CAPE MAY POINT — As the weather turns colder, Public Works is beginning to prepare Lake Lily for winter.
“Over the winter months, Public Works is planning several maintenance services to preserve and protect Lake Lily,” Commissioner Suzanne Yunghans said Dec. 11.
The activities are a public-private partnership between the borough, Friends of Lake Lily and the Cape May Point Taxpayers’ Association (CMPTA).
“This month, we will be utilizing a Clean FLO product called winter warrior, [which is] a safe, microbial product that is designed to reduce nutrients and organic muck in cold water,” she said. “It gives a jump-start on biological activity.
The winter warrior treatment has been used for the past several years, and Yunghans said it has been effective.
“Second, it was determined that nearly 100 percent of the [lake] island is covered with invasive vegetation,” she said. “This winter, through the New Jersey Forest Service, a prescribed burn of the invasive overgrowth on the island is planned.”
The borough has submitted an application to the Forest Service and is waiting to hear back.
Yunghans noted the burn would be managed by the service and be conducted on a day with appropriate weather conditions.
“The purpose is to eliminate the dense thatch of invasive plants that shed biomass into the lake, which contributes to the muck buildup and increased phosphorus levels,” Yunghans said. “Once the island is cleared, native vegetation can be reestablished, which in turn can increase biodiversity and wildlife habitat improvement.”
The multi-year restoration project includes continued removal of invasive plants and their root systems, soil testing and preparation for landscaping with native species, as well as ongoing care and maintenance of the lake island centerpiece.
“Third will be an installation of a series of mats at the south end of the lake, where the invasive aquatic plants are overgrown,” Yunghans said. “These 100 percent chemical-free mats block sunlight from reaching the lake floor, suppressing weed growth, and as a result reduces the biomass in the lake.”
Yunghans added that the mats are safe for all wildlife, including the fish, frogs, turtles and ducks that call Lake Lily home.
“Planning ahead, in the spring, the borough will again partner with Clean FLO to do a full water analysis and sonar scan of the lake,” she said. “[They will also] inspect and repair as needed, the 11 diffusers (bubblers) and utilize Clean FLO enzyme products that are wildlife-safe to control the muck buildup and improve water quality.”
Yunghans urged the community to remember that Lake Lily is a valued resource to Cape May Point, with two primary purposes: stormwater management, protecting the town from devastating flooding, and serving as a beautiful freshwater resource that supports a vast array of wildlife.
“The state of New Jersey owns and regulates the lake water, and the borough of Cape May Point has the responsibility to manage and preserve the lake and its shoreline, including the island,” she said. “This management is a dynamic process impacted by weather, climate change, including recent drought conditions, stormwater runoff, impurities, wildlife excrement, aquatic weed overgrowth and oxygenation.”
Maintaining Lake Lily requires constant vigilance and commitment, Yunghans added.
“I want to thank the Friends of Lake Lily and the Cape May Point Taxpayers’ Association for their partnership in this ongoing endeavor,” she said.
Mayor Anita VanHeeswyk thanked Yunghans for her research and work, and for moving the process along so much in a year.
