Dropping water in lake irks Oronoco residents
by The Associated Press

ORONOCO, Wis. -- When Todd Hinsch and neighbor Jeff Nowicki moved to Oronoco north of Rochester a decade ago, Lake Shady was a place for canoeing or kayaking on the lake or on the nearby river. But dropping water has changed all that.

The lake filled with sediment over the years and the local park department removed a 22-inch flash board on a downstream dam for safety reasons.

Hirsch says the lake only had three to four feet of water at the start, so a 22-inch change made a big difference. Islands of mud now show up in the middle of the lake, and the smell of rotten eggs comes from the exposed lake bed.

The Lake Shady Association plans to take the issue to the Oronoco City Council tomorrow night to ask for support in an effort to fix the lake.

Hinsch and Nowicki say they want to work with the council to find a solution.