Manitowoc County Lakes Association General Membership Meeting Minutes

Manitowoc County Lakes Association

General Membership Meeting

12-5-19 – 6:30PM

Manitowoc County Office Building

 

 

Meeting Minutes:

 

Presentation by Samantha Lammers on the 2019 Manitowoc County AIS summary:

• 137,837 boats were viewed statewide for Clean Boats, Clean Water.
• Over 83,000 hours were spent for Clean Boats, Clean Water.
• 275 hours were spent by intern Kristin in Manitowoc County.
• 235 hours were spent by volunteers.
• Had inspection and identification training on English, Pigeon, Bullhead and Wilke Lake.
• Surveys were completed on Cedar Lake and Manitowoc River.
• Attended 14 Association meetings and 4 MCLA meetings.
• Installed new signage and updated signage at boat landings
• Paperwork is submitted for 2020 – 2022 grant for Sheboygan and Manitowoc County. This includes cost for Manitowoc County Fair booth.
• Beetles are being grown to try and bio control purple loosestrife.
• Each lake can apply for Clean Boats, Clean Water grant with a maximum of 200 hours.
• Will continue to offer training and identification workshops.

 

Presentation by Gene Weyer on Water Quality Monitoring:

• Has been active for the past 7 years.
• Most Manitowoc County Lakes are participating.
• There is data being gathered.
• Mostly volunteer work.
• Trying to establish trends.
• DNR funds $200 per lake for test analysis.
• DNR funds $800 per lake for testing equipment.
• Only 3 Manitowoc County lakes are not funded. They are Horseshoe, Weyers and Tuma.
• Ice out test is done. This is best for phosphorus indications.
• Three summer tests are done June to September. June normally has highest phosphorus.
• Gene described how volunteers collected information.
• Gene shared the lake results.
• Gene showed equipment used by volunteers.

 

Lake Reports:

 

Carstens Lake:

• Met with Stantec and Stevens Point Professor on the lake filtration project.

Silver Lake:

• Lake froze over twice.
• Phosphorus readings are going up.
• Subdivision retention ponds are to be tested.
• Boat launch area is better.
• Berm is better.

Bullhead Lake:

• Lake District is approved by township. The approval is now at the county level.

Cedar Lake:

• High water levels.
• There have been many eagle sightings.
• WPS helped with osprey nest.
• Submitted dash grant.
• Treated lake for milfoil and highly recommend the treatment.
• Parking lot is done and includes a rain garden.
• There is a pump in place that has not been used for 3 years. It would take 5 ½ days of pumping to raise the water level by 1”.

Wilke Lake:

• Water quality plan is being submitted by the sanitary district.

Gass Lake:

• Changing water flow on south end could reduce by 90%.
• High water shed for the size of the lake.
• Ran into permit problem. Requiring flood plain and wetland study.
• May be able to proceed with general permit and they are looking into this.

Pigeon Lake:

• Milfoil found this fall. The lake was 3 years clean after treatment.
• Christmas at Sinawa is the upcoming weekend. Large fund raiser for the camp.
• Ice golf will be held on 2/8/20. They allow up to 135 golfers.

Long Lake:

• The lake is frozen.
• Had eagles and lots of geese.
• There have been ice fishermen on the lake already.

Lake Michigan

• Water level may have reached peak. The lake has a very large watershed.
• Debris is showing up.

Tuma:

• New pier.
• New wash facility.
• Planning on blacktopping in spring.
• Boat cleaning station to be installed.

 

2019 Annual Banquet report made by Jerry Corfman:

• Made $35.
• Very good program on Agriculture Runoff presented by George Meyer.
• A sponsor is needed for the 2020 banquet.

 

Tom Ward reviewed the future meeting dates:

• 2/27/2020
• 4/23/2020
• 6/25/2020
• 8/27/2020 (May fluctuate depending on county fair)
• October Banquet
• 12/3/2020

 

Treasurers Report by Marcia Salm:

• $19,781.15 Grant Checking Account
• $ 4,377.71 General Operating Checking Account

 

Survey was requested and collected from the attendees of the meeting:

• What MCLA programs would like to be seen?
• What roll should MCLA play in helping other lakes?
• Should MCLA become more politically active at the State and Local levels?
• Should MCLA sponsor more social activities and ideas?

 

Tom Ward explained that as water clarity decreases the plant life decreases. This can increase phosphorus because plants tie up phosphorus. Should pay attention to water run off by roads, culvers and ditches.

 

Gene Weyers felt it may be a good idea to treat an approximate area of 100’ x 100’ for milfoil at all the county lakes boat landings. Samantha Lammers may communicate with DNR for funding.

 

A motion was made by Daniel Dufek and seconded by Gene Weyers to have 2 directors for the Manitowoc County Fish and Game. The cost is $50 per director. The motion was approved.

Joe Kopplinger from Cartens Lake volunteered to be one of the directors for MCLA.

Respectfully Submitted

Scott Umland, MCLA Secretary