End of Season Information from the Lake Oswego Corporation
August 17, 2010
A message from Lake Manager Jeff Ward
Labor Day Weekend is fast approaching and with it the drawdown date for the LOIS project. Here is what you need to know and do. Don't let this be you.
- All boats leaving the lake for the winter MUST be scheduled and out by September 5th. If you don't have a ramp time scheduled, please call the marina now to schedule one.
- Beginning August 27th we will be open for 14 hours to pull boats every 15 minutes BY APPOINTMENT ONLY (6:30 am - 8:00 pm). The marina and gas docks will be open from 10:00 am - 7:00 pm.
- This schedule is very aggressive and there WILL NOT be time to refuel your boat prior to your appointment. If you need to fuel your boat, please make arrangements to do so at a time other than your ramp time.
- Trailers should park in a designated waiting zone on the street in front of the Griffon May building and wait for direction from lot ramp attendants.
- LOC will have full time valet staff to direct traffic and expedite getting your trailer in the boat ramp.
- Once your boat is on the trailer and clipped, you will be directed to pull out onto the street in front of the marina to put on your tie downs.
- Traffic will be restricted to RIGHT TURN ONLY out of our parking lot.
- Please arrive in advance of your appointment. Your boat and trailer must be here in order for you to pull.
Draw Down
- Drawn down will begin the evening of Sunday September 5th.
- The lake will drop at a rate of almost a foot a day the first few days and accelerate when the contractor activates their dewatering pumps.
- If you are not taking your boat off the water for the winter, watch the water level carefully. You don't want to get stranded off your boat lift.
- Remember to winterize your boat.
Dredging
Those of you who live in areas to be dredged may want to remove your boat and lift in order to shovel sediment out of your boathouse. The dredge contractor will be using large equipment and will not assume the liability of shoveling your boatslip. If you wish to do so you will be responsible to see that it is done. Areas to be dredged include:
- Owego Canal - south of South Shore
- Blue Heron Canal - south of South Shore
- West Bay
Irrigation
There are many of you who irrigate your landscape using only lake water. This water will not be available once the lake level recedes below your intake. That leaves only city water if you choose to continue irrigating. If your watering system is not connected to your city water supply, you may want to investigate the possibility of getting it connected temporarily to get you through the end of the warm weather.
I know there are many dos and don'ts on this list. Please understand that we are trying to make what could be a very complicated process run as smoothly as possible. We all understand the sacrifice you are making. When we first began discussing the sewer project with the city, the request was for 14 to 17 months which would have included two summers. We managed to avoid losing any summers to a drawdown, but the timing and scope of work for the lake down portion of the project necessitate lowering the lake while the promise of a dry working window still exists. You have my heartfelt thanks in advance.