Newsletter articles

By Greg Baker – July 2024

Elections

The LACA elections are live. LACA’s board is made up of 11 volunteers representing the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. In addition, members of LACA are represented by one of 6 Regional Directors, each representing members that closely correlate to the county voting districts.

LACA’s board members serve a two-year term and approximately half of the board is up for election each year. With the Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Treasurer and the Regional Directors from Jackson/Cuckoo-Public Side, Brokenburg and Mineral/Louisa up for election in even years. The President, Treasurer and Regional Directors from Jackson/Cuckoo-Private Side, Partlow and Belmont up for election in odd years.

In addition to the voting members of the board, the LACA leadership group also includes the chairs and co-chairs of our various standing committees. These include the Water Quality, Environmental Preservation, Emergency Services & Safety, Land Use, Membership & Marketing, and our Fireworks Committees. (To learn more about one of these committees, please click through to our website.)

You can learn a little more about our leadership group by clicking on the following links:

Board

Committee Chairs

The current election is in process and while we do not have any contested seats, please take the time to vote to show your appreciation for the many hours that our LACA leadership devotes to the community. Voting is limited to the primary member in the household or what is called the “Bundle Coordinator.”

We do have an opening on the board for the Regional Director position for the Jackson/Cuckoo-Public Side. If you reside within this region and are interested in learning more about the role, please email me. You may learn more about the role by clicking here.

Annual Meeting

The LACA annual meeting will be held at a new location on Saturday July 27^th, 2024 at The Barn at Callie Oppie’s Orchard on Route 522 very close to the intersection of Route 522 and Route 208 intersection. (The site of the new and much anticipated traffic circle.)

The official meeting will begin at 9:30AM, however please arrive at 9:00 to meet the LACA leadership and spend some time with the committee chairs. A light continental breakfast will be available.

You will hear reports from each of our committee chairs. The election results will be announced, and we will give an update on the $1MM in funding that Lake Anna received from the state to fund the Lake Anna Cyanobacteria Mitigation and Remediation Program.

We also have arranged to have special guest speakers from the Virginia Department of Natural Resources. Stacey Brown, DWR’s boating division director along with Sgt. Alan Hatmaker will speak to DWR’s Perspective on Boating Safety on Lake Anna. This is also an opportunity for us to express support for additional police presence on Lake Anna.

Attendance to the LACA Annual meeting is limited to members in good standing with LACA. To register for the event, you may follow this link. Space is limited so it is important to register in advance of the meeting. If two of you plan to attend, please note that both attendees must register prior to the event. We will attempt to host a Zoom option, but our technology is limited, so we encourage you to attend in person if possible.

What are Bundles and why does it matter?

LACA uses a third-party website host/membership management company, Wild Apricot. Wild Apricot uses terminology of “bundle coordinator” and “bundle member.” A bundle coordinator is the primary member in your household and the only member that is allowed to vote in our elections. LACA allows for each member to represent two members of the same household. The bundle member is that second member.

Why does this matter? If you add a second member to your household membership, that person is also invited to participate in all our surveys that drive LACA leadership’s decisions related to our mandates. In addition, those members may attend LACA events and receive newsletters and E-Grams.

How do you go about adding a bundle member?

1: First make sure that you are able to log into your profile on the LACA website: www.lakeannavirginia.org If you visit our website and see your name at the top of the page, you are logged in and if you click on your name you will be directed to your profile page. If you do not see your name, you will instead see “log in.” To add a bundle member, you will need to log in using the email address you used when you joined LACA. You may need to reset a password if you are unable to log in.

2: Once logged in and you see your name at the top of the web page, click your name and you will be directed to your profile page.

3: Once you are the correct page, you will see “My LACA profile” From there, scroll down to a section called ‘Bundle summary” and you will see a green button “Add member.” From there you may add another member of your household as part of your membership. Please note that your family member must have a unique email address that is different from your own.

4: Finally, your bundle member will need to log in and set up a password for his or her new profile.  If you have issues with this process, email me and I will have a member of the LACA leadership group reach out to help.

greg.baker@lakeannavirginia.org

By Maureen Daniels – July 2024

The truth is, the vast majority of folks follow the rules, play well with others, and take responsibility for their actions. It is helpful to keep this in mind as we continue to experience challenges about fair use of our beautiful, geographically limited resource, Lake Anna.

