Lake Lotawana Days – Mother Nature has been giving us humidity on steroids these past few weeks. And for the Lotawana Days celebrations it tried to rain on our parade. Thanks to all the members who decorated their vessels making the parade a success despite the light drizzle. Saturday’s activities were temporarily dampened, and the Ski Show was a splashing success. Another day of family fun for everyone and a great weekend despite the humidity and heat.
Did you know that our lake has a very long and storied history with a lot of famous Kansas City names associated. The lake’s start was driven by Milton Thompson, the millionaire owner of Highland Farms. Over the decades there have been a lot of changes from the original dam being completed to our community of today. The following are key dates in history leading up to the incorporation of the City of Lake Lotawana.
Lake Lotawana was named after a fabled Native American princess whose name meant “sparkling water”. For those of you that would like to take a deeper dive get a copy of Lake Lotawana, the Promised Land by Francis Genevieve Stalling.
Road Project Update – since the last article we completed the replacement of the M, L & R block street crossing culverts. We installed a new catch basin near N7 and repaired the two large culverts (60” diameter) at the back of Buffalo Cove with Gunite injection. In conjunction with the repair, we added a shoulder on the hill leading up to the E. Thompson Road intersection. The new shoulder and improved drainage ditch make the intersection safer and easier to navigate while protecting our new road investment.
The West Shore resurfacing project is delayed for several weeks due to rain-related setbacks with our contractor’s previous jobs, resulting in work extending into the school year. The roads committee will coordinate with the office, the school district, emergency services, and trash collection in advance of the project starting. During resurfacing, alternate routes or waiting to access your home may be required. Please inform any contractors or guests that street parking is prohibited to prevent delays or vehicle towing.
Progress on the Low-Water Crossing is moving along better than expected. Spire’s contractor Miller Pipeline completed the boring under the inlet and installed the new high-pressure pipeline. The pilot bore required a special diamond bit as the rock in many areas was extremely tough. Spire’s service department completed the pressure upgrade to the distribution system for the West Shore homes. We are now served by a 50-psi system. ICON, our contractor, is next up to perform demolition and prepare for the replacement of the bridge and culvert system.
Dam Spillway Update – Since my previous Spillway Update, we conducted an on-site evaluation with Allstate Consulting to thoroughly assess the condition of our spillway, as noted in our most recent Missouri Dam Safety Inspection citing instances of concrete spalling. Allstate systematically examined the entire spillway, performing tests for concrete integrity, including drilling at various locations to assess thickness. Each tested area was clearly marked with chalk, and drone imagery and GPS data were collected for each point. These data sets will be integrated into a LIDAR map, which will form part of Allstate’s comprehensive final report and project documentation. This deliverable will serve as a key resource for both planning and soliciting bids from qualified contractors, with the overarching aim of achieving regulatory compliance for the spillway.
Earlier in July, we hosted representatives from the Missouri Dam Safety division as they conducted their recertification inspection. During their visit, we presented our plans for Allstate’s detailed assessment and committed to sharing the subsequent report with them upon completion. Accompanying the inspectors during their evaluation provided valuable insights and strengthened our collaborative approach.
This fall, our teams will begin removing trees and overgrowth on the south end of the dam, following recommendations that align with our intention to implement a monitoring process for water seepage in that area of concern identified in prior inspections. Establishing and maintaining a productive relationship with the inspectors has proved instrumental in supporting the effective management and protection of our most significant asset.
Gas Pump Operations – several members expressed frustration with our gas pumps not working well. The handles seemed to click off all the time. In talking with our vendor that supports our pumps, the safety mechanism in the handle is very sensitive. They do not make a special pump handle for water environments as they are designed for filling up vehicles sitting stationary at a station. Also, with the higher temperatures the boat fuel systems can have back pressure that makes the handle think the tank is full. All something to consider when you look to fill your boat.
Year to date we have sold 15,697 gallons at the gas pumps. The Water Patrol has used 592 gallons of the total. Subtracting the Water Patrol and a number for the operations use, we are around 15,000 gallons for the year.
Courtesy Reminders – Lot-A-Smoke competition is October 10-12th.
If you have questions or topics, you would like discussed regarding the Association, please feel free to drop me a note at President@lakelotawana.net.
Sincerely,
Jeff Clemow
President