Timberlake Watershed Improvement District (WID)

The Robert E. Lee Soil & Water Conservation District support the Timberlake WID. This WID was established to work with homeowners above the lake and make them aware of their roles in protecting water quality. The District sees this WID as a model for other watershed improvement districts. (Code of Virginia 10.1-614)

WID 2009 Annual Report

Water Quality:

Continuing the working relationship with Professor Tom
Shahady and his Lynchburg College environmental group, a full water quality testing program is beginning. This will include both inlet water and composite water testing as well as bimonthly e.coli testing. This program is designed to delineate the important sources of contamination, the precursor to quality control.

Dredging:

Timberlake is fed by three watershed coves. Brown’s Cove and Buffalo Creek Cove were dredged during the previous calendar year using volunteer labor and the $20,000 given to the Timberlake Watershed Improvement District (WID). The contribution was given by the builders of the Braxton Park housing development, which is located at the headwaters of the Waterlick cove. Waterlick Creek had been previously tested by a Lynchburg College environmental team and declared one of the most pristine streams in the region. Plans are underway for silt removal from the check dam at Brown’s cove allowing it to continue its now proven silt collecting effectiveness. In addition, Waterlick Cove, Timberlake’s undredged cove, will be dredged when a silt dumping location is found.

Canada Geese:

Two methods of goose control have been in use with limited success. Egg oiling takes care of only propagation from local nests but does nothing to disperse the parent geese.Pyrotechnic chasing initially worked well, but in time as thegeese apparently became accustomed to the bang and the flare, the geese moved but didn’t leave. Consequently, during a recent molting season the goose removal services of the US Fish and Wildlife Christiansburg office were purchased. The Service brought their cage, easily herded the thirty-eight geese into the cage and left (along with $1600). Whether there will be a serious problem with locally transient geese after the molting season ends is to be seen.

 

Hydrilla and Niad:

The burgeoning infestation of last year’s incursion of hydrilla andniad aquatic grasses did not repeat in the Spring and Summer of 2009. It is hoped that the 1000 grass carp that were stocked in 2008 are responsible for the difference. But this Spring’s continual rains are also believed by some to be partially responsible, having produced the mild turbidity, relative to last Summer’s unusual clarity, which could be serving as a growth retardant for aquatic grasses.

Trustees of the WID

Tom McCraw
email: tommac@jetbroadband.com

Craig Brewer
email: cbrewer@jetbroadband.com