Note that there are two newsletters in this document.
March 1991
Update on Sewer and Water Project by Jerry McBride
The project has been divided into five schedules. Here is a brief description of each schedule and its status:
Schedule 1: Supply a pumps and related equipment.
Status: Bid let and items being supplied as required.
Schedule 2: Line from Loon Lake Sewer Treatment Plant to Deer Lake (3.5 miles)
Status: Complete
Schedule 3: Sewer and water system from the public access around the west side of the lakie, crossing the Narrows and terminating at Julius Terrace.
Status: Advertize for bids March 1991, Open bids April 1991, Completed August 1992.
Schedule 4: Sewer System for Haneys, Southwood Shores and Swanson Addition.
Status: Project awarded to Centerline Construction October 1990. Currently working in Haneys and Swanson Addition but work limited due to load restrictions of roads.
Schedule 5: Water reservoir on North side of lake.
Status: Advertize for bits March 1991, Open bits April 1991, complete August 1991.
Water Quality Study Report
The water quality study by Easter Washington University is nearing completion. The field work was completed last October. A draft of the final report is expected in late March. A public hearing will be held to present the report.
Funding for Water System
There were two funding awards made for the water system described in Schedule 3. A $235,000 grant was made by the Washing State Department of Health. Farm Home Administration has approved a 6% loan of $450,000 for the project.
Taking into account the funding assistance, Dick Price of Stevens County PUD estimates a connection cost of $1600 for the 168 households signed up for the project. The estimated basic monthly operating and maintenance fee is $14.50.
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A Message from Your President by Lee Bayley
Your Board of Directors have been monitoring many activities taking place around Deer Lake. It gives us time to refresh our thinking and to develop plans for 1991. The most significant idea at the present time is developing an improved fishery for Deer Lake. Presently we have a small hatchery operation that has been a hobby for board director Wes Wagoner. Wes has raised and released newly hatched Rainbows and Eastern Brooks for years.
DLPOA Plans for Improved Fish Hatchery
Presently only 30,000 fish are anticipated to be planted by the State Department of Fisheries. Deer Lake, however, can support up to 70,000 plants each year. Your board is investigating how to improve and sustain larger plants into the lake. Since the State is reluctant, because of increasing costs, to increase plants it falls upon Deer Lake to attempt a project of our own. A committee consisting of Wes Wagoner, Howard Wohrle, Dick Shepard and Ben Rasley has agreed to study alternative plans to enhance our present hatchery.
The larger the fish are, prior to being released, the greater the chance of survival. The challenge is apparently easy. We already receive sufficient eggs each year and the hatch is highly successful, but the holding pens and feeding operation are dependent upon someone always being in attendance. This is the difficult part. Additionally, continued vandalism of the holding penss destroys Wes's efforts.
The committee is now looking at building much better holding pens and purchasing automatic feeders. These are only temporary fixes though. Ideally, some property should be acquired and a facility built for a permanent hatchery.
Lake Sub-Area Plan Approved
The Deer Lake Sub-Area Plan was approved by the Stevens County "Commissioners following a December 11 hearing at Loon Lake. Since this is the first such plan for Stevens County it will be a model for other communities to follow. Loon Lake is presently working in their plan and it is a priority for the Stevens County Planning Commission. Since 1981, DLPOA has been working on zoning ordinances which would ensure orderly growth around the lake. The sub-area plan was a prerequisite for zoning ordinances. Now that our plan is in place, a committee consisting of Ed Sweet, Ed Deeble, Lee Bayley, Howard Wohrle, LeRoy Johnson and Bill Paton has prepared a draft zoning ordinance and submitted it to the Stevens County Planning Commission. We hope the commission will use this document as a starting point and develop it into final form.
Shoreline Management Hearing
Another upcoming concern for Deer Lake will be the Shoreline Management Plan for Stevens County. Jean Chaney has been hired as the Stevens County Shoreline Planner. She has attended one of our board meetings and is quite knowledgeable, but needs input from the citizens of Stevens County to ensure private property rights are protected.
Beach Fires can Contribute to Lake Pollution
Recent news articles indicated that beach fires can lead to concentrated phosphate levels in lakes. Phosphate is a principle in the growth of algae. All beach burning should be kept to a minimum and ash should be removed to prevent leaching into the lake.
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Help Protect our Fish!
Monofilament fishing line and plastic debris have made fishing a dangerous sport for many creatures in the environment, and not just the ones we eat.
