

Although variations in lake elevation are very good for the health of the lake and fish habitat if it gets too high it could flood some of our homes and cause damage to our docks.

October 1, 2019April 6, 2022

Johns Lake Outfall Study

October 1, 2019

Johns Lake Outfall Study

John Schmidt

Background

Johns Lake is part of a 26 square mile drainage basin where storm water collects and flows into Lake Apopka through a canal/ditch called an Outfall. In the case of Johns Lake, there are man-made structures, culverts and ditches that are used to allow Johns Lake to self-regulate extremes of lake water levels. Johns Lake “outfall” is primarily through a water channel to Lake Apopka as shown in the picture below.

If Johns Lake water levels cannot self-regulate then there are serious consequences:

Homes and land can flood
Piers and docks can be submerged
Agriculture surrounding the lake will suffer
Erosion can occur
Natural habitat and ecosystems are negatively affected
Public boat ramp access can be unsafe (authorities will close the ramp)
Parks and Conservation areas may close
Water sports and recreational activities may be impacted
“Tussocks” (floating islands) can appear and migrate around the lake and cause damage

When water levels are at Normal High-Water Elevation (NHWE) and tropical storms or hurricanes occur at the same time these problems are more severe. There is a valid concern that Johns Lake is not currently draining as fast as it used to and not as fast as needed. Right now, this may not be a big problem, but the lake level could easily go above the normal high-water mark and potentially flood some of our homes and do damage to many of our docks.

The lake level is not controlled but is affected by the outfall size and condition. If the flow is restricted by developers or culverts/road crossings, then the lake will rise, if there are no restrictions at all the lake could get too low. Currently the area from the northeast corner of the lake, under the Florida Turnpike up to Highway 50 is severely overgrown, has not been maintained by anyone for more than a decade and the water level has been too high to do anything for the last few years.

The area from the Turnpike to highway 50 is subject to development within the Town of Oakland. The current culverts under Motamassek road will be replaced in 2023 and size determination is critical. The size and design of this whole Outfall Pathway is critical to the health of Johns Lake. Everyone should be concerned.

Maintaining the outfall has become an expensive and labor-intensive task involving heavy equipment and reassessment of the engineering and maintenance of the outfall is needed.

Outfall Study (First Steps) –

There are many stakeholders and government entities involved with various aspects of Johns Lake stewardship; here are just some:

Town of Oakland
City of Winter Garden
Orange County
Lake County
SJWMD (Saint John’s Water Management District)
FWC (Florida Wildlife Commission
Florida DEP (Department of Environmental Protection)
JLIA (Johns Lake Improvement Association)
Friends of Lake Apopka
Lake area residents
Owners of private property along the outfall

Thus, a study by a professional engineering company was commissioned to build consensus and have a workable plan going forward to maintain Johns Lake and protect the interests of all involved. The timing of this is critical with several large land tracts south of Hwy 50 for sale, the area is subject to development/growth. This study is likewise critical to the residents of the lake to ensure water levels don’t become dangerously high during wet season storms/high water and that the lake doesn’t get too low.

On August 7, 2019 the Johns Lake Outfall Study Kickoff Meeting was held at the Orange County Public Works Storm Water Building. Purpose of the meeting was to facilitate data needs with the Town of Oakland, communicate project objectives, and obtain feedback from both the Town of Oakland and Johns Lake Improvement Association (JLIA). Handouts and exhibits provided for discussion included an agenda and GIS map of the study area. The following provides a summary of the discussion.

The objective of the meeting was to discuss the ultimate project objective, which is to provide the Town with a conceptual, implementable design alternative to help manage lake levels and flow out of Johns Lake, Lake Tilden, and Black Lake and alleviate local flooding. CDM Smith was selected to complete the data compilation effort of the current project phase, Task 1 Watershed Assessment. The focus is on the primary storm water system of the interconnected Johns Lake, Lake Tilden, and Black Lake and their outfall to Lake Apopka.

