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By Louie Stout

Our column praising the Diamond Lake Association a few weeks ago drew some interesting responses from readers.

Michiana folks are very passionate about their lakes, and that includes people who live on the lakes as well as anglers who visit them.

In case you missed it, we used this space to commend the Diamond Lake group for its latest efforts to minimize fish habitat damage while controlling exotic plants with chemicals.

It drew several comments, both via tribune email and my website, Michiana Outdoors News.com. Although a small sampling, it’s interesting to note that other lake groups are discovering that excessive aquatic vegetation control can be detrimental to the watershed as well as the fishery.

Here are some of the comments received:

I was happy to see your article about Diamond Lake and weed treatments. I live on Barron Lake in Niles.

In 2016 we discussed alternatives to treating our lake so the lake association agreed to explore other avenues. In 2017, we decided to have a complete health status of our lake performed by a company that specializes in this area. We hired them to manage our lake the fall of 2018.

This is the first year, and of course it is a learning curve for both parties. We don't know if we are right or wrong, but our decision was based on this is a lake and not a swimming pool.

They have applied spot chemicals twice this year; one for Milfoil and one for curly pond weed. They have been out here about every 2 weeks since April to watch the status. We are finding (so far) that the bad weeds that grow later in the season are being taken over by the good weeds. Time will only tell, but I am very happy to report that out of 210 acres, we have treated 20 to date. We were as guilty as anyone else of (over) treating the lake prior to this, but education is the key.

Thanks for your article to help educate other lake associations.

Tom Hable

I want to thank you for such a great article. I am the Lakes Project Manager for Restorative Lake Sciences and third generation riparian on Dewey Lake. I also am a member of the (Dewey) lake association.

Our company provides the science behind what is going on in each particular lake - every lake is different and faces different issues. Different lakes require different approaches to controlling invasive species and keeping things in balance.

We all try to make the right decisions about managing our lakes, and it is challenging at times. Our lake group tries very hard to maintain a healthy native plant growth for the health of our lake, and recognizes the need for trying to put as few chemicals into our lake as possible. I am sure Diamond Lake is trying to bridge that balance, also.

Veronica Towne

Great job on the recent August 25th article, “Diamond Lake association did the right thing.”

Please keep up the good work; in all honesty, your articles are the first example I have seen of the media bringing this issue to the attention of the public.

I sincerely appreciate your efforts to preserve our natural lakes.

Frank Yavaraski

Of course, I never expect to please everyone.

One emailer, who declined a request to use his note or his name, suggested I stay out of the lakers’ business while blaming anglers for a number of his lake’s problems, including the growth of aquatic vegetation.