As winter segues into spring, with snow and the large ice berm melting, Lake Michigan water levels will temporarily rise.  Overall, however, Lake Michigan has dipped below its average height.  

 

Per the US Army Corps of Engineers (CoE), the six month forecast from February 2025 suggests the water level will remain below the average.  The CoE reports water levels are lower than last year in March 2024, with Lake Michigan being 11 inches lower at the high end.  Lake Michigan is below its long-term monthly average for March. Over the next month, the lake is expected to rise by 3 inches inches. Water levels remain higher than record lows and lower than record highs for March.

 

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Chickaming Open Lands (COL) announced it and its partners, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, earned a grant to improve the Galien River Watershed.  Of course, action that benefits any part of the watershed benefits RHOA and the 128+ acres of wetlands RHOA owns.  Thanks go to COL, its partners, and those who support its mission.  
 
Per the COL announcement, the 3-year, $260,000 grant from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation will "enhance habitat throughout the Galien River watershed by controlling invasive species, re-introducing disturbance regimes, and re-establishing native plants across 15 protected natural areas to benefit various insect pollinators, migratory and resident birds, reptiles and amphibians, and other wildlife species. The partners will continue management activities across approximately 438 acres and expand restoration work over nearly 1,100 more acres including priority wetland habitat.”  

The Riviera Board of Trustees would like to provide some initial updates as we work through addressing the August 27, 2024, storm damage.  Please select Read More for updates about the storm, RHOA response actions to date, and further actions as the community moves forward.

The RHOA Board will meet on the following dates at 5 PM Eastern time.  Homeowners who want to attend or address the Board should contact the RHOA Secretary to receive a Zoom invitation. 

 

December 11, 2024

 

Four years after the high water level peaked, Lake Michigan is approaching its average height.  The US Army Corps of Engineers describes the fluctuation in the lake from 1918 to 2024:

 

The Great Lakes generally follow a seasonal cycle where during the fall and early winter, water levels decline due to an increase in evaporation as temperatures decline and cold air moves over relatively warm surface waters. In the spring and early summer, water levels typically rise due to increased precipitation and enhanced runoff from snowmelt.

 

The six month forecast from July suggests the water level will continue to hover inches above the average.

 

By day I like to see the houses in Riviera; by night I like to see the night.  I asked a neighbor if he would consider lessening how much he illuminates his house and beyond it.  He responded spectacularly, turning off all the soffit lights when the house is not in use.  A field of stars is visible in the background.  Thank you, Joe, for the courtesy of preserving the night sky.  

One of the opportunities gained from supporting dark skies may soon be realized.  In the next few months, an exploding star may appear as a nova in the constellation Corona Borealis, the northern crown.  With a sufficiently dark sky you can likely see the celestial apparition, which will be about as bright as Polaris, the North Star.  

 

 

Two naturalists from SWxSW Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) who walked RHOA property identified and commented on flora and fauna that caught their eyes.  See A View of Riviera: Native and Invasive Species for photos, comments, and thumbs up/down ratings of the species encountered.  More details are in the RHOA Members Only blog.

Homeowners who rent their property must abide by New Buffalo Township short term rental ordinance, as must the people who rent the property.  The New Buffalo Township website provides short term rental information, including:

In the left column of this Riviera HOA website is a link to guidelines for Visitors & Renters.  Homeowners are encouraged to include a PDF version in the requisite Guest Book.  

 

The short term rental requirements include the following:

An image taken from The Blow with a hand-held cell phone reveals hidden stars of the Milky Way.  

 

Many Riviera homeowners seek to get away from the impositions of city life and to enjoy the abundance of nature here. Half of that experience--indeed, half our lives--occurs from sunset to sunrise.  Spectacles like twilight, crickets, fireflies, and stars then take center stage.  That is, until the contemplative darkness is disrupted by errant and excessive light.

 

If a thrifty LED light were a scout citing its pledge, it would put up its LED fingers and declare, "I'm useful, targeted, no brighter than necessary, controlled, and have warm colors."  Stick to those key notions and your outdoor light will achieve its purpose responsibly.  Read more for an introduction to light pollution and ways to lessen it in the Riviera community.