Town of Oakland Town Manager Stephen Koontz noted the concern over the Town’s ability to maintain the outfall “ditch”, especially as it is primarily on private property. Currently maintenance of the ditch is done by obtaining individual access agreements from each property owner. Stephen also noted that ultimately the Town would like to determine whether any additional requirements should be included in their development codes to ensure no adverse impacts to the system from future development. Potential for joint agreements with neighboring municipalities and public agencies was discussed. City of Winter Garden may be a potential partner in maintaining the outfall canal. SJRWMD may be a potential partner if the project can provide some water quality benefits as Lake Apopka is an impaired waterbody.

It was noted that fluctuation in lake levels is an important aspect for preserving habitats surrounding the lake. The conceptual design should consider this as it will likely be a concern for FWC. It was unknown whether there are any endangered species within the vicinity of Johns Lake. Johns Lake Improvement Association (JLIA) noted that grass carp are stocked in Johns Lake, but these fish cannot enter Lake Apopka. They are currently physically restricted from traveling into Lake Apopka due to the impediment of the control structure. Conceptual alternatives should maintain this restriction. Town of Oakland Public Works Director Michael Parker will be the contact for coordinating field reconnaissance efforts within the Town of Oakland. JLIA noted that structural flooding is not frequent though there have been instances during the 2004 hurricane season where structure flooding was reported. Piers and docks are frequently underwater. Michael Parker noted that the marsh land around Johns Lake has been dredged a few times and may be considered in the conceptual alternatives.

County Road 455 is currently under a PD&E (Planning Design & Engineering/Evaluation) to evaluate a potential design of extending the roadway and widening it to 4-lanes near the west end of the lake in Lake County and drainage from this roadway should be considered. Future progress meetings will include a meeting to discuss model results and a meeting to discuss the conceptual alternatives. A public meeting will also be held later in the project life to discuss the alternatives.

Conclusion

This study is an exciting development as it will establish a means to justify budget and create design standards to keep Johns Lake a pristine body of water and a desirable place to live. It will ensure that property values are maintained and environmental issues are addressed with a comprehensive approach.

Johns Lake Improvement Association will continue to liaison and maintain close contact with the stakeholders and monitor the study as the process evolves. Residents can be assured that future newsletters will contain important information concerning this topic as things move forward.

October 1, 2019April 6, 2022

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.

October 1, 2019April 6, 2022

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.

June 6, 2019February 19, 2022

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:

“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.
“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.

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:

You are required to obtain a state FWC “Aquatic Plant Management Permit (its free and easy to fill out the online forms)
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”
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:

Lake County has no local permitting requirement. The FWC permit process for management of aquatic plants is all that is required.
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.

Those homeowners wanting to fill out a permit online need to first register as a user on their website.
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

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:

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!

April 6, 2019February 19, 2022

Lakefront Fertilizer Guide

April 6, 2019

Lakefront Fertilizer Guide

Rick Stuebing

Many fertilizers contain nitrogen and phosphorus. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus are known to cause excessive hydrilla growth, algae blooms, fish kills, and other water quality problems. Anyone applying fertilizer in Orange County should understand how to prevent pollution from the nutrients they spread on their landscape.

Orange County has regulated fertilizer application since 2009 to help protect our lakes, rivers, springs and groundwater. This ordinance was updated in 2017. Lake County has a similar ordinance.

Stores that sell fertilizer must display information about our ordinance
Never use fertilizer containing phosphorus (unless a soil test proves it is needed)
Never use fertilizer containing nitrogen in summer months (trained people are exempt)
If you choose to apply fertilizer with nitrogen, make sure 50% is slow-release nitrogen type
Keep fertilizer more than 15 feet away from wetlands and water bodies
Use a broadcast fertilizer spreader that has a deflector shield up fertilizer that spills or could end up on sidewalks, driveways, or streets
Keep your grass clippings and yard debris out of roads, gutters, and storm drains
Ensure your landscape contractor complies with the fertilizer ordinance, too!

