Message from the Chairperson

2024 ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

About 70 people attended the Annual Meeting of the Silver Lake Management District held on Saturday, May 25 at the Copper Bottom Pavilion.

Deputies from the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department were present at the announcement of this summer's District-sponsored Water Safety Patrols, the first regularly-scheduled patrols in many years.

A presentation of the recently adopted 2024 Aquatic Plane Management Plan (APMP) highlighted the lake's unusual aquatic plant diversity and the conclusion that Hybrid Milfoil treatments of the past decade, particularly the whole-lake treatment in 2015, had no long-term effects on the plant communities.  The APMP will provide the framework for continued annual treatment of Hybrid Milfoil, as well as monitoring of the new invasive species, starry stonewort.  Click HERE for a summary of the presentation.

The District is also sponsoring Baseline Testing of the lake's Water Quality with 2024 spring and fall sampling, with analysis by the UW-Stevens Point laboratory.  Baseline Testing will show how Silver Lake compares to other Wisconsin lakes and may lead to further issue investigation and potential future programs.  This spring's test results showed that Silver Lake has higher-than-average sodium and chloride levels like many southeastern Wisconsin lakes.

The District will continue to record monthly Lake Levels at the Village gauge at the outlet creek.  The lake is currently almost 6" higher than it was a year ago.  Click HERE for the latest chart of recorded Lake Levels.

The Village of Salem Lakes has responsibility for the lake's No-Wake Buoys and reported that, for the first time in decades, the No-Wake Buoys were installed per WDNR permit. The previous 30-buoy "ring-around-the-lake" approach was rejected by the WDNR, but the Village is pursuing a similar approach that includes fewer WDNR-approved No-Wake Buoys supplemented by Hazard Buoys in shoal areas.  It is anticipated that the Hazard Buoys will be installed by the end of June.

In other business, Harry Laws was re-elected to the Board for a 3-year term and the 2025 Budget, which includes a $52,000 tax levy (same as prior two years), $25,000 for Hybrid Milfoil Treatment, and $10,000 for Water Safety Patrols, was approved.  Click HERE for the approved 2025 Budget.

Officers for the next year were elected at the Board Meeting held immediately after the Annual Meeting:  Chair-Jim Purinton, Treasurer - Harry Laws, and Secretary - Dee Andershock.

Have a safe and happy summer on Silver Lake!

Jim Purinton, Chairman