Lake Ripley

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

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)