You can buy fertilizer that contains zero nitrogen or phosphorus. Look for products that contain minerals such as iron and magnesium, or are labeled as containing, “micronutrients”. When shopping for fertilizer, please use the following helpful information that is found on the fertilizer bag:

Where to use the fertilizer (turf, trees, plants?)
Percentage of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium
How much of the nitrogen is “slow-release” type
How much to apply
How much area your bag of fertilizer will cover
Which number to choose on your spreader dial

Soil Tests in Orange County

In Orange County, you must always get a soil test before applying fertilizer that contains phosphorus – all year long, not just during the rainy season. Contact the Orange County Agricultural Extension Service (also known as IFAS) for information about having your soil tested: 407-254-9200.

More Information

Conclusion

Together we can all help to keep Johns Lake clean and beautiful. Improper fertilizer application, over fertilizing, and fertilizing within fifteen feet of the lake shore or berm will cause long term problems.

Improper use of fertilizer is what caused Lake Apopka to become so polluted. So let’s not let this happen to Johns Lake!

April 1, 2019February 19, 2022

Lakefront Berms and Swales

April 1, 2019

Lakefront Berms and Swales

Rick Stuebing

Background

As more and more development occurs around Johns Lake, it is imperative that residents understand that we can have a significant effect on water quality. If we want to minimize hydrilla infestation, other invasive plants, algae blooms and pollution, we need to adhere to a few simple guidelines that will help immensely. This includes the proper use of berms and swales.

Purpose

“A berm and swale is a low hill and associated depression incorporated into the landscape, typically parallel to the shoreline. This area slows and captures runoff and allows water and pollutants to percolate into the ground. This prevents pollutants and excess nutrients from entering the lake from your yard.”

Shown below is a fairly typical depiction of a berm and swale configuration:

Here are some of the main benefits of the “berm and swale” system:

Provide a drainage path for rain and storm water runoff
Act as a filter between the water and chemicals that have detrimental effects on the lake (e.g. fertilizer, pesticides, etc.)
Provide a buffer between the lake and residential/commercial sites that have septic tanks or other potential pollutants, even drainage from swimming pools.

In order to preserve the water quality of Johns Lake we need to be responsible. Homeowners should feel a responsibility to the environment to do their part to keep the lake as pristine as possible. There are really only a few precautions and actions needed to accomplish this:

Do’s

Reduce Chemicals. Minimize herbicide, pesticide and fertilizer use. Never apply these chemicals before heavy rains. Spread mulch to prevent weeds and erosion. Identify pests before spraying and use the least-toxic pesticide available. Follow label directions for all pesticide, herbicides, and fertilizers.

Manage Yard Waste. Never blow lawn clippings into streets, lakes, or storm drains. Use leaves and pine needles as mulch. Compost yard waste and kitchen scraps. Pick up trash, litter and pet waste.

Conserve Water. Plant native or Florida-friendly plants. Turn off irrigation systems during the rainy season (June 1 – Sept. 30) or make sure your rain gauge is working properly. Install a moisture sensor on old irrigation systems, or make sure your sensors are working correctly. Direct sprinkler heads toward the landscape, away from pavement. Inspect sprinkler heads often and repair when needed.

Obtain Permits. If you plan to change anything on your lakefront like removing or planting vegetation or changing some aspect of the berm or swale, permitting will ensure it’s done properly and within guidelines. It only requires filling out a form and paying a small fee and it is the proper way to conserve our water quality.

Don’ts

Modify a Berm or Swale. Lakefront home owners should never fill in a swale and remove or relocate a berm. These features are not designed for individual properties, in nearly all cases, berms and swales are tied into adjacent properties, sometimes through whole subdivisions and for miles in some instances. Any changes made to them can negatively affect other berms and pollute the lake. Also, modifying the berm can start the process of erosion which will eventually make the berm ineffective.

