The Otterbein Lake Project – News

Creating a community asset to enhance the scenic, recreational, educational and environmental value of Otterbein Lake for the citizens of Westerville and the surrounding areas.

 

In 2009, we will be seeing these changes at Otterbein Lake:

Erosion fence removed on April 25 (please join the effort).

Native plants installed on May 9 (please join the effort).

The acknowledgement sign and native garden on the overlook will be finished this spring.

Remainder of invasives removed.

Wessie Fest nature festival will be August  29. Please sign up to exhibit by emailing Laura Horton at Laura.Horton@westerville.org.

In 2008, we saw these changes at Otterbein Lake:

Aquatic and lakes-edge vegetation has been installed and more is to come, thanks to a much appreciated $5,000 grant from Nisource.

On Earth Day, about 70 volunteers planted, installed goose fencing, and removed invasive vegetation.

Native woods-edge trees and shrubs have been planted along the bikeway on the north side of the lake by the Westerville Electric Division.

Overlook railings are finished by a team of community members with carpentry skills.

A native garden and gravel path were installed near the overlook by Otterbein’s Plan-It Earth environmental group.

Wessie Fest nature festival in June provided an enjoyable day at the lake for community members.

In 2007, we saw these changes at Otterbein Lake:

The lake has been recontoured for safety and to give it a better ecological future. It has several deep and shallow areas, a small bird island in the southwest corner, and shallows for vegetation. Although the water level has been lowered significantly, the fish and other aquatic inhabitants are fine. The heron and ducks are still enjoying their lake, as always.

A stone overlook is being constructed in the northwest corner. This will allow safe fishing and lake observation for everyone. The stone wall is almost complete and a railing will be installed (thank you to the Walnut Springs fishing club for the railing.) The top will be finished in stone so that it will be accessible to everyone.

The Ohio Contractors’ Association, Columbus Chapter, is going to complete modification of the weir (overflow structure) to make the water level adjustable for better plant growth. The water is now being allowed to return to its normal level.

A number of organizations and individuals extended themselves tremendously to make this phase:

Stone Environmental Engineering, M.A.D. Scientist, the Westerville Parks and Recreation Department, George J. Igel & Co.,  Belasco Drilling, Kevin O’Connor of Geotechnical Consultants, to name a few. More are listed under “Who is Helping” on the Home page.

A fish survey was completed by a Westerville scout troop.

More invasive plants were removed.

Wessie Fest nature festival in June provided an enjoyable day at the lake for community members.

A number of workdays provided good crowds to seed, install a goose fence, remove invasive vegetation, and build a stone waterway by the southwest drainage pipe.

In 2006, we saw these changes at Otterbein Lake:

The water level of the lake is lowered so that engineering drawings can be done for the boardwalk, stone overlook, and pier. This will not harm the underwater inhabitants of the lake. The Ohio Contractors’ Association, Columbus Chapter, took charge of the water lowering as a contribution to the project. The weir (concrete structure that controls the water level) will be improved later so that the water level can be easily adjusted in the future. This will allow better underwater vegetation in the lake.

Native trees and shrubs around the substation and along the Alum Creek Bikeway are thriving. They were planted during several community workdays in 2005 and funded by the Westerville Electric Division and a grant from Keep Franklin County Beautiful. If you would like to know the species of these plants, e-mail otterbeinlake@att.net.

Several workdays have cleared debris from the lake edges and cleared brush to allow a path to be built along the west side of the lake.

 

 

 

Please send your comments to otterbeinlake@att.net.