Lake Ida Property Owner Survey Results
The Douglas County Lakes Association recently conducted a survey of Lake Ida property owners. There were 173 respondents from Lake Ida. They provided the survey results with charts and graphs. In addition, respondents were able to provide comments related to the questions.
Lake Ida Survey Results Comments from Respondents Curly Leaf Pondweed
The Ida Lake Association (ILA) has a keen interest in resolving the Curly Leaf Pondweed invasive species in Lake Ida. The results of the 2009 evaluation are below. Three large areas along the western shorelines of Lake Ida were treated in the Spring of 2018. The ILA Executive Committee signed a contract for another survey of the whole lake, including the sites that were treated, which was completed in June (see below). That survey will help decide on the plan for treatment in 2019. Total cost to ILA after receiving a grant of $8,135 from Douglas County Land & Resource is $8,679.
June 2009 Lake Ida Curly Leaf Pondweed Evaluation June 2018 Lake Ida Curly Leaf Pondweed Report Water Clarity Study
Walleye Stocking
Due to unavailability of the fingerlings the past two years, ILA was unable to stock walleyes. ILA has entered a 3-year verbal agreement with a new provider and is committed to stocking 1,000 pounds of walleyes each year for the next 3 years provided the fish and money are available.
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Ditch 23

Resolving the problem with drainage from Ditch 23 into Lake Ida has been a longtime issue that the ILA has been working to resolve. As a lake association, ILA cannot and does not do ditch work, so it must work with various county and local government agencies, particularly Ida Township to resolve it. Working with Douglas County Soil and Water Conservation District and other organizations, ILA has received a $230,000 grant for this project. Work done by the Township and the County will be reimbursed from the grant. Currently, ILA has budgeted $15,000 for the completion of a survey. Barr Engineering is working on the preliminary report, conducting water samples to measure pollution and oxygen saturation throughout the lake, sampling soil, and surveying all culverts and drainage points. ILA expects a project report by the Fall of 2018. Ensuring that Ditch 23 is handled properly and corrected is vital to the health of our lake. See the article from The Voice of Alexandria that discusses the problem.
Betsy Ross Road Drainage
It's always great to have a success story. The drainage problem coming from inadequate culverts was resolved with help from Ida Township, along with ILA working with property and farm owners to work out a solution. ILA paid up-front engineering costs of $1542 to Widseth Smith Nolting and paid Ida Township $3,803 (cost of $5,345 covered by ILA of the total cost of $9,148, the balance of which was paid by Ida Township to the construction companies). The improved culvert has stopped the problem of runoff into the lake.