Newsletter articles

By Mark Debord – November 2023

Lake Anna is blessed with an abundant variety of native plant species. These plants are an important part of our lake ecosystem.  They provide food and cover for pollinators, fish, waterfowl and aquatic invertebrate species.  As important, they absorb nutrients that could otherwise feed harmful algae blooms (HABs).

American Water Willow (justicia americana) is one of the more common and noticeable of these aquatic plant species.  It’s native to the area and common throughout Virginia.  It usually grows in shallow water from a few inches to 1-2 feet deep.  Stems can grow from 1-3 feet above water.

Water Willow is a perennial plant.  It blooms from early Summer to early Fall.  The blooms are usually white but will often have purple markings as well.  The blooms attract a number of pollinators, especially native bees.  Some of the smaller bugs will in turn attract dragonflies, an important natural mosquito predator.

In addition to seed dispersal, Water Willow spreads by rhizomes (through its underground root system).  This is why you will often see Water Willow in colonies rather than stand-alone plants.  Left undisturbed, these colonies can grow quite large.

Water Willow is sometimes mistaken for invasive weeds. However, given its widespread distribution around the lake, Water Willow is an important part of our efforts to reduce the nutrient load in the lake and thus reduce the HAB incidence.  We want to encourage Water Willow growth where possible but recognize that it can interfere with access to docks or swimming areas.  Before removing any Water Willow, make sure you are following Dominion’s requirements concerning aquatic vegetation.  Lake Anna Reservoir and WHTF Vegetation Management & Herbicide/Pesticide Treatment Policy (azureedge.net)

Below are some resources if you want to learn more about this valuable native plant.  If you have any questions, please contact Mark DeBord (mark.debord@lakeannavirginia.org) or Lara Weatherholtz (lara.weatherholtz@lakeannavirginia.org)

American Water Willow (usda.gov)

American Water-Willow (Justicia americana) · iNaturalist

mark.debord@lakeannavirginia.org

By Al Bennett – November 2023

This article is a reprint of an article that was first published in October 2018.  It is a seasonal reminder that blowing leaves into the Lake is not a good practice.  As homeowners, it is difficult for us to control the amount of nutrients that enter our lake from upstream sources; however, as residents we can control what enters the lake from our respective properties.

Blowing leaves into the lake is not recommended.  Although not illegal, it is a form of littering that is discourteous to neighbors and it is harmful to the lake’s ecosystem.

Leaves blown into the lake rarely settle at the shoreline of origin.  They are carried by wind and current to other locations before they reach bottom.  In coves, it is usually the few lots at the back of the cove that receive the leaf debris.  They are unsightly and over time, sedimentation buildup will cause these owners to lose water depth and will leave them with a squishy bottom.

Decaying leaves release nutrients, primarily carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous.  These nutrients are great for soil but excess nutrients are a pollutant to lakes like ours.  These nutrients, especially phosphorous, are a fertilizer for hydrilla and algae, promoting their growth.  As hydrilla growth spreads, herbicides and/or carp are then needed to control its growth. 

Similarly, excessive nutrient levels can contribute to low dissolved oxygen levels by causing abundant growths of phytoplankton (microscopic plants and algae) called blooms. Living phytoplankton may deplete oxygen levels during the night and as the phytoplankton die, decomposition of the organic material by bacteria consumes oxygen.

Let’s all be good neighbors and good stewards of our lake’s ecosystem by not blowing leaves into the lake.  Instead, please consider collecting and finely mulching your leaves and then spreading them across your yard so that their nutrients can be returned to your soil.

alan.bennett@lakeannavirginia.org

By Maureen Daniels – November 2023

Here’s why. . .

At LACA’s annual meeting in July, Chris Lee was awarded the prestigious Jack Bertron Award.  Jack was a highly respected past President of LACA and every year the Association identifies an individual who exemplifies his same commendable qualities of commitment and service to the community.

Chris is the model of public service - kind, patient, tireless, dedicated and very generous with his time.

