StructureSpot

In the first year (2011) of the program LCA plans to organize volunteers and install one or two reefs, most likely on public land. We will also support and oversee groups of volunteers as they work to develop their own reefs under our “Adopt-a-Reef” program. We hope that many of these reefs will be at least started in 2011. In future years LCA will continually monitor reef building progress and work to best meet our eventual goal of over 100 reefs in the lake by the end of the 5- year program. To clarify use of the term “reef” it is intended that a reef will be comprised of several individual structures.

If you plan to develop a reef in your area under the “Adopt-a-Reef” program, please remember to follow these guidelines.

1. First, please remember that you must have page one of the “Adopt-a-Reef” agreement signed by all participants and on file with LCA before you begin work. Page two of that agreement is to be filled out and returned to us at the end of the season. Let me know where to mail an agreement form if you need one. Adopt-a-Reef agreement forms will also be available at the annual LCA meeting on August 12 at 10AM at Sommerset Pointe Yacht Club.
2. Make certain that there is a minimum of 10 feet of clear water above any structure you place. If you want to experiment with different depths, you are encouraged to do so, but please maintain 10 feet of clear water in all cases.
3. PLEASE take extra care to make sure you are on riparian property where permission is on file with LCA. If you don’t know where permission is granted in your area, let me know and I can send you that information.
4. PLEASE make sure that you use plenty of weight to hold it down and that it is tied VERY SECURELY with natural rope.
5. You are strongly encouraged to plan out the reef you would like to have and mark it with buoys. Record the GPS coordinates of the corners of the reef and then fill it in with structures.
6. The approved structures can be viewed at this link and range from “trees” and “triangle stacks” made of slab wood, to stumps, fruit trees and hardwood or cedar trees and limbs arranged to make cover. Please use approved structures.
7. If you are a riparian and need help with your reef, please send an email to dan@lakecharlevoix.org. We will try to match up volunteers with you.
8. If you are not a riparian and would like to help with a reef, but have not connected with a group yet, also send an email to dan@lakecharlevoix.org indicating the area of the lake where you’d like to work. We’ll try to match you up with a group.

Matelski Lumber in Boyne Falls is donating slab-wood to our cause, which can be picked up at Matelski’s yard.