What's New
By Dave Champagne and Andy Draper
Over this past winter, IRLC undertook an extensive survey of property owners and other interested parties in the Indian River Lakes region. This was accomplished in collaboration with the Center for Community Studies at Jefferson Community College (JCC) in Watertown. The survey included both water front owners and other parties with an interest in the lakes and region. Out of a list of over 2400 potentially interested parties, approximately 400 responses were received, and analyzed statistically by the JCC Center for Community Studies.
The entire study report is posted on the IRLC website.(opens in new tab) Also posted, from the water quality conference in June, are several presentations(opens in new tab), including the PowerPoint presentation by Andy Draper, Research Coordinator at the Center for Community Studies and Math Professor at JCC, who did the statistical analysis and full report.
Water Usage & Septic System Maintenance
Some of the survey findings/highlights include (rounded to nearest percent):
- 51% percent of respondents have permanent residences outside the local area, and 68% of those replying were waterfront property owners.
- 70% of respondents have properties “in the family” for over 20 years.
- 53% of respondents have drilled wells, while 44% use lake water for bathing, and 38% report using lake water for household utilities.
Lake water quality can be impacted by residential waste water disposal systems. Seventy-six percent reported a septic tank and leech field. Twenty-five percent have updated their system in the past five years, while 48% have updated over ten years ago or never. For another question, 47% of respondents reported “upgrading or maintaining” their system in the past five years; while there may be some inconsistency in these answers, it appears likely that many waste disposal systems are under maintained.
Water Quality and Lake Groups by Depth
One question asked about the perception of lake water quality over the past five years. Thirty-one percent said “declined,” while 48% said “stayed the same.”
The eighteen Indian River Lakes were also divided into three groups or categories based on depth, with Group one being the shallowest, generally less than 25 feet at the deepest spot. Some differences were noted in the concerns and perceptions of respondents related to lake depth.
Asked about perceptions of water quality for the past five years, 51% of shallow lake respondents said “declined;” this in in contrast to 22% and 18% for the deeper lake groups.
Asked about negative impact of water quality changes on recreational activities, 53% of shallow lake respondents said “very concerned,” compared to 31% and 23% of deeper lake group respondents.
Shallow lake respondents stated they were “very concerned” at higher rates (more than 20% higher) regarding property appeal and property value related to water quality than deeper lake respondents.
Shallow lake respondents perceive substantially more major impact on water quality due to algae, HABs (harmful algal blooms), and weeds (78% for shallow lake respondents compared to 56% and 42% for deeper lake respondents).
One area with common agreement showed respondents from all three groups stating that “failing or outdated septic systems” represent a major or moderate impact on water quality (77% for shallow lake respondents with 71% and 77% for deeper lake respondents).
Getting Involved & Going Deeper
Eighty five percent said they would be likely to support businesses that contribute to efforts to improve water quality in the Indian River lakes area.
Some survey questions asked about awareness of lake organizations; a notable percentage of respondents seem to be unaware of whether their lakes have associations, websites, or dedicated facebook pages.
A strong majority of respondents expressed interest in educational opportunities in a variety of water quality related topics, including invasive species management, shoreline maintenance, wastewater treatment systems, and testing and monitoring lake water quality.
Regarding engagement with IRLC, 74% reported visiting trails and preserves, and 58% reported donating to IRLC within the past five years.