 

 

At the 2023 Annual Meeting, several homeowners spoke of issues that concerned them, including the proliferation of invasive species and excessive outdoor lighting.  A new Stewardship group is forming to address the natural well-being of RHOA-owned properties.  If you are interested in facilitating, participating in, or being informed about stewardship opportunities such as invasive plant removal, you can receive relevant emails when you Login to your Profile and select the Stewardship group.  

 

Thanks to the neighbors who responded at the Annual Meeting. As the inaugural Stewardship group launches, see the Members Only Blog for updates.  Contact Chuck Bueter for more info.

 

Image: Volunteer Sarah B. hauls away invasive honeysuckle in the Riviera.

 

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New Buffalo Township restricts the use of consumer fireworks, per Ordinance No. 20130520, to the times shown below.

 

Lakeshore Recycling & Disposal lists recycling tips at lakeshorerecycle.com/recycling-info, reproduced below left.  You can also download and print tips with examples, below right, compiled courtesy of Millie Flannery.

 

         

 

 

While beach fires are allowed, homeowners need to extinguish the fires completely with water and clean up after themselves.  No one wants to step into hot buried embers or have the pristine beach compromised by charred wood and dispersed coals.  A PDF with tips on how to extinguish a beach fire suggests digging a pit for the fire, extinguishing it thoroughly with water when done, and then filling the pit with sand.  Thank you for your consideration of owners, guests, and resources.

 

 

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The RHOA Board shared a Good Neighbors Policy specific to our community, which describes what your neighbors ask of you.  Topics include Beach, Pets, Construction, Fireworks, Noise, Outdoor Lighting, Wetlands Access and Boat Rack, and Trash.  Simple courtesies go a long way, and all neighbors thank you for your consideration.

 

 

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With improved outdoor weather and the seasonal return of homeowners and guests, home construction underway in RHOA becomes more apparent. As a reminder to all Riviera residents, there are limiting hours when construction and its accompanying inconveniences are permitted.  RHOA has a well-established Construction Policy that details construction guidelines regarding parking, dumpsters, hours, debris, fencing, compliance, and more.

 

 

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Small red dots painted on trees have caught the attention of homeowners.  Red dots usually mean an arborist from the utility company has tagged the tree as one needing to be trimmed.  An X signals the tree may be removed, for which the utility usually notifies the owner.  Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) has a document describing its tree trimming policy and recommendations.  

 

 

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New Buffalo Township ordinances listed at https://newbuffalotownship.org/township-ordinances include the Anti-Noise and Public Nuisance Ordinance NO. 690720.  

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During the coronavirus crisis, garbage must only be in LakeShore Recycling & Disposal's approved containers.  The garbage haulers will NOT pick up items that are outside of the garbage cans.  Please place your containers 3-4 feet from the edge of the road and 2-3 feet apart from each other.  

 

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An amended ordinance to regulate the use of fireworks in New Buffalo Township went into effect August 31, 2019.  The terms include the dates and hours during which consumer fireworks are permitted, specifically around the New Year's Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day holidays.  On limited days detailed in the ordinance, hours are limited to 11:00 AM to 11:45 PM  A violation results in a fine of $1,000.00.  

 

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New Buffalo Township publicly posted a notice of adoption of a Residential Rental and Short Term Rental Licensing Ordinance on August 29, 2019, with the new ordinance going into effect 31 days later.  A copy of the ordinance, which was adopted by the New Buffalo Township Board on August 19, is provided by New Buffalo Township Deputy Clerk Kathie Butler.

 

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Two freaks on Lake Michigan may not be so rare after all.  Weather phenomena known as seiches and meteotsunamis give rise to sudden waves that are capable of washing beachgoers out to sea. A recent article in the Chicago Tribune suggests the surging wave that overwhelmed eight Chicagoans in 1954 can be attributed to a meteorological tsunami, with smaller versions occurring multiple times per year.  Lower Lake Michigan has a history of high-wave tragedies, including a "Great Wave" that wiped out a bridge in New Buffalo in 1908.

 

The Berrien County Sheriff's Department invites the public to sign up for Berrien Warning, Alert, and Regional Notification, dubbed the B-Warn Alert Program, which is an opt-in mass notification service that sends alert messages to you. They write, "You get control over the types of alerts you get, when you get them, and for what locations.  We also have a form built in to allow you to communicate issues that may affect your ability to take protective actions."  For more information and to subscribe to the service, visit the B-Warn registration.