Below is an update from Arizona Game & Fish Department regarding the Crescent Lake Aeration Project. As you can see, a lot of progress has been made, but we still have quite a way to go.
White Mountains Lake Foundation would like to thank Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation, Arizona Flycasters, Desert Fly Casters, White Mountain Fly Fishing Club and our membership for helping WMLF fund our contribution to this project.
Table 1. Progress Toward Crescent Lake Aeration
| Action | Agency | Date | Deliverable |
| Winter surveys of Crescent | AGFD, ASO | Winter from 2008 to 2014 | Data on how often aeration needed, maximum days of aeration needed, also information that snow removal and more water in lake would be ineffective.
|
| Initial meeting on Crescent Aeration | AGFD, ASNF, WMLF | Summer 2012 | Informed Forest of desire to aerate Lake, outline process at meeting
|
| Coordination on Aeration | AGFD, ASNF | March to November 2013 | Specification written for project and modified to meet Forest needs. Forest decides project is CE (categorical exclusion) and willing to have other federal agency take lead
|
| EA checklist process started in Phoenix | AGFD | November 2013 | Specifications submitted to AGFD, to meet environmental compliance; approval on hold for Arch survey
|
| Purchase of initial aeration equipment | WMLF | November 2013 | Bought two types of aerators and wire to run equipment and get information on best product and electrical needs
|
| Test Deployment of aerators | WMLF | January and February 2014 | Deployed and tested Aerators at Bill Lake also purchased converter to 4 phase. Was able to refine deployment technique and measure electrical use.
|
| Coordination meeting with Forest | AGFD, ASNF | April 2014 | Forest seems willing to be flexible on environmental compliance on lake systems
|
| Load money for diesel in Region 1 budget | AGFD | July 2014 | $7,000 loaded into budget for diesel
|
| Arch survey done | ASNF | July 2014 | Forest does Arch survey for site, however when going to get final EA checklist, found out that FWS (WSFR) could not be action agency
|
| Cost estimate done | AGFD | August 2014 | Sent electrical usage to consultant, he came up with cost estimate for system. Good news is we have the aeration and wire needed, just need to purchase the powerplant. |
AGFD (Arizona Game and Fish Department), ASNF (Apaches-Sitgreaves National Forest), ASO (Apache Sherriff’s Office), WMLF (White Mountain Lake Foundation)
Table 2. Actions Needed to Deploy Aerator
| Action | Agency | Date | Deliverable |
| Categorical exclusion provided | ? | There was confusion on lead agency for CE. Need to determine if Fish and Wildlife in Whiteriver can be lead or if we need to pay for CE
|
|
| Agreement with Crescent Lake Concessionaire | AGFD, ASNF, | Hold harmless clause with concessionaire
|
|
| Final total cost estimate | AGFD | Once we determine the CE paperwork need we can come up with total cost of project and start shopping for money and implementation.
|
|
| Modify specs and EA checklist | AGFD | Rewrite specifications including new power plant (should be short easy process)
|
|
| Purchase powerplant and rest of supplies | AGFD | Once money identified purchase and install power plant, also need $1,000 of miscellaneous material to put up barrier around hole in ice
|
|
| Install powerplant | AGFD | Install and operate power plant |
AGFD (Arizona Game and Fish Department), ASNF (Apaches-Sitgreaves National Forest), ASO (Apache Sherriff’s Office), WMLF (White Mountain Lake Foundation)
