March 1994
A Word from our President by Jerry McBride
Happy New Year to all of you! As I write this, it's below zero outside and the wind is blowing hard enough to make it downright miserable. I'm really looking forward to spring at the lake. That is one of the benefits of being a Deer Lake property owner.
I have been working at remodeling my place all winter and once in a while I will just stop working and sit and look out at the lake. It is very beautiful and so quiet! We are very fortunate to be on such a beautiful lake.
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Fish Stories by Bruce Bassett
The game department has tentatively approved our petition to establish a second fish pen on Deer Lake. The allotment of fish, however, is on a first come basis and we are competing with a couple of other lakes that have also applied.
Jim Santora has only lost five fish this winter in our existing pen. With 15,000 fish received, that's terrific! He is going to release these fish as soon as the lake is clear of ice.
Jim is also going to tag fish again this year and would appreciate being called if you catch a tagged trout. The tags are yellow plastic and are attached to the sides of the fish.
Some property owners questioned if the fish pens were adding additional phosphorus to the lake. I do not have a definitive answer yet, however, Bio Products, a company that supplies fish food, is sending me information on how to calculate phosphorus uptake and discharge from fish feeding operations. I will report the results in our next newsletter.
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Water Quality by Ray Johnson and Ivy Shaw
In our January issue we detailed future water quality problems and promised to keep you up to date on our efforts to solve those problems. In this issue, I will address the meadows at the end of the lake and Ivy will discuss forest management around the lake.
Mr Bill Bidstrip from the Department of Natural Resources was invited to attend our January meeting to discuss forest practices. He was accompanied by the new DNR representative for our area, Laura McDougall.
He outlined some general rules for logging in our area. They include: leaving a minimum of four trees per acre in the area to be logged; providing an undisturbed 200 ft buffer zone along ceeks, rivers and lakes; piling slash and burning all slash within 50 ft of a road.
He also reported that roads and trails used for logging contribute to 90% of the runoff and sediment problems if not properly constructed. He also reported that there were only six people to handle approximately 3000 logging permits last year so public involvement is critical to ensuring compliance.
Mr Bidstrp encouraged individuals to call 1-800-527-3308 X 116 if they feel there is a problem with a logging operation. The DNR will then investigate and respond to your query.
At our February board of directors meeting, we invited Mr and Mrs Claude Pearce (owners of the ranch at the north of the lake), Jim Gleaton (Soil Conservation Service representative) and Charles Ikessler (Soil Conservation District hydrologist) to discuss the impact cattle grazing might have on the lake and possible ways to reduce their impact.
Mr Gleaton pointed out that without a proper study, it would be impossible to determine what was causing nutrient loading at that end of the lake. He volunteered to conduct such a study in conjunction with Mr Kessler but only with the concurrence of Mr Pearce. Mr Pearce readily agreed to the study and invited board members to participate. The study is scheduled for May (depending on weather conditions) and we hope to have a report by the annual meeting in June.
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Road Maintenance by Floyd Stewart
Since our last newsletter, some unforseen developments have slowed the acquisition of guard rail for the Southwood Shores road.
The county road dept has, unfortunately, used the guard rail that had been offered to DLPOA last year. With the money it would have taken to install the used guard rail, the county has suggested we purchase new guard rail on c cooperative basis with the county.
The installation of the guard rail would be in accordance with the latest code requiring that the ends of each section be buried. This design is to provide redirection of the vehicle back into the roadway instead of allowing the vehicle to plunge over the side of the hill.
Under this proposal, DLPOA would contribute $6000 and the county would contribute $1500. This would allow the purchase and installation of approximately 500 feet of guard rail.
The board, after considerable discussion, voted to form a committee to meet with the county to determine exactly what our funds would accomplish and what could be done to get the county to improve the road sooner than their anticipated (and often delayed) schedule.
Our next newsletter will report on the results of this meeting and will offer the board's recommendations. We will also report on our request to the county for additional speed limit and no parking signs to be posted around the lake.
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Zoning Ordinance by Ed Deeble
The wheels of government turn slowly. The Stevens County Planning Commission is concentrating on completing the Suncrest Area Plan prior to reviewing the proposed zoning code. They hope to have it completed in early February, therefore, a meeting for the zoning code was for February 15 at the Loon Lake School.
Zoning codes have taken a long time to be adopted in other jurisdictions and it appears the Stevens County will not be an exception.
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Emergency Services by Gerry Block
There has been some questions asked regarding the new "Rule Burn" code administered by the DNR. In a nutshell, we are allowed to burn pine needles, leaves and similar material ina pile no bigger than 10 feet square and four feet high. Piles bigger than this or multiple piles burned simultaneously require a burning permit.
To obtain information on a burning permit, call 1-800-527-3305. This number is a touch tone system and is based in Olympia. I found that pushing "1" got information for the Deer Lake area and a "6" got the Colville DNR office.
If you are planning to burn under the "no permit needed" rule, the Deer Lake Fire Dept would appreciate a call to our central dispatch (466-9000). Please provide your address or range, section and township information. This allows central dispatch to determine if a department call-out is necessary when somebody calls in a burn warning.
I have been informed that our central dispatcher is now requesting everyone to use the 911 emergency phone number. This connects us to the Stevens County Sheriff's Dept which now has a one button transfer system active for our area.