Dump Chemicals in Berm or Swale. Do not dump anything hazardous into the vicinity of the berm system since this defeats its purpose. Automotive fluids, petroleum products and even drainage from a swimming pool are harmful. You should drain swimming pools slowly, on your land, and not into the berm and swale system or anywhere near the lake.

Plant Any Unapproved Vegetation in Berm or Swale. The lakeside of the berm is very important and presents the “filtered” side of runoff and drainage to the lake. Planting anything on that side of the berm that requires fertilizer or pesticide should be avoided and completely defeats the purpose of the berm and swale feature.

Never Place Anything in the Swale Do not put yard waste trash, clippings or leaves in the swale. This impedes storm water runoff and increases the amount of pollutants that would flow into the lake.

Additional Information

The berm and swale system are actually living ecosystems. As water is directed into the feature, micro-organisms thrive and support vegetation which make the berm largely self-maintaining and create a water reservoir in the system.

It may be alarming to see standing water in the swale at times (particularly after heavy rains), but this is how it is designed. The swale collects water and temporarily holds it so that any pollutants, sediments, etc. will take longer to be processed by the vegetation and soil. Water may pond in the swale for 24 to 36 hours. This is perfectly normal gives the swale more time to percolate and cleanse the runoff.

Conclusion

The picture below is a good illustration of good practices in maintaining the quality and function of a berm and swale system. No fertilizers or pesticides should be used on the lake side of the berm and eco-friendly vegetation should be maintained along the shoreline.

Older subdivisions around Johns Lake have street-side storm water drains and retention ponds that drain directly into Johns Lake. The same precautions should be used for these features as well.

Subdivisions developed after 1985 have storm water permits with SJWMD which establish an obligation to maintain the berms and swales and ensure their proper function. So, HOAs (Homeowner’s Associations) and homeowners have a duty beyond just “good practices” to keep these important features intact and unspoiled…

Sadly, some lakefront property owners are unaware of, or just disregard, the environmental standards that are the reasons behind the berms and swales. There have been instances where residents have tried to backfill the swales and/or remove the berms, or, relocate them.

If homeowner’s have any questions about regulations concerning permitting or maintaining their lakefront berms and swales they can contact

SJWMD (Saint John’s Water Management District) Customer Service during business hours at:

386-329-4570

Together, we can maintain the high quality of life we now enjoy!

February 25, 2019February 19, 2022

Invasive Plants 2019

February 25, 2019

Invasive Plants 2019

John Schmidt

The lake was treated by FWC for Hydrilla during the week of December 13th. They applied herbicide to treat some areas but did not treat the entire lake. Some hydrilla helps water clarity. They plan to use a mix of herbicides and grass carp to keep in in check. This past summer the high-water levels kept FWC from treatments. FWC is on a pause right now pending upcoming public hearings on herbicide application.

In April of 2019 FWC plans to stock approximately 1,000 sterile grass carp. Grass carp stocked into Johns Lake that would still be alive in 2019; 1,000 stocked April/May 2015, 750 stocked Feb 2016. There is no way to accurately say exactly how many of those carp stocked are alive because we don’t have perfect numbers for stocking mortality (predation by largemouth bass when they are young, etc.). We are working to get better numbers on the natural grass carp mortality curve. From what some have observed, you start to lose 10-20% per year after age 6 or so. Most do not live past age 10-12.

FWC agreed to stock an additional 1,000 carp this winter because of the way the hydrilla expanded so quickly in September. When you get the right numbers in a system you shouldn’t have to treat 1,000 acres at a time like we did in December 2018. This is no one’s fault. All systems are different, weather patterns are different, and the stocking of carp should always be in conjunction with small, sometimes frequent, herbicide treatments.

From an FWC perspective the lake looks great. We have good coverage of submersed vegetation. Water clarity is good. We are seeing an upward trend in our largemouth bass quality and noticing more ducks as well.

