As you may know, Indian Lake was lowered on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, to allow homeowners to repair docks and walls on their properties. What you may not know is that the Indian Lake Community Club Board of Trustees also uses this time to make improvements to our lake and community properties.  

 

As we prepare to celebrate the 100th year since Indian Lake was created, we are using this time to repair damage that age and time have inflicted on the lake itself. Over the years sand has washed into the lake from our beaches. As more sand enters the lake each year, the lake fills up and is slowly reduced in size and depth. During the six-week window Indian Lake has been lowered, the Indian Lake Community Club Board of Trustees authorized several projects to help preserve the health of Indian Lake itself. These undertakings are necessary and crucial steps in securing the extended life of Indian Lake and in turn, our community and home. Below is a short description of each of these projects. 

 

Clubhouse Beach:

At the Clubhouse beach we are reclaiming sand that has eroded from the beach into the lake. This will allow for beach restoration to improve the swimming area. 

 

Franklin Road/Baby Beach:

A similar process of reclaiming eroded sand to restore the beach while improving the swimming area was done. The seawall blocks that were straightened over the summer will be properly repaired to prevent sand from washing back into the lake.

 

Dive/Main Beach:

A 200-foot section of seawall which runs parallel to East Shore Road needed repair. This wall, in addition to the North Shore wall and wall in the men’s bathroom, were repaired to prevent future erosion. The East Shore Road gate was re-engineered and repairs were made to the cement stairs. The diving area was also cleared using water jets to insure a continued depth of over 12 feet.

 

South Shore Boat Ramp:

Using engineered blocks and reclaimed rocks we further protected both sides of the boat ramp from washing underneath due to the current and flow of water from Estling Lake. Additionally, we reclaimed rocks and restored the shoreline on both sides of the boat ramp.

 

Monkey Island:

Reclaim sand and restore the shoreline. Tree and brush overgrowth was tailored to prevent excess foliage from entering the lake. This was completed to help improve the flow of water in and around Monkey Island to limit as best as possible weed growth and improve fish and wildlife habitats. Volunteers will be replanting grass and foliage to help with the erosion that has occurred over the years.

 

Dam:

Like Indian Lake, the locks that operate our dam are 100 years old. An underwater photography/evaluation of existing locks for the dam was conducted to determine the viability of the locks and the cost associated with any future repairs/replacements that may be needed.

 

We would also like to thank the Denville DPW for their support in cleaning out a few of the town storm drains that dump sand, silt, gravel, organic and other unwanted debris into the Indian Lake waters. It is not possible to reach all of the storm drains as a large portion are on private property, but the town has committed to help on an annual basis and especially on the years we lower the lake.

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An additional way you can help is if you see clogged road grates, please take a few minutes to clear them off and bag the debris. If it’s a large area, feel free to contact DPW directly as our tax dollars do pay for the removal. As a community we need to be aware of all our actions or lack of actions that contribute to the unwanted debris and contaminants that enter our waters. Leaves, grass clippings, limbs, branches, etc. should NOT be blown or swept into the lake. Please do NOT add sand off the bulkheads behind lake front properties. This sand washes away and contributes to the areas that continually become shallower and shallower.

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Each year you, the residents of Indian Lake, pay a yearly upkeep fee for the purposes of maintaining the lake and community properties. The projects outlined above are examples of ways your upkeep fees are used. All of these projects are designed to work in tandem to strengthen and extend the life of the heart of our community - Indian Lake.

 

Whether you are a member of the Community Club or not, Indian Lake provides all of its residents with a beautiful and very special place to call home. Let’s all do our part to help keep Indian Lake vibrant and healthy for another 100 years.

 

Thank you to everyone for your continued dedication, support and volunteerism to this incredible community we call home.

 

If you have any questions regarding the work being done, please contact our president, Scott Dixon at ILCCScott@gmail.com.

 

Regards,

 

The ILCC Board of Trustees