Clearly, the dynamics on our Lake have changed dramatically over the years. There has been an obvious increase in boat traffic with more and more people enjoying a wide range of water sports from low key, relaxing, to demanding, high energy. Boats and jet skis are bigger and faster, and some boats are specifically engineered to produce huge man-made waves that allow riders to surf behind.

The challenge for Lake Anna is to achieve a safe, positive coexistence where everyone can enjoy his/her own pursuit of H2O happiness without interfering with someone else’s right to do the same.

We are all a little to a lot guilty of being self-absorbed and oblivious while engaged in our favorite activities on the water. We get so focused on fishing, skiing, tubing, jet skiing, kayaking, paddle boarding, surfing—whatever—we lose situational awareness and that can put ourselves and others at risk.

Let’s get down to basics. . .

Attitude—Having fun on the water requires a serious attitude about safety.

We all share common goals: get out on the water, engage in our preferred pastimes, enjoy making memories, and have the best time ever!

The other, more consequential goal that sometimes gets lost in the “fun in the sun” mentality is one’s responsibility to avoid accidents and bring everyone back to home base without injury. Pay attention. Stay alert. Maintain a safe speed. Keep your head on a swivel. Think safety. Boat safely.

Behavior—Your behavior on the water reflects your attitude about safety. It indicates how much you know and embrace adherence to state laws and basic safety standards.

For example, do this quick indicator of where you are on the “safe to dangerous” behavioral scale:

Do you. . .

•  Make sure everyone on board is wearing a life jacket? Have all state mandated safety equipment on board?

•  Obey all No Wake zones (whether the police are watching or not.)

•  Stay at least 50 ft from fixed objects like docks, ramps, people in the water?

•  Ever monitor your wake to see how it is affecting those around you?

•  Cut across the bow of other boats?

•  Tow, ski, wakeboard, wake surf, kayak, canoe, paddleboard, or fish in the busiest or narrowest parts of the Lake? What if someone goes down in that high traffic area?

•  Allow anyone to ride on the gunwales (sides), sun deck, or dangle feet off the bow while underway? How about your pets?

•  Overload your boat or jet ski beyond capacity?

How did you do? All good? Any room for improvement?

Most accidents on the water are the result of human error. Inattention, inexperience, and bad judgement are leading causes of incidents/fatalities. Think safety. Boat safely.

Common Sense—is uncommon in many circumstances. The basis for a peaceful coexistence among many water enthusiasts doing many different things lies in a communal sense of common courtesy, respect, civility, manners and patience.

Let’s all do our part. Fair use. Fair play. Fair enough!

mo.daniels@lakeannavirginia.org

By Harry Looney – July 2024

The Virginia General Assembly approved an additional $500,000 in the fiscal year 2025 budget for continued efforts on the Lake Anna Cyanobacteria Mitigation and Remediation Program. The program, managed by the Lake Anna Advisory Committee, focuses on the remediation of phosphorus levels in the lake and sediment and nutrients entering the lake from the 218,500 acre watershed. The Lake Anna Advisory Committee will develop a plan for the execution of the fiscal year 2025 funding based on data collected from the efforts being executed this year using the previously appropriated $1 million dollars of state funding.

The Lake Anna Cyanobacteria Mitigation and Remediation Program is currently focused on reducing phosphorus levels in the upper North Anna River and Terry’s Run. EutroPHIX is the company leading the effort on the upper North Anna River and Clean Streams, Rivers, and Lakes is working in Terry’s Run. The reduction of excess phosphorus has been shown through multiple research studies over the past several decades to mitigate cyanobacteria levels. The mitigation effect is achieved through the removal of soluble phosphorus in the water which the cyanobacteria use as a source of food/energy.

Both contractors implemented their approved technical approaches in mid-June to reduce excess phosphorus in both tributaries. Those of you living on or near the upper North Anna River from the Harris bridge (route 522) to the headwaters of the lake, including Goldmine and Duckinhole Creeks and all of Terry’s Run saw treatment activities the last 2 weeks of June. All treatments were completed by the fourth of July holiday. The products being used by both contractors were approved by Dominion Energy and reviewed by both the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS). The treatments are safe for humans, dogs, aquatic life, and the environment.