Chris has been a valued member of LACA’s Safety & Emergency Services Committee for the past 13 years.  When he first joined the Committee he was Deputy Director of 911 Communications in Louisa County, and more recently, he is serving as Lieutenant of the Logistical Section for Louisa Fire, Rescue and EMS.

The S&EMS Committee has been meeting since 2010.  The group is composed of members of law enforcement from Louisa and Spotsylvania Counties, the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR, Conservation Police); Fire, Rescue and EMS from Spotsylvania and Louisa; US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Lake Anna; the Lake Anna State Park, the Louisa and Spotsylvania 911 Emergency Call Centers and TOWBoat,US.

The goal of the Safety & Emergency Services Committee has been to identify ways to make Lake Anna a safer place for all its users.  One of the first initiatives was to address the frustration of 911 operators trying to determine the location of a boater in distress on the lake.  It was common for the 911 call takers to hear - “I see trees”, “I am near a dock”, “there is an island”. . .

What emerged from the Committee was the LKA 911 locator map, which is designed for boaters who come here, as well as boaters who live here, to use in the event of an incident on the water.  911 Operators in Louisa and Spotsy use these 911 maps as a common reference so a person in distress can look at the map and 911 can prompt them to determine their location.  

As Deputy Director of Communications, Chris Lee was key to working with both Louisa and Spotsylvania 911 personnel to make sure this safety initiative could work to improve response time to boaters in trouble.  Improvements continue to be made to make sure the 911 maps remain an effective tool in ensuring prompt emergency response.

The second safety initiative from the group capitalized on using Lake Anna docks and Dominion’s islands as additional location markers for emergency purposes.  The S&EMS Committee proposed installing yellow and black 911 location markers that would be visible to boaters on docks, islands and in common areas.

Today, there are almost 800 911 location signs on Lake Anna to assist boaters in distress.  Louisa and Spotsylvania 911 operators are trained to ask callers on the water if they can see a 911 marker.  That marker is linked to the street address and/or by GPS coordinates to facilitate a prompt response.  And again, it is thanks to Chris Lee who has verified every application to ensure an accurate address before entering that location into the 911 CAD systems in Louisa, Spotsylvania and Orange.

The obvious benefit to this safety initiative is the more exact the location of an emergency, the more efficient the response, the more positive the outcome.

LACA is grateful to all our Lake Anna neighbors who have already posted 911 signs on their dock and/or common areas - and to those who are considering it; to Dominion Energy for allowing us to use their islands as additional 911 locations, and to Christina Brining, LKA Signs in Mineral, who has fabricated and mailed every 911 sign to the applicants.

Well done, Lake Anna!

mo.daniels@lakeannavirginia.org

By John Wayne – September 2023

The County is again working to put some form of ordinance in place to get a handle on Short Term Rentals (STR) in Louisa County. In the latest Lake Anna Civic Association (LACA) survey of our members, over 90% of respondents indicated that they support LACA working with local governments to implement ordinances to limit STRs to the capacity permitted in the VDH septic permit, and in the same survey by the same margin of support, LACA’s position to limit bedrooms in STRs only to those having proper egress along with appropriate safety equipment. LACA is on record as not opposing Short Term Rentals but desiring these stated practical limits for environmental and safety reasons.

The most recent conversations among the Commissioners have ranged from some suggesting that it should be the responsibility of HOAs and POAs to limit the practice in their neighborhoods, to discussions surrounding whether STR’s are legal to operate in R1 and R2 zoning under the current county code. I picked up on this last point with the Chairman of the Planning Commission, John Disosway.

Mr. Disosway explained to me that the current county code does not specifically address Short Term Rentals. This is because in Section 86-13, “Definitions”, of the Louisa County code there is a use called “short term tourist rental of dwelling” defined as “The rental of a dwelling for periods of 30 days or less”. Interestingly however, this specific use is not mentioned further in the code or used in the Use Matrix Table, Section 86-109, which defines what uses are permitted within each zoning designation, including R1 and R2 which constitutes most neighborhoods around the lake. He stated that “this is part of the confusion” and that “the proposed ordinance change attempts to resolve this by clarifying a short-term rental use and clearly specifying how it is allowed in zoning districts.”

