Weed Treatment
Weed treatment will be conducted on Monday, July 31. First link gives more information. Second link shows a map of lake areas to be treated and any restrictions. Remember, if there is no sign posted near your shoreline, there will be no treatment in that immediate area.
Barron Lake Treatment Map-7-31-23
April 2, 2023
The well has been drilled and we are awaiting the Aquifer performance test. Seth Miller from Tritium and Lee Melling from Ortman Drilling were onsite week of March 20 to finalize the discharge plans for the well. They also are actively monitoring probes that have been set in the test well that is on the site of the new well.
The significant rains that we have recently experienced have artificially elevated groundwater levels to a point that would make an Aquifer Performance Test unreliable. This data is critical in order to determine all of the pumping parameters associated with the new pump. Recharge rates after pumping, horsepower requirements for the submersible pump, suggested run times to achieve lake level goals and pumping efficiency.
These all require accurate APT data. Todd Feenstra from Tritium Labs said that groundwater surges are common with periods of heavy rain. They will be checking the test well probe routinely to assure that groundwater levels are in a range that will allow for an accurate APT. This can be a matter of days as long as the rain settles down.
Things are still moving forward. When Todd gets the APT completed he will know the size of the pump needed and power requirements. Jeff VanBelle, Cass Co Drain Commissioner, will order the appropriate service from AEP. Jeff will also arrange to have the discharge completed.
I will continue to update you as I get more information. Thanks, everyone, for your patience.
Update provided by Fred Fornell.
March 7, 2023
Drilling began today for the second augmentation well on the lake. It’s anticipated the drilling work will take at least 3-plus days.
Fred Fornell, who has been overseeing this project, said once drilling is completed, Tritium Labs will do an aquifer performance test. It is expected the test will be done next week. After that, the electrical will be completed, and the switches will be enclosed in a shed-like structure. We will continue to provide updates as they become available.
A message from President Bruno Eidietis: This is a project that has been 10 or more years in the making. It has survived government regulation, the pandemic and the slow wheels of county government. The simple story is the old well was inefficient for numerous reasons. Most of them related to poor placement so that we were losing a large percentage of newly pumped water to lake recirculation between aquifers. After much research we found a location for the well that has a thick clay layer that would minimize the problem. Nature has to fill the lake as it has done in recent weeks. Our efforts have to be to maintain that level during summer evaporation. This is a big step in the right direction. I thank the many people responsible for the fruition of this project.