The Lake Anna community is thankful for the funding bills introduced by Delegates Fowler and Laufer and Senator McGuire during the last session of the General Assembly for continued state funding for the program. Please contact the LACA Program Manager if you want to get involved in LACA’s volunteer efforts or if you want to get more information on cyanobacteria / HAB issues at Lake Anna.

harry.looney@lakeannavirginia.org

By Mark DeBord and Rick Hoyle – May 2024

This article focuses on the responses LACA received to the survey questions from the Environmental Preservation (EP) committee.  These questions sought to determine member support for current and potential EP initiatives and solicit member concerns about environmental challenges to Lake Anna.

Regarding support for EP initiatives, over half of our respondents indicated they were at least somewhat interested in providing time or financial support for specifically identified EP committee efforts as follows:

Potential Environmental Preservation Activity	Highest Interest	Any Interest
Planting Native Flora on and near shore	37%	58%
Area road cleanups	27%	56%
Shoreline cleanups	35%	60%
Floating Treatment Islands	27%	56%
Stormwater Runoff Control	34%	59%
Seeking private and government funding for preservation efforts	48%	60%
Seeking government intervention/regulation/enforcement to control environmental impacts	44%	58%

EP committee leads are evaluating the efficacy of the Floating Treatment Islands.  In many cases, the anchor ties for these islands break and the islands are washed ashore and/or the plants on the islands die.  This requires significant effort and funding to redeploy and/or repopulate the islands every spring.  The leads are conducting a cost benefit analysis to determine if time and effort is better spent on Floating Treatment Islands or planting native flora on and near shorelines. 

LACA has been fortunate in attracting grants from industry such as DuPont for environmental preservation efforts, especially for planting native flora.  These grants still require the committee leads to coordinate assistance in planting as they did in the Spring of 2023 with the assistance of volunteers and Louisa County High School students.

Floating Treatment Islands have been a major LACA initiative since the last LACA survey in 2019.  Many respondents (42%) expressed interest in supporting this Environmental Preservation initiative through financial (51%) or labor (21%) contributions or having a one deployed in the lake in front of their property (14%).  As stated earlier, the leadership of the Environmental Preservation Committee plans to reach out to these respondents once the cost/benefit analysis is complete to either take these members up on their offer, or request they redirect their generosity to shoreline native flora efforts.

The Environmental Preservation section of the survey also queried members regarding their concerns with plant, animal, or aquatic invasive species.  Thirty-five percent of respondents to this question indicated concern.  Individual comments submitted were especially interesting with 48 citing HAB/Algae/Cyanobacteria, 39 citing snakeheads, 37 concerned with Hydrilla, 12 identifying plants, grass, weeds, or reeds, 7 citing cows, and 4 concerned with beavers.  Although some of these are not invasive, they can certainly cause problems.  One bright point is that some members have found snakehead fish to be very tasty!

The EP committee leads have created an Action Plan with due dates in reaction to the responses received for the questions cited above.  These actions await the approval of the LACA Board even though several of these actions have already been implemented. Further actions may be recommended by the Board and approved actions will be monitored for progress at our monthly meetings. You can expect to see responses soon if not already because of all the survey responses.  Again, membership feedback is extremely valuable and we are determined to implement your suggestions! Thanks again to those who completed our survey!

rick.hoyle@lakeannavirginia.org

lara.weatherholtz@lakeannavirginia.org

mark.debord@lakeannavirginia.org

By Rick Hoyle and Lara Weatherholtz - May 2024

LACA’s annual election is coming up in July and we encourage members to run for board positions.  This year, the following positions are up for re-election:

Vice President

Secretary

Assistant Treasurer   

Regional Director #2 - Jackson/Cuckoo - Public Side               

Regional Director #4 - Brokenburg

Regional Director #6 - Mineral/Louisa 

All members are eligible to submit their name as a nominee.  The incumbent for Vice President and Regional Director #2 - Jackson/Cuckoo - Public Side have decided not to run. Incumbents for all other positions will serve in their position if re-elected.  LACA is always seeking a wider base of membership involvement and looks forward to welcoming new members to the Board.   Board meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month.  The Annual meeting is on the last Saturday of July.