This being true, it is an important detail as STR’s are not currently a by-right use of a house in a residential (R1 and R2) neighborhood in Louisa County. Further, it seems likely that if the “short term tourist rental of dwelling” were added to the Use Matrix Table as defined, it would be considered a commercial usage for R1 and R2, much like the “Bed and Breakfast” usage which is included in the commercial section of the Use Matrix Table, requiring a Conditional Use Permit (CUP).  How commercial uses are handled in the current code is particularly important and should guide the conversation and outcome going forward. The situation should encourage the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors to fix this issue in the code by creating an ordinance that makes it legal. However, the ordinance must also stay true to the code and either require a CUP for this usage or implement limits on usage of houses in neighborhoods to occupancies that are compatible with R1 and R2 expected use. This can be accomplished by using what is already there, State defined occupancy levels that meet current building codes and Virginia Department of Health (VDH) septic system permitting levels.

One thing we know from experience is that when there is an issue with an STR in a neighborhood, more times than not it occurs when the house is grossly over occupied. The benefits of the suggested approach are multifold for all in the surrounding community, reducing the negative effects of overused septic systems, providing a safe environment for all who visit and spend the night in our County, and lessening the noise and waste created by large parties occupying a home in a residential neighborhood.

Adding STR’s as a legal use in R1 and R2 neighborhoods is a valid objective of the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors but should only be accomplished with occupancy limits that protect citizens safety and the environment, while also keeping neighborhoods residential, as clearly intended in the current county code. If this common-sense approach cannot be agreed to by the Board, the answer should be to simply stick with and enforce the current code excluding this commercial endeavor in county residential neighborhoods altogether.

The Planning Commission has set a Public Hearing Date for September 14 at 7:00 pm. I encourage you to attend the meeting and let your opinion on this important issue be known to your elected and appointed officials.

john.wayne@lakeannavirginia.org

By Irene Luck – September 2023

The 2023 version of the Lake Anna fireworks display is in the books and once again the spectacular show received tremendous support from the community.  This year, nearly 425 donors contributed just over $37,000, allowing LACA to produce one of the best fireworks displays in Central Virginia right here at Lake Anna.

The show is choreographed by Zambelli International, who has handled the shoot since its inception 30 years ago as a celebration of Lake Anna’s 20^th anniversary.  That shoot was held in September spearheaded by the group of volunteers who pooled their skills to mark the 20^th anniversary and was also paid for by donations. 

After the original shoot, LACA became the organization responsible for the shoot and the civic organization has continued the tradition for three decades, using only donated funds to support the display.

Each May solicitation letters are mailed to residents, businesses and homeowner associations around the lake, with many of them supporting the efforts.

The LACA board of directors expresses its heartfelt appreciation for the tremendous support the community gives to the organization’s various programs, including the fireworks show. 

Next year’s shoot is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, July 6.

irene.luck@lakeannavirginia.org

By Rick Nehrboss – September 2023

On April 21st, LACA hosted our very first meeting of the President's Council (PC).  This meeting was a long time coming and a culmination of a year long effort to formalize the Council and identify members.  We were very excited to host this new group, and despite not hosting a zoom meeting, we had 37 people attend.  We believe a major benefit of hosting an in-person meeting was providing an opportunity for the attendees to get to know each other and that was consistent with the feedback we received from the Council membership in attendance.

The topic we chose for the very first meeting was short-term rentals (STRs) based on feedback from PC members.  Greg Baker, the LACA President, started the meeting with a presentation on the environmental and safety concerns of STRs advertised and rented at overcapacity.  He also shared several examples of STRs with failed drain fields.  We invited Jake Lane from Spotsylvania County and Willie Gentry from Louisa County to share their efforts on any STR initiatives being considered by their respective county Board of Supervisors.  Both county Boards of Supervisors are struggling to address and implement STR ordinances.