Monofilament fishing line that is lost or thrown overboard is lethal for birds. Plastic trash particularly six-pack rings, bags and nets can trap fish and birds and strangle them as they try to break free. Or they mistake the debris for food and die from internal injuries, intestinal blockage, or starvation. Some birds unknowingly feed plastic debris to their young.
Plastics can also be a floating menace to boats.
How can you help?
On your boat, stow plastic trash and old fishing gear for proper disposal on land.
Use reusable items such as washable dinnerware to minimize the amount of plastic waste you generate. Secure trash bags and cans to a fixture on the boat (so that they're not accidentally washed overboard), and then make sure that all trash finds its way into this receptacle.
When possible, retrieve trash found in the water or on shore.
Break or cut the loops of plastic six-pack holders before disposing of them to ensure that if the ring escapes into the water it will not entangle an animal.
Newsletter of May 1991
President's Report by Lee Bayley
At our April board meeting, Duane Lehman, Stevens County Public Works Directory, attended and gave us an update on road projects around the lake. Our major concerns were Southwood Shore and those roads disrupted by the sewer project. The good news is that Centerline Construction must return all roads to pre-sewer condition which in several instances will be an improvement! The bad news is that Southwood Shore is 38th on the list in the county's six year plan which virtually assures us of no change in present conditions. If changes are going to occur anytime soon, they will have to be done by the private sector. Private oiling using wood by-products, as has been done in Julius Terrace, can be done on county roads. Property owners can form a road improvement district and have improvements assessed against their property. Initial contacts should be with Jerry Bryant, county engineer, to ensure any oiling is coordinated with county grading efforts.
The latest information concerning proposed zoning regulations for Deer Lake will be presented at the annual meeting. We have had 4 or more board members attending bi-monthly meetings since early January in an effort to develop sensible guidelines that will bring into harmony future development with environmental and water quality concerns. A final draft should have been completed in April but to this date, nothing has come out of the Stevens County Planning Department. Once the final draft is compete, public hearings will be held. You should plan on attending and responding to the proposed requirements as they will be come enforceable ordinances once approved.
What seems to be occupying the planning dept now is the Shoreline Management Plan. If you have not heard yet, this very controversial plan is about ready for public hearings. The shoreline plan affects the first 200 feet from the high water line and imposes severe restrictions on private property rights. Much justification comes from building and property improvements that have been allowed in the past.
Stevens County is the last county in the state to develop a Shoreline Master Plan. A planner was hired using a DOE grant to develop the plan as it now stands, would give variance approval/disapproval in many instances to the DOE, not the county. If you disagree with the DOE's decision, the appeal process would take place in Olympia.
The proposed plan is 110 pages long and contradicts itself numerous times. There are 19 references to residential setbacks and 23 references to bulkheads. It appears to be more restrictive to residential development than it is to agricultural or commercial development. DLPOA has not advocated a position on the contents of the plan but we are opposed to state control vs county control. The planning dept has shown a consistent lack of concern for residential owners and their inputs to this plan. Local control is the main issue! Washington State is on record for providing more public access to state waters and this plan could be the vehicle to accomplish this.
Do not misinterpret what I am saying, as there are many good points in the plan. We are in favor of guidelines that protect the environment and water quality but we are strongly opposed to regulations that place control at the state level and could place public rights above private property owners rights.
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Water and Sewer Update by Jerry McBride
Dick Price of the Stevens County PUD says that the contractor will start installing water meters from Julius Terrace north along he east side of the lake. Water will be available to the property as soon as the meter is installed. Of course, it is your responsibility to make the connection from the meter to your home. I f you are looking for a contractor to do this, contact the PUD for assistance.
Septic tanks are all in the ground on the north side of the lake to the end of the Narrows. On site work to connect the tanks to the residences will be complete by the end of June. The contractor will start installing tanks on the south side of the Narrows when the north side is completed.
The last area to be completed will be from Julius Terrace north to the beginning of he Narrows. Mr Price projects the entire project (water and sewer) to be completed in September of this year.
I think we need to give the PUD and the contractors an "atta boy" for the very timely and professional job they have done on this project. I'm sure people are tired of driving on the construction torn roads and dealing with the dust, but the end is in sight!
We have had some very preliminary discussions about storm water runoff around the lake. From the erosion showing up in certain places and the large plume of muddy water than forms where the county road meets the lake on the east side, we need to be thinking about and assessing he significance of this problem. Stevens County has offered to have their engineering people take a look at the situation and make recommendations. With the current and probably on-going budget problems in the county it would most likely be up to the property owners to actually do the work required.