Duties of the Vice President include assuming the duties of the President in his/her absence, other duties as may be defined by the Board, and coordinating the activities of the Committee Chairpersons with the Board.

Duties of the Secretary include preparing the minutes of all meetings, being responsible for membership records, correspondence, the corporate books and records, and maintaining compliance with applicable state and local corporate reporting requirements.

Duties of the Assistant Treasurer include working in agreement with the Treasurer in receiving, disbursing and accounting for Association funds. In addition, filing annual tax returns and other tax-exempt reporting requirements.

A more detailed description of officer responsibilities is contained in LACA Policy #003 and may be read here.

To run for a Regional Director position, you must own or rent property in that region.  Responsibilities of the Regional Directors include communicating with their respective communities to inform constituents of actions taken by LACA and to solicit their input on current and future issues.  Also, to communicate with Property/Home Owners’ Associations (POAs/HOAs) and/or serve on the various board committees. 

The Regional Director position description is contained in LACA Policy #004 and may be read here.  If you are unsure of what region you live in, see a map of the precincts here or a description of the regional boundaries here

If you are interested in becoming a nominee, please let us know by emailing the authors.  We look forward to hearing from you and will answer any questions you may have on becoming a board member.  It’s the members who make this organization a success!

Rick Hoyle (rick.hoyle@lakeannavirginia.org)

Lara Weatherholtz (lara.weatherholtz@lakeannavirginia.org)

By Harry Looney - May 2024

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a significant concern due to their detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems, human health, and local economies. These blooms, characterized by the rapid growth of cyanobacteria, can have devastating consequences if not properly managed. Lake Anna residents have first-hand knowledge of the issues caused by HABs. We have endured six straight years of recreational, “no swim” advisories issued by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) for large areas of the lake north of the route 208 bridge based on cyanobacteria cell counts that exceeded established health and safety thresholds.

Research indicates that cyanobacteria thrive on excess nutrient loads (phosphorus and nitrogen) found in the water and sediments of lakes. Historical data collected by LACA and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) indicate that large areas of the upper Lake Anna reservoir ecosystem are “out of balance” due to nutrient pollution. These data indicate that areas of the upper reservoir have been eutrophic, meaning there is too much phosphorus, nitrogen, and chlorophyll, since at least 2005 and these areas remain above eutrophic thresholds year-round.

Based on insights gained from LACA’s cyanobacteria monitoring efforts and our demonstration of established, well-researched cyanobacteria mitigation technologies in 2022 and 2023, LACA’s leadership worked to obtain state funding in Virginia’s fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget to initiate actions to mitigate and remediate cyanobacteria levels in the upper Lake Anna reservoir. Many of you wrote letters of support for the legislation and we thank you for doing that. The result of LACA’s action, your letters of support, and the fact that HAB control is a legislative priority of both Louisa and Spotsylvania counties was a $1 million appropriation from the Virginia General Assembly for cyanobacteria mitigation and remediation. 

The state funding is being executed by the Lake Anna Advisory Committee (LAAC) with Louisa County providing financial oversight and contracting support. A Request for Proposals was released in December 2023 that resulted in the submission of two competitive offers. After careful evaluation of the offers, LAAC and Louisa County awarded contracts in March to Clean Streams, Rivers, and Lakes (CSRL)located in Fairfax, Virginia and EutroPHIX – A Division of SePRO Corporation located in Carmel, Indiana. The contract includes a base year that is funded by the $1 million state appropriation and four, unfunded, 1-year options that can be adjusted and awarded as follow-on funding is received from state and federal appropriations.

The name of the LAAC program is the Lake Anna Cyanobacteria Mitigation and Remediation Program. The goal of the program is to achieve a safe and naturally balanced phytoplankton biomass in the ecosystem of the upper Lake Anna reservoir. The program has two objectives that must be met to achieve the program goal. The first objective focuses on the root cause of the problem, nutrient pollution with a target to reduce and sustain phosphorus levels at all monitoring stations in the upper reservoir below eutrophic levels. The second objective is to achieve ecosystem balance with respect to the phytoplankton biomass across the entire upper Lake Anna reservoir.

