Sept. 30, 2018

Dear Senator O’Brien and Representative Iden,

As you are aware, both Eagle and Crooked Lakes in Texas Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, have been inundated with water for the majority of the 2018 year. This flooding has created many hardships both for the lake and its residents. Increased beach erosion, intrusion of nutrients from the land to the lake, flooding of basements and yards, loss of large trees and rooted land vegetation, and major expenses to landowners for mitigation have all created significant challenges for our lake communities. It is clear that a timely short-term solution and a well-studied long-term solution are needed to ameliorate the negative effects of this unusually high water level and flooding.

After discussions with planners and scientists, it seems that one plausible option is to divert the water from Eagle Lake to Crooked Lake and then to a nearby wetland that lies in a depression (such as the one across the road from Hidden Cove in Crooked Lake). Although that wetland may receive more water than it is used to, it would show resilience relative to inundation and aquatic vegetation due to the hydric soils and vegetation, and ability to sequester large quantities of lake water.

We are asking for your help in urging the MDEQ to approve a short-term solution that will relieve these water levels in a short period of time. There is a concern that the MDEQ requirements will not allow our short-term solution to occur. We appreciate any measures you can take in helping us gain MDEQ approval for our short-term solution.

Sincerely,

The Texas Township Community