BELLA VISTA — Leaves in Bella Vista’s lakes are still a problem for some homeowners.

The issue of the leaves surfaced last month and again on Oct. 22 at meetings of the Bella Vista Property Owners Association’s Joint Advisory Committee on Lakes.

While everybody accepts that a certain amount of foliage will end up in the water, its the additional amounts put there by humans that are causing problems. Chief among them is that leaves sit on top of the water and follow the prevailing winds and currents.Most of the leaves are washed into shallow coves around the lakes, clogging them and preventing their use by local residents.

Once the leaves decompose, they sink and add to the silt layers on the lake bottom. Thesilt eventually has to be removed in order for the lake to stay healthy.

POA Lakes and Parks Superintendent Vern Olafson told committee members that he would like to see the practice of blowing leaves into the lakes stopped. Instead, the debris should be carted off to one of Bella Vista’s stump dumps or some other authorized collection point, he said.

There was even talk at last week’s meeting of a possible site where leaves could be taken and composted. The resulting compost could be offered at no cost to Bella Vistans.

The committee members decided to continue discussing the problem in upcoming meetings.

“We’re going to be talking about this for a few more months,” the superintendent said.

Olafson also gave an update on some of the construction projects, either ongoing or planned, on the lakes.

He said the rebuilt heated dock on Lake Avalon appears to be a big hit with anglers. Some have even volunteered their time to spruce up the place a bit by adding shutters and other items.

The fishing dock at the Lake Ann Dam will soon have electricity. Olafson said Carroll Electric is prepared to move forward with the plan. It was first thought that solar power would be used, but officials decided to go with underground power.

Olafson said all the “road blocks” have been removed on the redoing of the access road to Lake Brittany. The work crew is just waiting for better weather.

“Hopefully we’ll start in the next two weeks,” Olafson said. “We’re ready to go.”

The construction of a restroom at Lake Ann is on hold until further notice from POA General Manager Tommy Bailey, Olafson said. Olafson believes the delay was caused by an issue with the planned structure being in a known floodplain.

Lakes committee members voted to hold one meeting for November and December. The group will gather at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, in the Fire Department training room in Town Center West.

Sports & Recreation, Pages 13 on 10/28/2009

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