Barbara Aiken from Clearview Shores HOA provided an excellent presentation on their efforts to change their covenants to address STR concerns.  She shared the specific covenant language they used for STRs along with information on their covenant change process as well as the name of the attorney providing legal assistance. 

Overall, we considered our first meeting a huge success!  We are excited to announce our second meeting on September 22nd and are creating an agenda based upon the many suggestions we received at the April meeting.  The agenda is still in flux but does include presentations from the Lake Anna Business Partners and an HOA presentation on their Check Dam initiative along with a STR update.  Meeting invitations will be sent out soon!

We are still looking to identify more PC representatives from the 229 communities around the lake.  This would include communities without HOA/ POAs that are impacted by issues such as STRs.  We have many HOA/ POAs with LACA association memberships and this would be an easy way to get involved.  If your HOA/ POA is not a member of the President's Council or you are willing to serve as a community liaison please contact me directly and I will help!

rick.nehrboss@lakeannavirginia.org

By Greg Baker – September 2023

$1 Million for Lake Anna HAB Remediation

The lake had a monstrous win in the Virginia General Assembly recently!

This all started a year or more ago when the LACA board decided to start a fundraising campaign called “Kick the HAB!” We sensed a growing frustration with our membership related to the 5^th year of VDH recreational or no-swim advisories for much of the upper lake. While the various stakeholders ranging from LACA, DEQ, VDH, LAAC, the academic community and other organizations all care deeply about the lake and the no-swim advisories, most of the action was around testing Lake Anna waters. Very little was being done to mitigate or remediate the Harmful Algal Blooms. That is where this idea all started.

The board brainstormed and came up with an idea in early 2022 to test a product called Lake Guard Oxy on several test sites on the lake. Our water quality volunteers came up with a set of experiments on the lake and made a presentation to the board for funding. Based on this outline, the board agreed to launch the Kick the HAB! Campaign. I am very proud that the board members themselves reached deep and made significant contributions to this effort. Based on this enthusiasm and our members (and non-members) donations, we blasted through our $110,000 target and raised close to $150,000! This was a first for LACA and showed that our community really cares about this issue.

In the course of the experiments using Lake Guard Oxy, we found that the product works. However, we also found that for it to be effective, we would need to apply the product far earlier in the growing season and far more often than we previously assumed. With that in mind, we scaled back our experiments late in the summer to preserve the product and to save some money. If you are interested, please visit our website to learn more about the experiments and their results. One of the conclusions from the experiment is that to fight HABs on the lake will be expensive.

Last fall, given our financial savings on cutting back our experiments and the community’s overwhelming support we had a decision to make. What to do with the excess funds from the Kick the HAB campaign. An innovative idea was brought forward to approach the Governor and the General Assembly to request funding to remediate HAB on the lake. To do this, we approached Hunton Williams in Richmond. Hunton is a local law firm that has a government affairs department and was willing to help. Hunton’s proposal was to attempt to get the funding in the governor’s budget and if that failed to ask our local representatives to include funding in a budget amendment. Because LACA is a nonprofit with a very skinny annual budget, we were not sure that we would be able to afford an impressive firm like Hunton. Fortunately, they were willing to work at greatly discounted price and we struck a deal (with the LACA board’s approval) at roughly a 75% discount from their normal pricing.

As Hunton started their efforts, we immediately hit a setback. We were too late to be included in the governor’s version of the budget. We were warned that this could be the case. Undeterred, we pressed on. We have some terrific local legislators that were willing to help us in this effort. Senator Peake led the charge on the senate side and Senators Reeves and Stuart signed on as co-patrons. On the house side, Delegate Wyatt was the chief patron and although others were not listed as co-patrons, I know that we had significant support from both Delegate McGuire and Delegate Fowler (and others as well). You can read the budget amendment from the house here and the amendment from the senate here.

The only bad news in the original budget amendments, there was $1 million in the house version of the amendment and $500 thousand in the senate version. We certainly were hoping for $1 million for Lake Anna.

