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After successfully reducing the water seepage from Viewpoint Lake by 50 percent, the Recreation Centers of Sun City, Inc. will reseal the lake on January 25 to further reduce seepage. The lake, which had been seeping over 500 acre-feet a year, was previously resealed by Seepage Control in January 2006, resulting in a much-improved seepage rate of 205 acre-feet a year. As a provision of the original contract with Seepage Control, RCSC will be able to reseal the lake at a significantly reduced cost. RCSC has a yearly allotment of water determined by the Arizona Department of Water Resources, and water seepage is counted in that allotment. According to RCSC Director of Golf John Snyder, the high levels of seepage from Viewpoint Lake coupled with an increasing lack of rain makes it challenging to meet the ADWR allotment. Rather than reducing watering of the golf courses to stay within the allotment, which in turn reduces the quality of the courses’ playing surfaces, RCSC will reseal the lake to prevent further seepage. Board of Directors President Denny Nichols noted that preventing future seepage is critical for maintaining compliance with ADWR’s water use regulations and restrictions. “This resealing will help us stay within our water allotments,” he said. “We face significant fines if we do not stay within our allotment, so we’re planning for the future.” The lake will again be sealed with ESS-13, a vegetable-based liquid polymer emulsion that settles at the bottom of the lake. The product is drawn into the areas where water is seeping into the soil and forms a seal that reduces the amount of seepage. After the first sealing in January, divers searched the lake for any abandoned drains, valves or pipes that could cause further seepage. No problems were found. “It’s important to keep in mind that when we put [the sealing product] in the first time, it worked,” said RCSC Director of Centers Operations Jim Wellman. “This time we’re just trying to further reduce the seepage beyond our original goal and we’re able to do that at a reduced cost.” Viewpoint Lake provides water for the RCSC golf courses and serves as a popular recreational amenity for RCSC. The resealing of the lake is only one aspect of RCSC’s strategy for keeping the lake healthy and self-sustaining so it can continue to provide water for the golf courses and a recreational outlet for residents. Boating in the lake will not be allowed until the sealing is complete. After the resealing, however, RCSC’s fleet of rowboats will be returned to the lake for members’ use. Members are reminded, however, that to prevent infestation by golden alga any boats that have been in water other than Viewpoint Lake must be wiped down and disinfected before entering the lake. The lake is also a popular fishing spot, and RCSC has an eventual goal of making the lake a truly self-sustaining sport fishing lake. Fish were removed from the lake for the first sealing and were culled since older, larger fish were less likely to survive the application of the sealing product. The fish that were returned to the lake will remain during the second sealing. Contact: Lindsay Frost, RCSC Communications Coordinator (623) 876-3060, ext. 3087; lfrost@sunaz.com. |
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Recreation Centers |
10626 W. Thunderbird Blvd. |
Tel 623-561-4600 |
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