Best Practices for roadway surfacing require the use of good gravel. High-quality gravel prevents excess sediment from reaching the lake and negatively impacting water quality. The Pickerel Lake Conservancy requests that any gravel surfacing done on roads, driveways and parking areas around the lake meet, at a minimum, SD Department of Transportation specifications. The following list of providers and services is for your convenience, as PLC does not recommend specific contractors. Please make sure to request gravel that meets SD DOT Specs.

Roads, driveways and parking areas that have been previously surfaced with low quality pit-run gravel and need repair, should be resurfaced with crushed rock. When crushed rock is properly incorporated with existing surface material, it will lock up the fine material and provided an excellent driving surface.

Gravel Pits

Opitz Pit (provides material and hauling services)
Kenny Opitz 605-880-0632
Ryan Opitz 605-881-0128

Wike Pit (provides material only)
Kennard Wike 605-932-3564

Holscher Pit (provides material only)
Kerry Holscher 605-881-7219

L G Everist (provides material only, including crushed rock)
Summit Pit 605-398-6331
Sioux Falls 605-334-5000

Curly Pondweed was identified near the West State Park boat launch on Pickerel Lake in the spring of 2019. The PLC Board is keeping a close eye on this invader and considering appropriate actions when and where necessary. Please read this article on Curly Pondweed and report sitings along with pictures to ais@pickerellakeconservancy.org.

As a rule of thumb, don’t dispose of anything in your septic system that can easily be placed in the trash. Here are some helpful tips from our friends at the Northeast Glacial Lakes Watershed Improvement and Protection Project.
• Use white biodegradable toilet paper (colored or multiply paper does not break down as quickly)
• Do not flush unused pharmaceuticals down the drain
• Do not flush paint thinners, gasoline, pesticides or other toxic materials into the system (These materials can kill the naturally occurring bacteria that decomposes septic tank waste.)
• Use “green” household cleaning products
• Do not dispose of cooking fats or grease into the system (Grease can build up and clog system components)
• Do not deposit paper towels and tissues, sanitary napkins or disposable diapers into the system
For a more comprehensive discussion and expert commentary on system additives, prevention and maintenance, please refer to page four of this article.

Pickerel Lake Conservancy is recognized as an Accredited Charity by the by the Better Business Bureau, successfully meeting all requirements. PLC is also registered and linked to Charity Navigator and GuideStar. We have received the GuideStar 2018 Gold Seal of Transparency. Contact us for questions related to our nonprofit status at info@pickerellakeconservancy.org. Thank you for supporting our mission.
IRS 990

The Pickerel Lake 2018 ice out date was May 4th-late, but not a record. Thanks to records from Dan, Kurt, and Jonnathon, 2013 had a later ice out date of May 10th. The majority of Minnesota lakes were open before May 6th, except near the Canadian border. If you would like to view the ice going out at the south end, check our FaceBook page for video and pictures. Curious about the earliest date? March 19, 2012 stands as the earliest on record. If you have other records, please let us know.

The Shoreline Survey map viewed below, shows in red, shoreline that has been disturbed by development. How much is it? We may as well round off and say half the shoreline-five miles as the crow flies-has been altered from what Mother Nature installed. These are broad strokes of course; finer data in the full survey report to come, may contain some mitigation. Still, there is no way to sugar coat this. The survey indicates the shoreline of Pickerel Lake has too many hardscapes, too much naked rip rap, too much Kentucky bluegrass lawn, too many stretches where the forest canopy or understory, or both, have been removed. These overly groomed areas at the water’s edge have displaced the native trees and vegetation, that are not only better at buffering and filtering runoff than the man-made features that displaced them, but are also vital elements of the ecosystem that depends on the lake’s waters.
Pickerel Lake Shoreline Map