Then the really bad news hit. Our Virginia legislators could not agree on a budget. I was very disappointed and felt that we had let the Lake Anna community down by investing your contributions in an effort that might not pay off for the lake.

Our friends at Hunton never lost hope and told us that it does not benefit anyone, Republican or Democrat to not come to an agreement eventually. They were ultimately correct! Just recently, as you all saw in the press, the governor called a special session to work out the budget and an agreement was made which included the original $1million in funding for mitigation of HAB at Lake Anna.

Our entire board is humbled and proud of this effort and glad our local legislators got the job done!

EutroPHIX and Phosphorus Remediation

What is the next step in our HAB efforts at Lake Anna?

LACA hosted a special board meeting on August 17^th to hear a presentation from EutroPHIX on how we might make a meaningful reduction in Phosphorus in the Lake. Two members of the Lake Anna Advisory Committee attended the meeting as well as a member of Congressman Good’s staff.

You may see the minutes from this meeting here along with the marketing material provided by EutroPHIX.

One of the most compelling informational nuggets from this meeting was the following: Since the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, not a single water body has been cleaned though watershed restoration.

Fencing agriculture out of our streams, improving our septic systems, instituting best practices for homeowners and other watershed restoration projects certainly help, but do not reverse the impairments in our lakes. We found this statement disturbing and fascinating all at the same time. To confirm, we asked a renowned HAB expert, Dr. David Schmale from Virginia Tech and he confirmed that he is unaware of any academic or scientific paper that points to a success using exclusively watershed restoration efforts.

In other words, we need to continue our efforts to improve practices in our watershed, but that is NOT GOING TO FIX OUR HAB PROBLEM AT LAKE ANNA! We need to take action using remediation and mitigation techniques. This is where a firm like EutroPHIX could come into play.

EutroPHIX explained that a budget to remediate Phosphorus on Lake Anna would be approximately $10 million over three years to aggressively address the Phosphorus problem on the lake. We would then need approximately another $1.4 million a year after that for at least another decade to address the Phosphorus that enters the lake from the watershed.

EutroPHIX has been successful in working with the Federal government to receive funding for their efforts. The LACA board has agreed to work towards raising funds to neutralize our Phosphorus problem on Lake Anna and we are hopeful that EutroPHIX could be part of the long-term solution. LACA is committed towards this goal, but we have not committed to working with EutroPHIX exclusively.  

We are meeting with Hunton Williams to come up with a plan for the future on how we might attack the funding issues needed to solve the HAB problem at Lake Anna. We are working to better understand the overall cost of remediation and mitigation and the $1 million from the state is a great start, but it is only the beginning. What we can tell you is that our local county budgets do not have the money necessary to apply to this problem and rest assured that Dominion Energy is not going to spend this type of money either. (I bring this up, because I will often hear comments that the county or Dominion Energy should come to the table and fix our problem. Rest assured; it is a much bigger problem than we can solve locally.)

As we move into 2024, we will be considering fund raising efforts to work towards this outcome. We have realized that our fundraising is not going to fix our HAB problems, and we hope that the community will continue supporting our efforts albeit to work to a governmental solution of the problem.

2023 Annual Meeting

At the end of July LACA hosted our annual meeting at Dominion Energy’s Visitor Center. It was well attended with over 100 members joining us in person and more that joined via Zoom.

I might be biased, but I believe it was one of the best annual meetings in LACA’s history. If you were unable to attend, I would encourage you to watch the Zoom video of the meeting. You may access the video here.

A big thanks to our guest speakers from Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Sarah Sivers and Tish Robertson. You can fast forward to approximately the nine-minute mark of the above video if you would like to see their presentation.

greg.baker@lakeannavirginia.org

By Harry Looney – July 2023

If you live in the upper part of the lake, north of the 208 bridge, you are most likely aware of, or have experienced, Harmful Algae Blooms (HAB) and the recreational “No Swim” advisories issued by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). HABs are caused by cyanobacteria that live in the water along with a multitude of other plant and animal life. There are many different species of cyanobacteria in Lake Anna and LACA has been working with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and VDH in monitoring these bacteria for the past four years.

