Facts About Lake Ripley
Helpful Links
Physical and Hydrological Descriptors
| Lake surface area: |
423.3 acres (main body); 1.7 acres (Vasby’s ditch); 2.5 acres (dredged inlet channel) |
| Watershed area: |
4,688 acres (7.3 square miles) |
| Watershed-to-lake area ratio: |
11:1 |
| Shoreline length: |
4.1 miles (main body); 0.57 mile (Vasby’s ditch); 0.95 (dredged inlet) |
| Max. lake depth: |
44 ft. |
| Mean (average) depth: |
18 ft. |
| Water residence time: |
2.85 years (amount of time water resides in the lake before it is flushed out and replaced with new water) |
| Inlet stream length: |
4.25 miles (2.5 miles in 1907, prior to drainage ditching) |
| Ice-cover period: |
102 days (2014-2019 average) |
The Big Picture
The Major Threats...
- Polluted runoff from lands that drain to the lake
- Cumulative impacts of shoreland development and poor land-use practices
- Recreational pressures and conflicts
- Loss of fish and wildlife habitat
- Draining and filling of wetlands
- Removal of native shoreline vegetation
- Introduction and proliferation of non-native, invasive species
The Consequences...
- Degraded water quality
- More frequent algae blooms
- Excessive weed growth
- Increased recreational conflicts
- Reduced plant, fish and wildlife diversity
- Loss of tranquility and natural scenic beauty
- Increased costs for lake management
- Diminished property values
The Solutions...
- Promote responsible growth and low-impact land uses
- Protect and restore wetlands that attenuate floods, trap pollutants and offer valuable habitat
- Naturalize shorelines by planting "buffers" that consist of native plants, shrubs and trees
- Control soil erosion and eliminate sources of polluted runoff
- Limit hard surfaces like concrete patios, driveways and asphalt parking lots
- Respect other lake users and wildlife
- Follow posted rules and regulations
- Understand the impacts of your actions
- Support ongoing lake-improvement efforts
- Educate your friends and neighbors as to what they can do to protect Lake Ripley
