Projects
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PPLA has a history of considering, managing and conducting a variety of projects. One of the largest was the voluntary weed control program from the early 1990’s. With the establishment of the Special Assessment Project Advisory Committee, this effort is now part of the Special Assessment managed by Coloma and Watervliet Townships.
PPLA is active in projects, including mitigation of excessive waterfowl populations, installation of buoys marking hazardous locations, boating regulations and a communications platform to disseminate important information. We are also looking for other projects and activities that will be of value to our members. We welcome suggestions from our members.
All owners of property in the Special Assessment Project Advisory Committee (SAPAC) are members of the Association and may participate on committees, are eligible to serve as a Board member and may participate in all Association activities. We welcome member participation and suggestions.
Restorative Lake Sciences
The Paw Paw Lake Association engaged Restorative Lake Sciences (RLS) of Spring Lake Michigan to review and evaluate historical test data and other information for Paw Paw Lake and its watershed. The objective of the program is to assess the health of Paw Paw Lake, report on the lake's condition and suggest actions for managing the lake's environment. RLS has completed a draft report and the committee managing the report consisting of Doug Peterson, Rick Hoffmann, and Charlie Pater met with Dr. Jennifer Jermalowicz-Jones, RLS project manager, to discuss and comment on the draft report. Some draft report conclusions and suggestions are as follows:
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1. The environmental classification for Paw Paw Lake is believed to be Eutrophic. The lake is nutrient rich, has reduced transparency, marked dissolved oxygen depletion and elevated chlorophyll-a concentrations.
2. Paw Paw Lake's watershed land use is the major factor for its being classified Eutrophic.
3. Whole lake treatment for invasive species is not recommended. Spot treatments using materials such as ProceellaCOR (Registered Trademark) or its alternatives are considered to be better alternatives for invasive species management.
4. Paw Paw Lake's basin will continue to deteriorate unless tributaries and other non-point sources are mitigated for nutrients.
5. The public needs to be educated about the lake's condition and the steps needed to improve Paw Paw Lake's ecological state.
6. The existing Lake Improvement Program, sponsored by SAPAC, should be modified to include many/all of the proposed improvements regarding data collection and analysis including nutrient mitigation programs, invasive species treatments, and measurements aimed at evaluating progress of each program.
7. To avoid mechanical and operational problems that can be associated with auto-sampling equipment it is recommended that sampling of lake nutrients at designated collection points should be done during rain events by trained personnel to collet the most accurate data possible.
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