The technical approach being implemented by both contractors focuses on the use of approved, safe, and environmentally friendly chemicals that “mineralize” the phosphorus and make it unusable by the cyanobacteria biomass. The CSRL technical approach also includes the introduction of beneficial bacteria that consume nutrients flowing into the lake from the watershed. Dominion Energy conducted an in-depth technical review of the EutroSORB and CSRL products and has approved their use in the upper Lake Anna reservoir.

The $1 million state appropriation being used to fund the first year of the contract is sufficient to start phosphorus remediation activities in two of the three upper Lake Anna tributaries. EutroPHIX will be working in the upper North Anna River and CSRL will focus on Terry’s Run. Phosphorus remediation actions will begin in Pamunkey Creek and continue in the upper North Anna River and Terry’s Run in follow-on contract years. Pamunkey Creek was not included in year 1 of the contract due to the funding being insufficient to begin remediation activities in all three tributaries. The decision was also impacted by the ongoing work by DEQ to collect data as part of the state funded study. Neither DEQ nor LAAC wanted to negatively impact the data being collected to identify sources of nutrient pollution in Pamunkey Creek. For those of you living along Pamunkey Creek, the plan is to begin work in your area in 2025.

The EutroPHIX technical approach involves the inactivation of sediment phosphorus with EutroSORB^® G in areas of the upper North Anna River, coupled with an automated injection treatment of EutroSORB^® WC into the North Anna River approximately 1.25 miles north of the lake. EutroSORB contains the naturally occurring element lanthanum that has a very strong affinity to bind and “mineralize” phosphorus. Lanthanum-based products have been used in ponds and lakes of similar size to the upper Lake Anna reservoir for more than 20 years so there is plenty of past evidence that these formulations work well to reduce phosphorus levels. The lower phosphorus levels have the beneficial side-effect of reducing the cyanobacteria biomass due to the reduction of available food/energy sources.

The CSRL technical approach utilizes a calcium silicate formulation called Wollastonite to inactivate phosphorus in Terry’s Run and an innovative approach using bioreactors containing beneficial bacteria near the inflows of the creeks and streams that feed Terry’s Run. The beneficial bacteria are voracious consumers of phosphorus and nitrogen. These bioreactors are used to address the phosphorus and nitrogen flowing into the lake from the watershed.

The efforts completed in year 1 of the contract set the stage for continued treatments across the entire upper Lake Anna reservoir. The approach is designed to be spread out over a 4-5 year period of time to ensure the ecosystem is not “shocked” by a major treatment that lowers phosphorus too quickly for the phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fish species to adjust to.

Embarking on a program, especially a complex or large-scale one as is the case for a nutrient remediation effort, involves several stages and a considerable amount of time and effort. It is great to see a full-scale effort being implemented to manage the cyanobacteria issues we experience at Lake Anna. LACA will continue to implement watershed best management practices that complement what is being accomplished in the Lake Anna Cyanobacteria Mitigation and Remediation Program and we will work collaboratively with LAAC and the counties to obtain funding to continue and complete the effort that is just beginning in 2024.

Please contact the LACA Program Manager if you want to get involved in our volunteer efforts or if you want to get more information on cyanobacteria / HAB issues at Lake Anna.

harry.looney@lakeannavirginia.org

By Jean McCormick – May 2024

There are three regulatory markers (buoys) that boaters need to pay close attention to as you make your way around Lake Anna:

1.  No Wake buoys at bridges signal that the boat operator must bring his/her boat or jet ski to a no wake speed going under bridges. No wake is defined, by law, as slowest speed possible to maintain steerage and headway. 

The bridge buoys on Lake Anna have been set to a uniform distance of 75 feet from the bridge. This was a mandate from DWR and will allow law enforcement to regulate boats passing under bridges more safely.

2.   Keep Out buoys alert you to an exclusion zone. On Lake Anna, you must stay out of the area in front of the dam, at the intake zone in front of the North Anna Power Station and the swim area at the State Park. 

