The Albert Lea Lake Management Committee finished writing up a draft of its recommendations for future lake use Thursday.

The plan employs partial dredging and drawdown as the main tools for improving water quality. It will also impose a speed limit on boats and propose development that would encourage the recreational use of the lakefront.

Dredging is proposed for the west basin of the lake to restore deep-water fish habitat. The bottom sediments in the shallow lake are considered to be the major cause of poor water clarity. A limited dredging is also planned to create a travel path for motorboats in the east and north basins.

The drawdown is to prevent erosion and establish aquatic plants. The committee specified the drawdown in the winter to be six-inches below the normal level so that the ice would not destroy the shoreline. It also recommends that the county

install a second aeration system in the Channel area to avoid winterkills.

All water within 300-feet from shore will be a restricted area for motorboats and jet-skis. The maximum speed in this no-wake zone will be 5 mph. In addition, a 25 mph limit will be imposed in the central basin.

For lakefront development, the committee recommended a park-type setting around the east side of the Channel and the old city wastewater treatment plant. It also added a requirement for all subdivisions within 1,000-feet of the lake

to be connected to the city sewer system.

The committee will meet in a month to finalize the recommendations after consulting with an environmental specialist.