Mohegan Lake Update: 2/22/16

First, it must be noted that the appeal we have pending in the 2nd Appellate Division (highest court in NYS) has a return date of March 4, 2016; Yorktown and The Church owe a reply to my brief about a week before.  That's exciting and incredibly scary.  I requested 15 minutes of oral arguments (you can request up to 30 mins.).  I pray, in the legal sense--and spiritual, that the court grants me my 15 minutes.  It's pretty straight-forward. And it's right; and what's right is right, am I right?

Second, you should go to tonight's Town Board meeting tonight where they will discuss our treatment plan for the lake this summer.  They were very supportive last time around.  Here's a note from Ken:

The Yorktown Town Board has to vote to authorize the contract for copper sulfate treatments to Mohegan Lake in 2016.  They have placed the matter on their work session agenda for Tuesday February 26th.  We will know the time once they post the agenda tomorrow morning on the Town website.  I plan on attending, but would appreciate any moral support.  Not to mention that it would be good for the new Town Board members to see that there is support for the lake in the community.  The agenda item should take no more than five minutes, once they get to us.  Ken

Third, what a strange winter.  While we initially speculated it would be an abbreviated skating season, it's proved to be about 6 weeks strong with potential for more; all without nearly as much child labor, relative to last year!

Fourth, the Yorktown Town Board is considering a radical rezoning proposal and there is a public, working session being held on March 8.  This is an issue we all need to pay attention to.  Live in a residential zone? Next to someone with an acre parcel?  If so, you could easily be living next to 12 apartments, if the Board keeps moving in their current direction.  Very scary to the residential integrity of Yorktown, so pay attention. 

Lastly, Think Cold.   Looks like this week holds yet another natural Zamboni for us.  The question is, will the cold be cold enough to allow us any more skating on this sweet, sweet Mohegan Lake ice?

 

 

Surprise: We've Still Got 6" Of Clean, Clear Ice!

Um, guys, I was surprised this morning when I went out in my suit and fancy shoes to auger a hole only to find we still have a solid six inches. 

Yes, those are Allen Edmonds

And, ooooh boy, did that rain ever Zamboni the crap out of the surface.  Again, know where you are going and what you are doing.  That said, won't you join me for a quickie this evening?  Or perhaps tomorrow morning?  You want to go in late to work on Friday anyway, right?

First Annual Mohegan Lake President's Day Rockin' Cornhole Tournament

Brought to you by 8" of clean clear ice at the top of the lake.

Please do join us at 2pm for a tournament to close out the 5th annual Mohegan Lake Ice Skating (and Fishing--and now cornhole) Extravaganza.

Cornhole is fun.  So is playing on the ice.  The probability of you being unable to feel your face is high, and I'm not talking about windchill factors or anything.  It's more metaphorical than that.  Marinate on that and see you around 2pm.

Game On!

Still waiting for the edge to firm up, but the lake looks good.  This cold snap ought to get it just right for Saturday.  The National Weather Service has the graphic correct: it will be cold, so bundle up and come play hockey with us.

Icewatch: 2/4/2016

After getting off to a slow start, we finally secured a fine rink and trails on the lake.  This week nature has graciously Zamboni'ed the whole thing for us.  And now it appears we'll have a solid 10 days of cold, with a downward trend.  Que bueno!  The only question is will we get to skate this weekend.  Stay tuned, Mohegan Lake. 

Do You Live In Mohegan Lake?

There are seven beach associations around the lake; we are the people that pay taxes that fund lake improvements.  If you like the lake and want to be involved with the communities that help maintain it, you should attend the Mohegan Lake Improvement District (MLID) meeting this Wednesday, 1/26/16 at 7:30pm.  Here's a message from MLID president Ken Belfer:

Our January Mohegan Lake Improvement District meeting is this Wednesday at 7:30 PM at the Calvary Chapel at 99 Baron De Hirsch Road in Crompond.  We begin work on the 2016 season, which we hope will be even better than 2015.  Hope to see you at the meeting.

Last year we applied copper sulfate every Tuesday during the swimming season and--lo and behold--the lake didn't get closed by the Department of Health for algae blooms. They were still present, but much, much clearer than the last 5 years since Save Mohegan Lake has been around, and beyond.  We hope to improve upon that with an aluminum sulfate permit which should not need to be applied nearly as often; I've heard up to 3 years.

Oh, hey, did you see the skating rink and trails I made at the top of the lake?  Please don't stand on the surfaces when it's above 32 degrees.  It has to reset to be skatable and if one walks on it, it's going to not freeze flat.  Let nature Zamboni our baby--naturally:)

And...We're Off

Hi Mohegan Lake,

So the Lake is now sufficiently frozen across about 75% of its 110 acres to skate.  I took depth readings of about 2-7/8" on the edge to nearly  4" in the middle (the ice extends above the water line in the pic below).  New York State DEC used to say 2" of clean clear ice is good for adults; but they changed that to 4".    The extreme edge is dicey.  Oh, and there are a few death traps like the giant hole between SOLE and FBC.  Know what you're doing if you go out there.

Mmm...so thick.

 How Pretty is that?

 Awwww, freshies!

And the obligatory first skate video.  Please come join us, but again, do so at your own risk.

The Big Chill

Not only is it a movie old people like, but it's also a way to describe the weather for the next week.  Think cold, Mohegan Lake.  We don't want this years Mohegan Lake Ice Fishing and Skating Extravaganza to be too abbreviated.  Consulting the ice growth chart, we're estimating new ice at about 3/4" to one inch per day, based on the average temperature forecast by the National Weather Service.  With highs topping out at 34 degrees, we may be skating very soon.  New York State says 2" of clean clear  ice is safe for people to walk on; we start skating at 4".  Hope to see you out there soon. 

 

 

 

Welcome forecast.