3.  Hazard buoys signal something dangerous below the surface of the water. It could be shallow water, rocks, a sandbar, stumps, pipes, remnants of old roads, or structures.

You must pay attention to what these warning markers are telling you.

* Assume hazard buoys are marking an area—not a single point.

*  Never go between a hazard buoy and the shoreline.

*  Sometimes a hazard buoy marks a huge boulder or it might be a bunch of small rocks.

*  The safest approach is to give all marked hazards a wide berth.

THINK SAFETY! BOAT SAFELY!

jean.mccormick@lakeannavirginia.org

By John Wayne - April 2024

There are many active development activities around the lake in both Spotsylvania and Louisa County, some you have heard about and some perhaps not. You can take a look at the Land Use section of LACA’s website https://lakeannavirginia.org for more details on these and other development activities around the Lake.  In this article I will provide status on some activities and highlight a few upcoming opportunities for you to weigh in on some near-term decisions by our governing authorities regarding development.

Hayden Property

The Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors will hold a required Public Hearing on April 23, 2024, at 6:00 in the Holbert Building for the rezoning required for the proposed development of 40 homes on the Hayden property.  This property located close to the Pamunkey bridge (where 522 crosses the upper Pamunkey), is probably best known for the proposed RV Park proposal which ended in 2021 with the withdrawal of that rezoning request due to strong community opposition.  The current proposal is for 40 homes and community amenities on the two parcels that make up 132 acres, with about 40% of the property being set aside for open space.  You can find more details on this development in the Land Use Section of our website.  We encourage all members to attend the Public Hearing and make your opinions heard.

Another Dollar General?

After much speculation it appears that Dollar General has submitted a Site Plan to Spotsylvania planning placing a store on a 26-acre parcel of land at the Southeast corner of the intersection of 522 and Monrovia Rd.  The property, parcel 53-1-2, is zoned RC (Resort Commercial) and RA (Resort Agricultural), which essentially means that all that is required for the developer to move forward is to gain approval for the Site Plan.  If you have any thoughts on this matter, you may email Spotsylvania Planning at planning@spotsylvania.va.us.  We will continue to watch this as it goes through the county review process.

Green Boot Solar - Conditional Use Permit

In Louisa County, an application was submitted for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to develop a utility scale solar project of up to five megawatts (MW) on sixty acres of a 132-acre parcel along Peach Grove Road in the proximity of Gold Mine Creek due west of Lake Anna.  The property is located, as seen below, between Goldmine Road (Route 613) and Peach Grove Road (Route 621), identified as tax map parcel 14-71, in the Mineral Election District. Goldmine Creek bisects most of the property from NW to SE and runs into the lake approximately a mile downstream from the property.  The Project area is located on the north side of Goldmine Creek, within its watershed. 

Two neighborhood meetings were attended by over 50 people in October and November of 2023.  Questions, comments, and concerns from these citizens about the project touched on issues including added traffic, erosion, wildlife, property values, effect on Lake Anna, and others.  In the first go at the Planning Commission in March, a decision on the CUP was deferred until its April meeting, mostly due to the volume of information required to be reviewed on short notice.

County staff and elected officials have worked over the past years to tighten regulation of Solar development in the County.  These regulations, along with the diligent work of Community Development staff are intended to ensure solar implementations are designed and managed to mitigate as much as possible negative impacts to the land, storm water drainage areas, creeks, rivers, and streams.  Staff has recommended thirty-one (31) conditions that must be met for this project, mostly aimed at these issues.

LACA is concerned that, even with the new regulations and all conditions from staff, the adjacency of Goldmine Creek watershed, the creek and Lake Anna to this site demands more to ensure implementation of environmental priorities.  We are concerned that development disturbance, and even operation of twenty acres of cleared solar panel rows will likely bring a higher level of erosion and runoff, negatively affecting the Lake.  It is not clear in the application that the developer has taken these adjacencies into consideration in their plan utilizing most recent and best practices to limit erosion and stream impact.

We urge the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors to weigh carefully the CUP requested while continuing to care for the land, water, and ecological needs.  LACA is hard at work with County and State officials to improve water quality in Lake Anna.  As a community we must ensure that we do not take any steps backward. 

