Our next regular Buffalo Lake P&R meeting is February 6, 2010

As many of you are aware Sunset Drive (Dredge Bank road) has been closed to public access due to the flooding that took place in June of 2008. Efforts are currently underway to develop a plan to restore the road and again make it available to the public. We will be posting links to meeting minutes from the Montello Dam/Sunset Drive Steering Committee to help keep everyone up to date on the progress of this effort

Steering Committee Notes 9-18-09

Marquette County has 90 lakes. Buffalo Lake has about 50% of the water surface area. It was a natural lake formed by a downstream deposit of sediment in 1871. The level of the natural basin was increased by four feet. The Army Corps of Engineers constructed a low head dam under authorization of the River and Harbor Act of 1958, the Federal Government turned over control of the upper Fox River above the mouth of the Wolf River to the State of Wisconsin in June 1962.

• Acres = 2500
• Mean Depth = 4.5 ft
• Maximum Depth = 8ft
• Length= 13.1 miles
• Width 1/2 mile
• Shore Length = 32.2 miles
• Watershed area = 600 sq. miles
• Normal outflow 12 days from the time water enters Buffalo Lake to the time it goes over the dam at Montello.
• Buffalo Lake was named for the buffalo grass growing around the lake.

On December 31, 1986, petitions were filed with the Marquette County Clerk requesting the establishment of a public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district in the Townships of Montello and Packwaukee, and the City of Montello. The petitions were accompanied by a map and description of the proposed boundaries.

Notice of a public hearing was published in the Marquette County Tribune on January 8, 1987, and mailed to the landowners within boundaries of the proposed district.The public hearing was held before the Marquette County Zoning and Planning Committee on January 29, 1987.

Buffalo Lake Protection and Rehabilitation was then declared organized and established.

Update on the Gypsy Moth problem around Buffalo Lake: According to Judy Fulmer, Gypsy Moth Chair, "We all need to continue to watch for these pests." Check your property for evidence of Gypsy Moths (use the photos here, for a guide) Right now, Photo 4, the egg masses are what you are most likely to find. Look on tree trunks, the underside of branches, under decks and porches and in woodpiles. Property owners also need to put bands around the trunks of affected trees to catch the caterpillars. Here are photos of damage and life stages of the Gypsy Moth. With Spring coming (at some point we hope!), the egg masses will hatch and the larvae will come out. As the larvae grow into caterpillars, they eat the tree leaves (photo 1 & 2). Typically the caterpillars eat from the top of a tree down, so you may not see the damage right away unless you make an effort to check tree tops. Click to see images of Gypsy Moths 1 Leaf Damage 2 Caterpillar 3 Male and Female 4 Egg Mass 5 Female with Egg mass 6 Pupae stage Some Buffalo Lake District property owners have used a product by Ortho called "Home Defense" to fight the Gypsy Moths. Home Defense is available at garden and home centers. However, the Buffalo Lake District in NO way guarantees, recommends or endorses any product and is posting this here for informational purposes only. It is the property owners' responsibility to research any such products for appropriate use and application.

The Lake District has a new truck! Jim Sanders spent much time looking for just the right one and here it is! Our new truck