1. The MPOA dredging contractor has re-mobilized, and is continuing to get the equipment and dredge pipeline ready for the start of the 2017 dredging season. Dredging is expected to get underway within the next week.

2. The dredging contractor has indicated that they will first resume work at Wickline Island first so that area can be fully completed. The area remaining to be dredged at Wickline Island is shown below:

3. When finished at Wickline, they will re-position to complete the areas still needing to be dredged at O’Brien Shoals, as shown below:

4. Lakefront landowners in proximity to the Wickline Islands and O’Brien Shoals dredging areas are asked to not install their piers until the dredging is complete in these areas, or the extent of dredging conducted in that area will have to be reduced.

5. Lake user’s need to be aware of rapidly changing lake conditions as the dredging contractor begins to re-deploy the sediment pipeline, booster pumps, and other dredging-related equipment. Avoiding those areas of the lake is the best bet, when possible.

6. The 32nd Annual Illinois Lakes Management Association Conference was held at the Crystal Lake Holiday Inn in Crystal Lake on March 30 to April 1, 2017. A large number of Wonder Lake residents took advantage of this opportunity to learn more about a wide variety of lake topics, and meet other lake user’s from across Illinois.

7. I am participating in a five week water quality monitoring project, with sampling supplies provided free of cost by, of all places, the Nebraska Watershed Network. Their intent was originally to do this sampling throughout the entire Mississippi River watershed, but the interest from Illinois was so high, they refocused their scope to only include. Testing will include sampling for atrazine, nitrate/nitrites and phosphate.

8. I am attaching a copy of an article from today’s Chicago Tribune, discussing water quality issues resulting from the wide-spread use of salt as a de-icing agent.

Road Salt Drives Salinization of Lakes (PDF)