You may want to let your Commissioner and Supervisor know your thoughts on this important project.

208 – 522 Roundabout

Looking at it on April 1^st, I will say that I am surprised by the progress I see on the Roundabout.  These types of projects always seem to go so slow in the beginning while all the underground storm water plumbing and other infrastructure is installed.  Much of this seems to be completed and on the western side of 522, curb stones are outlining a fair amount of that half of the circle, and it appears that a large section of the inner circle concrete will be poured soon.  VDOT has stated that their plan is to have some semblance of a flowing intersection open by Memorial Day, and further to curb any weekend work during the summer months to keep the intersection flowing.  Completion date is still forecast to be in December of THIS YEAR!  Keep your fingers Crossed!

John.wayne@lakeannavirginia.org

Mark Debord and Lara Weatherholtz – Apr 2024

Many of those who live at Lake Anna are familiar with Hydrilla, an invasive plant native to Asia. Hydrilla started in the US in Florida in the 1950’s. It was originally imported as an aquarium plant but was released into Florida waterways. It has now spread throughout much of the Southeast and many other areas of the US.

Another invasive plant, also from Asia, is the Two-horned Water Chestnut. It was first identified in Virginia in 1995. Thus far, it has been limited in Virginia to ponds in Northern Virginia, though a more recent infestation was found in farm ponds in Charlotte County.

Two-horned Water Chestnut is a floating aquatic plant. As with Hydrilla, it can form dense mats that interfere with boating and other aquatic sports. It grows in water depths of 1-15 feet. It can choke out native species and decrease water oxygen levels. And, like Hydrilla, it can be very difficult to eradicate once established.

Thus far, we have not identified any Two-horned Water Chestnut plants at Lake Anna. However, the seeds are spread by geese and other waterfowl, so it’s not unreasonable to believe it could find its way here. Surveys conducted last year in parts of the lake did not locate any infestations.

Below are some resources to help identify the plant. We ask that you keep an eye out for this while on the lake. It sprouts in April and May and soon spreads over the water’s surface. It flowers and fruits in July, before dying back in cold weather. If you see any, please contact LACA’s Environmental Preservation Committee Co-Chairs Mark DeBord (mark.debord@lakeannavirginia.org) or Lara Weatherholtz (lara.weatherholtz@lakeannavirginia.org).

Please don’t try to eradicate the plant yourself, especially with herbicides. This could inhibit our ability to track and more effectively eliminate it. And remember, removing any aquatic vegetation requires following Dominion’s policy.  Lake Anna Reservoir and WHTF Vegetation Management & Herbicide/Pesticide Treatment Policy (azureedge.net)

If you have any questions, please contact Mark or Lara.

Invasive Species Alerts – Blue Ridge PRISM Inc

water chestnut (Trapa bispinosa var. iinumai) - Species Profile (usgs.gov)

 

mark.debord@lakeannavirginia.org

lara.weatherholtz@lakeannavirginia.org

David Reichert – April 2024

Last year, LACA used the $9,950 grant from DuPont to host an education and planting day in Lake Anna with the Louisa County High School biology classes along with 3 other planting events using adult volunteers from the community and the DuPont site in Richmond. We focused on shoreline planting both in the shallows and beside the water. About 2500 native plants were planted last year.

LACA is a recipient of a second $9950 grant under the DuPont Clear Into the Future program, but this year, we are shifting our focus to installing native plants in the riparian buffer. The goal is still to consume nutrients before they work their way into the lake where they become the feed that fuel harmful algal blooms (HABs).

The riparian buffer is a wide expanse along the shoreline where trees and shrubs help prevent erosion, slow water runoff and consume nutrients headed towards the lake. We will again combine education and planting to maximize the impact of this funding. We are looking for property owners up lake with at least 200 feet of shoreline willing to have a buffer of native plants installed within 20 yards of the waterline. We will also be sending out LACA e-grams closer to the planting dates looking for volunteers to help with the planting.

2023 LCHS Biology Class Education and Planting Event at Lake Anna

Volunteers from the DuPont Spruance site ready to begin planting.

david.reichert@lakeannavirginia.org