There is a huge amount of research being conducted on cyanobacteria and HABs. Cyanobacteria live in both freshwater and in marine environments and the HABs that result from rapid growth of cyanobacteria have been documented for more than 60 years at locations around the world. So, if the problem is not new, and there is so much historical and ongoing research, why can’t we do something to eliminate it? Well, that is a question many people around Lake Anna have been asking for the past five years and one that LACA is working hard to address.

The bottom line is that cyanobacteria growth and HABs are a very complex problem with no “silver bullet” solution.  Efforts to “fix” the problem in other locations around the United States have been expensive and positive effects are not achieved for years after the efforts are started. These large-scale efforts require federal and / or state money to implement due to the scope of the funding requirements alone. Data from a recent study conducted on a portion of the upper part of the North Anna River branch asserts that it would conservatively cost $250 million to achieve a 30% reduction of nutrient levels that feed the cyanobacteria in that portion of the lake (click here to read the report). That area of the lake is only 20% of the approximately 4,400 acres of the lake north of the route 208 bridge.  The price-tag to “fix” the problem is simply too high to even consider going down that path.

Given the complexities and huge funding requirements, what can LACA do to improve conditions?  Our research and work with several state agencies, many academic institutions, and industry partners led us to technologies that allow us to mitigate, not “fix”, the problem. These mitigation technologies are criticized by some as “band-aid” solutions. LACA agrees that the effects are only short-term, but something needs to be done to “stop the bleeding”. Our members do not want to just sit and wait for someone else to work this problem, so LACA is acting.

The objective of our Cyanobacteria Mitigation & Remediation (CMR) program is to control the problem, not to eradicate the cyanobacteria.   We are using mitigation technologies that have 10-20 years of research, field testing, and use in similar environments to control the rapid growth of cyanobacteria to achieve and maintain an ecological balance of plant and animal life in the water. A common criticism of mitigation techniques is that they must be executed every year.  This is true but effects are seen almost immediately, not in 5-10 years, and the cost to implement these technologies in small test areas is reasonable for an organization like LACA to undertake.

So, what are we doing in 2023?  We are testing two different ultrasound technologies this year, continuing our investigations into algaecides, furthering our understanding of phosphorous remediation techniques, and continuing to monitor the upper lake area for water quality parameters and cyanobacteria concentration levels. It is a very comprehensive program requiring hundreds of volunteer hours from LACA members. You can read about ultrasound technologies and where we are implementing these technologies on our website at this link.  Our experience in 2022 using algicides was positive so we are continuing our use of a hydrogen-peroxide-based algaecide in 2023 in the shallow portions of Goldmine Creek. Early test results indicate that the ultrasound and algaecide technologies are working as expected in Goldmine and Duckinhole Creeks.  The history of heavy HABs on the upper portion of Pamunkey Creek combined with higher water flows and deeper water depths present a much tougher set of conditions for ultrasound technologies on that part of the lake. It is a significant challenge, but we are testing there to see what effects we can achieve with ultrasound technologies on open portions of the lake.  We have seen two short periods (2-3 days) of bloom conditions in the test area but the ultrasound device appears to be able to “catch-up” with the exponential growth of cyanobacteria in that area and return lake conditions to what would be considered normal for this time of year.  We will be monitoring conditions across the entire upper lake area throughout the remainder of the recreational season and we will publish a report at the end of the year on results for our 2023 testing.

LACA is also furthering our understanding of nutrient levels (phosphorous and nitrogen) in the lake and the amounts entering the lake from the watershed to develop nutrient remediation concepts and projects for Lake Anna. This research is greatly enhanced by a 2-year, state-funded study on HABs. DEQ, and their partner, the United States Geological Survey (USGS), deployed five continuous monitoring stations in the watershed that provide data every 15 minutes to an online USGS water quality portal.  You can view these data by going to this LACA webpageand clicking on the links for the 5 sites.  There are three stations in the lake (2 on the North Anna and 1 on Pamunkey Creek) and two in the upstream tributaries (North Anna River and Pamunkey Creek). LACA is also conducting sediment sampling and analysis in 2023 to provide a current, comprehensive set of sediment data for the upper lake.  LACA is using these sediment data, and the data from the DEQ/USGS continuous monitoring stations, to inform research into a possible, future phosphorous remediation program to reduce the amount of phosphorous available to the cyanobacteria in the lake.

