Over the last couple of decades, bogs and silt have changed the shoreline at Brian Tommerdahl’s Clearwater Lake home, spurring him to take action. “Natural water flows in the lake cause these floating bogs to go into my shoreline,” Tommerdahl said. “It’s become a real problem for me and my neighbors.” Tommerdahl’s father-in-law bought the property more than 60 years ago on the northwest side of the lake near the Black Pool cove. What used to be a few cattails and nice, clear, gravel shoreline has turned into thick floating bogs and 28 inches of thick, opaque, choking silt, he said. Wednesday night, Nov. 12, Tommerdahl pled with Clearwater Watershed District managers for guidance and possibly some help with his problem. Tommerdahl said he would be willing to pay to have the bogs and silt removed. CRWD manager Roland Froyen, who lives not too far from Tommerdahl, agreed that the floating bogs and the silt that settles under them is a growing problem on Clearwater Lake. “What used to be bulrushes along the shore are now thick bogs,” Froyen said. “There seems to be more bogs and silt along the northwest shore.” But harvesting or removing the bogs wouldn’t be a permanent solution for Tommerdahl or many other lake residents on Clearwater Lake or the other lakes on the Clearwater River chain that are experiencing similar troubles. “Removing the sediment right in front of his home may not be successful,” Froyen said. “It would be filled in by more from upstream.” The bogs would have to be removed from all over the lake, and upstream, said CRWD manager Marvin Brunsell. Also, measures would have to be taken to remove pollution and run-off that’s seeping into the lakes and causing much of the bog growth. Froyen said he would like to see the watershed board do a sediment removal project in a small test area to see if removing bogs and sediment could improve lake quality. The prospect of doing a study like this would be somewhat rare. It’s difficult to get all the required state permits to remove sediment from lakes. State officials worry about disposal of sediment and the pollution that accompanies it. Removing sediment could also redistribute the pollution into the waterway and cause other troubles. Froyen added that anything that is done would need the support of the lake homeowners who would benefit from a project. “If we had a petition by 200 people, we would be required to consider it,” Froyen said. “A lot of input needs to come from the people.”