Some hydrilla comments:

In general, the target is 5 carp per acre of hydrilla we want to control.
FWC doesn’t want/recommend we control all of it.
There is a huge down side to too many carp because it only requires low numbers of carp to control hydrilla, if you add too many carp, they will eat all of the hydrilla and other plant species that are important to maintain optimal water quality.
There are mechanical options for removal, but they are either too expensive, ineffective, or detrimental to the native plants.

In addition, FWC was treating the oxycaryum cubense or Cuban bulrush along the shoreline around the lake where they found it during the same timeframe. Other known problem plants are Torpedo Grass.

February 25, 2019February 19, 2022

Algae

February 25, 2019

Algae

John Schmidt

You may have noticed that in some parts of the lake we have an unusual algae bloom that has many of us concerned. We’ve reached out to Orange County EPD and FWC for input/feedback. Jim Sweatman from FWC, toured the lake and on February 11 and 12 to evaluate the issue.

He was on Johns Lake Monday doing creel and Tuesday electrofishing for bass. He did notice the algae bloom in the area we reported. They did not see that type of algae bloom anywhere else on the lake and in fact, the west side of Deer Isle that hooks up to the boat ramp cove did not have a noticeable bloom, nor did the north shoreline east of Johns Cove. They reported that they had a similar winter bloom on the west side of Clear Lake last year. It took a few weeks, but it eventually went away.

When we first mentioned algae they thought we meant filamentous algae. Filamentous algae are colonies of microscopic plants that link together to form threads or mesh-like filaments. While they did notice some filamentous algae in Johns Cove and in a few places around the lake, it was not at nuisance levels.

Julie Bortles, OC Regulatory Compliance Program Coordinator has confirmed that OC does sample Johns Lake on a quarterly basis throughout the year. The last visit to the lake was February 14 and we typically sample the east and west main lobes. They will be looking at sources of nutrient pollution this year into the lake. You may want to visit the Orange County Water Atlas to look at historic trends in the lake. Overall, the nutrient pollutants look like they are trending down in a good way.

As mentioned, the areas north of Deer Island and south of Johns Cove appeared to the worst area. The rest of the lake is not impacted as much. Several comments at this point:

The areas that are the most stagnant are more vulnerable.
Many other lakes in Orange and Lake County are seeing the same thing right now.
The recent treatment of Hydrilla and the resulting vegetation decay may have added to the issue by increasing nutrient levels.
The water levels are unusually high for “dry season”.
Water Quality test results show the lake overall to be in good health.
Warmer winter water temperatures could also contribute to the additional algae.

February 25, 2019February 19, 2022

Lake Levels

February 25, 2019

Lake Levels

John Schmidt

The official recorded lake level as of January 2nd was 96.42

This is less than one foot below Normal High-Water Elevation. As you are aware this is pretty high for “dry season.”

As we’ve mentioned in prior newsletters, the outfall from the lake goes to Lake Apopka and the pathway is critical to control lake level. On one hand changes in elevation are very good for the health of the lake and fish habitat.

However, since this 39 square mile drainage basin must be capable of getting water out in periods of extreme weather, there might be some conditions that have changed that we are working to re-evaluate. On 2/19 we had a meeting with OC Commissioner Betsey VanderLey, Michael Drozeck Public Works Manager, Jeff Charles Drainage Project Manager, Mike Parker Town of Oakland Public Works Director, Steve Koontz Town of Oakland Manager and John Schmidt JLIA President to prioritize some of the issues we face on about the lake. We agreed that there is a need to update the Storm Water Drainage Basin data and particularly the flow rates. Some of the other issues we face are dependent on the results of this work and we cannot wait several years to get it done. Mike Drozeck will move this work up on the schedule and provide a timeline.

There is a Joint Planning Agreement that was signed in 2016 between Orange County and the Town of Oakland that also needs to be further developed around the “outfall ditch” to lake Apopka. The details around the specifics of who will handle the work, how easements will be obtained, who pays for the costs and so on were supposed to be worked out in three years. We are working with the various agencies to make sure our interests are taken in to account. This work is complex, will take some time, has budgetary concerns, and requires the updated study information already mentioned to be completed.