LACA will provide all our test data from 2022 and 2023 to the Virginia DEQ for their use in developing a larger-scale mitigation effort in future years. LACA estimates that a full-scale implementation of mitigation technologies in the upper lake area will take a minimum of $1 million per year. This is why LACA is working to achieve a line item in the state budget for HAB mitigation and remediation at Lake Anna and $1 million dollars in the state’s fiscal year 2024 budget amendment.

Our 2023 Cyanobacteria Mitigation & Remediation (CMR) program is a very comprehensive program requiring hundreds of volunteer hours from LACA members. We are out on the lake weekly, monitoring, sampling, and ensuring our mitigation devices are working properly. We update our website regularly so keep an eye on this page (https://www.lakeannavirginia.org/2023-CMR/) for those updates. 

LACA would like to thank our generous donors and volunteers that make this effort possible. This is a civic activity that everyone involved, volunteers and donors alike, can and should be proud of. Go to the LACA website if you want to donate to these efforts and click on the DONATE NOW button.  Please make sure that you select the “Kick the HAB … AGAIN!” program to ensure your donation goes to further this effort. 

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 the CMR-2023 program.

harry.looney@lakeannavirginia.org

By Jean McCormick - July 2023

There are several things that make wake surfing and wake boarding separate water sports. While at first glance they look similar, on closer inspection, there are key differences that are obvious.

The most obvious; a wake boarder’s feet are strapped to the board they are riding.  This offers added leverage and stability and really assists the rider when attempting aerial tricks but limits the foot position and freedom of movement a surfer enjoys with just his bare feet free to move about on the board.

Wake boarding and wake surfing also occur at different speeds and within different proximity to the tow boat.  Wake boarders often ride between 18-24 miles per hour and 65 feet or more behind the towboat. This speed and distance allow for widely spaced wakes that are shaped as ideal launch ramps.

In contrast, wake surfing typically happens at a much slower speed; 7-12 miles per hour, with the surfer very close to the boat’s swim platform where the peak of the wave is the highest.

The good news is that many of the skills required by each sport are transferable to the other.  Therefore, many riders enjoy both sports.

As with all towed water sports, a properly sized Coast Guard approved life vest is always required. There are exceptions.  But in most areas, it is the law.

The operator of the boat should designate one passenger as the spotter.  Position that person in the passenger seat facing backward, and make sure he/she has an unobstructed view of the surfer or boarder.  It is the observer’s job to keep an eye on the person being always towed, relay the rider’s signals to the driver and alert the operator immediately if the person being towed falls.

In some states, the spotter is required to hold up a flag any time the rider is down to alert nearby boaters.

Whichever sport you choose, practice it responsibility and safely.

jeanmccor12@gmail.com

By Greg Baker – July 2023

There is so very much to discuss in this month’s President’s Column, so let’s get to it:

LACA Annual Meeting

The LACA annual meeting will be held at Dominion Energy’s North Anna Visitor Center on July 29^th. We have two representatives of DEQ as our guest speakers. Sarah Sivers and Tish Robertson will give our members an update on the study regarding Harmful Algal Blooms on Lake Anna and the Shenandoah River. You may recall LACA urged our members to support this initiative by the Virginia Legislature. We are very excited to learn how the study is proceeding.

We will discuss the results of the biennial survey that we just completed and the most updated views of our members. Our water quality chair, Harry Looney will give an update on the status of Kick the HAB…AGAIN! and our efforts to mitigate HAB on Lake Anna. These are just a few of the items on our agenda, I hope you will join us! Doors open at 9:00AM and the meeting will begin at 9:30AM. Our committee chairs will be available prior to the meeting to answer questions and explain what each committee does. Light refreshments will be provided.

