Loch Lomond – Our Community Treasure
New or longtime resident, it’s a good bet that you moved to Loch Lomond because of our community’s lake. You may appreciate its recreational opportunities – boating, swimming and fishing. You may enjoy just relaxing at one of the beaches in the summer – close by, uncrowded, well maintained. Or, you may just enjoy the scenery and ambience of a small lake community. One thing is certain, and that is the benefit we all derive from the lake and our Lake Association volunteers on the value of our homes and quality of our lives.
Loch Lomond was formed in 1955, when the Arthur T. McIntosh Company constructed a dam across the southern branch of Bull Creek, to create a centerpiece for residential development. The 550-foot dam and 50-foot concrete spillway were originally planned to be a roadway connecting the north and south sections of our subdivision. Your Association maintains and operates the dam under a plan developed by professional engineers. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources regulates dams in Illinois, and we are subject to their requirements, including regular inspections.
Loch Lomond, one of 170 lakes in Lake County, covers approximately 75 acres. When last surveyed, it had an average depth of 5 feet, with local areas as deep as 10-1/2 feet. It is 0.6 miles long and has 2.2 miles of beautiful shoreline. When full, it contains 123 million gallons of water. It can be 4-6” lower during drought conditions, and seldom more than a few inches higher following the heaviest rainfall. Loch Lomond’s outfall flows to St. Mary’s Lake, then to Butler Lake in Libertyville, and finally into the Upper Des Plaines River.
Our lake drains an area of 1439 acres, roughly bounded by routes 45, 83, 176, and on the north from Motorola to the intersection of Winchester Road and route 83. It’s a little sobering to think that every drop of water drained from this area – including everything that washes into the storm drains – eventually finds its way into Loch Lomond. The watershed is the source of both our lake water, and our lake’s two major problems – phosphorous and silt.
Phosphorous (the middle number on a bag of fertilizer) is a necessary nutrient for plant life – and algae! Phosphorous comes from lawn and agricultural fertilizers, waterfowl on the lake, and it builds up in our lake sediment. Our lake contains an overabundance of phosphorous, and the result is recurring “blooms” of algae in warm summer months. These can make the water look like “pea soup”, and cause odors. That’s why we encourage all residents to use only fertilizers that are phosphorous-free (established lawns don’t need phosphorous). While we can eliminate local “pockets” of algae with spraying, eliminating the cause – phosphorous – is extremely difficult and expensive to do. The long term plan of the Lake Management Committee is to re-establish a good growth of desirable native aquatic plants which can compete with algae for the available phosphorous.
Our lake supports a diverse population of healthy fish, waterfowl and invertebrates – and a wealth of recreational opportunities. It truly is our community’s “treasure”. Enjoy it, and help us improve it!
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