HARDWICK — Co-chair of the Greensboro Association (GA) Lakes and Environmental Stewardship Committee, Stew Arnold attended the Hardwick Electric Department (HED) Board of Commissioners meeting on June 17 to make public comments about ensuring effective communication continues between HED and the GA while HED is in its transition between permanent managers.
Managing Caspian Lake’s water level is a three-legged stool, said Arnold, with John Schweitzer measuring the lake level every other week for the GA, the state wanting the level to be maintained without alteration unless there’s a safety situation during a flooding event and HED being responsible for operating the dam’s flow control device to adjust lake water level.
The lake level is now approximately two inches below where it’s historically been for the last five years, Arnold reported, asking that the level now be raised those two inches. HED Interim Manager Scott Johnstone agreed to work with HED staff to have the water level adjusted accordingly.
Arnold asked to establish a contact for the GA in the event an emergency requires immediate action, as it did during last summer’s flooding. Commissioners agreed Johnstone would serve as the GA contact for all its needs, including emergencies.
A prohibition against launching wake boats at the Caspian Lake boat launch, owned by Hardwick Electric, is in place, Arnold reminded Johnstone and commissioners. He said this is important because wake boats have been approved for some lakes, including Caspian, with a 500-foot distance from shore. There is no other place to launch a wakeboat on Caspian, thus the HED prohibition effectively prevents wakeboats from operating on Caspian Lake.
There is currently only one boat capable of operating as a wakeboat on Caspian, according to Arnold, who added, that boat’s owner has removed the ballast tank and advocates for wakeboats to be banned on all lakes except Memphremagog and Champlain.
Last year Caspian Lake greeters, responsible for monitoring milfoil, turned away two wake boats without a significant incident, said Arnold, adding those greeters know to explain that the boat launch is owned by Hardwick Electric, which has instituted its prohibition against launching wake boats.
Arnold said the GA hopes the state will implement a requested wakeboat ban on Caspian Lake as they have for jet skis.
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.