Space is limited and you must register to attend the meeting. You may do so through this link. All members in good standing (dues paid) are invited. If there are two members of your household that would like to attend, both must register separately. If you need help on how to add a second member of your household to your LACA membership, you can refer to an article that I wrote in 2021 about adding a “bundle member”. I hope you will be able to join us in person, but if not, we will also be hosting up to 100 members via Zoom to join remotely.

Kick the HAB…AGAIN!

I have written on several occasions about our trial efforts towards mitigation and remediation surrounding HAB on Lake Anna. The government affairs firm that we retained with your financial support is continuing their efforts to have funds allocated by the state of Virginia to specifically address HAB through ACTIONS, and not further study. Unfortunately, the legislature has not been able to come together and pass an updated budget. That means that to date, our efforts for $1MM in funding for this coming fiscal year is still on hold. We are still optimistic that the Governor will call a special session in mid to late July with the intent on finalizing the budget process. We may need your help in a letter writing campaign. If so, we will get an E-Gram out to our members.

In the interim, the LACA volunteers are working hard on three trials for this summer. Please come to the annual meeting to learn more about the efforts. These efforts are funded through the Kick the HAB…AGAIN! campaign. To date, we have only raised $24,000 of our $50,000 budget. For us to continue this effort, we will need your financial support. Please help by making a tax-deductible donation to Kick the HAB…AGAIN!  If we do not reach our fundraising goal, we will have no choice but to cut back on some of our mitigation and remediation trails later in the summer.

We will also be hosting several fundraising efforts. These will include Lake Anna Restaurant Dine Arounds as well as a Golf Tournament at Cutalong. Please be on the lookout for future announcements.

Kick the HAB…AGAIN! Golf Tournament

At Cutalong Golf Club

Please join us at the beautiful Cutalong Golf Club for a day of golf and HAB awareness. Cutalong Golf Club was recently named as one of the Top 10 private golf clubs in the state of Virginia as well as one of the top new courses in America.  This is your opportunity to play Cutalong even if you are not a member and more importantly, a way for you to support LACA’s efforts to fight HAB on Lake Anna.

The cost of a foursome is $500 and will include lunch, drinks, and prizes for the winners of the tournament.  All profits from the tournament will go to the Kick the HAB…AGAIN! program.  Please gather up your friends and come out to play Cutalong. You may register here. If you are interested in playing, but do not have a team, please reach out to Sue Biondi and she will work with Cutalong to find a team for you to join.

In addition to playing in the event, please consider one of the following sponsorship opportunities.

Title Sponsor: Cost $5000 – The title sponsor will receive two complimentary foursome entries into the tournament, signage at the sign in tables and your name and logo on our program.

Food or Beverage Sponsor: Cost $1500 – The food or beverage sponsors will each receive one complimentary foursome entry into the tournament, recognition in the program and your name and logo included in the lunch boxes.

Hole Sponsor: Cost $200 – For each hole sponsor, you will have a 14” x 18” sign displayed at the tee box with your name and logo.

Please reach out to Sue Biondi if you have any questions about sponsorships or would like to support the tournament by being a sponsor.

Webmaster Needed

LACA is in desperate need of a volunteer to help maintain our website with current and useful information. You may remember that we upgraded our website several years back and have gotten fabulous feedback for the huge improvements to the website. However, to stay relevant in search engines, we need to keep our website updated with new and accurate information. The inner workings of the website are relatively easy to learn, and no website design background is needed. If you can use Microsoft Word effectively, you will pick up the inner workings of the website very easily. Please consider chipping in and helping your neighbors at Lake Anna by volunteering to be the LACA webmaster.  If you are interested or have any questions, please email me at greg.baker@lakeannavirginia.org

LACA Board Elections

This is the time of year for LACA board elections. Be on the lookout for the electronic ballots. Even though most of the posts are not contested, please show your support for your LACA volunteers by voting. Your voting is greatly appreciated!

greg.baker@lakeannavirginia.org