by Todd S. Bergmann

Originally published in the Valders Journal on February 1, 2018. 

Recent innovations and technology make it easier to catch more fish, an expert fisherman told area sportsmen last week.  Tournament fisherman Clint Ward addressed a meeting of the Manitowoc County Lakes Association on Jan. 25, 2018, discussing everything from his favorite ice fishing equipment to how he beat his cousin using the latest technical advances.

Ward said the best lakes in the county for catching: bluegills are Carstens, Weyers, West and Bullhead; for crappie it’s Long, Shoe and English; for perch it’s English; and for northerns it’s Wilke, Hartlaub, Schisel, and Cedar.  Additionally, Cedar, Silver, English and Pigeon lakes contain small populations of walleyes, he said.

Read more

Read the full article on the DNR website: Groundwater Coordinating Council Releases Recommendations to Improve Groundwater Quality and Quantity in Wisconsin

Sept 1, 2020 – Nearly 75% of Wisconsin residents rely on groundwater as the primary source for their drinking water. Wisconsin also relies on groundwater to irrigate crops, water cattle and process a wide variety of foods, as well as feed trout streams and spring-fed lakes—all of which are vital to our state economy.

The Wisconsin Groundwater Coordinating Council, which supports the sustainable management of groundwater quantity and quality in the state, shared key recommendations for protecting and preserving groundwater resources with the Wisconsin legislature in its August 2020 annual report.

Three of the key recommendations found in the report address some of the most prevalent issues in Wisconsin water quality:

• Protecting groundwater from nitrate and other agricultural contaminants;
• Addressing public health and environmental concerns regarding perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals; and
• Evaluating groundwater for viruses and other microbial pathogens.

For more information, read the full article
and visit dnr.wi.gov and search “Groundwater Coordinating Council.”

Wisconsinites have the opportunity to vie for funding to support projects that benefit lakes, rivers and wetlands. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources provides more than $6 million each year for surface water protection and restoration. 

“The surface water grant program supports a variety of projects to help achieve statewide surface water quality and habitat goals. If you are thinking about submitting a project, the time is now to reach out to your local lakes, rivers or AIS coordinator. They can review your pre-application and help you develop a competitive application.”

—Alison Mikulyuk, DNR Lakes and Rivers Team Leader

Deadlines

Eligible entities must submit a pre-application with a rough project outline by Sept. 2, 2020, and final grant applications are due on Nov. 1, 2020.

Who is eligible to apply for grant funding?

Eligible organizations include lake associations and districts, river management organizations, local units of government, nonprofits, schools and others. Individuals interested in applying must find a qualified organization willing to sponsor their project.

Reprinted from an Aug 10, 2020 article on the Wisconsin DNR website
by Alison.Mikulyuk@wisconsin.gov.

To begin the application process, read the DNR article in its entirety here.

A DNR news release on August  10, 2020 introduced a new roadkill reporting system aimed to help our populations of reptiles and amphibians.

Wisconsin residents and visitors are being asked to report road crossings where these reptiles and amphibians are found dead or alive to help better understand where their populations occur and to save more of them in the future. The new reporting form is now available from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Reptiles and Amphibians webpage.

“Our goal is to fill in gaps of where these animals are found in Wisconsin and how they’re doing in the state so we can better protect them. We also want to identify high road mortality areas where we can work to incorporate mitigation efforts to diminish the threats to them.”

—Rich Staffen, DNR Natural Heritage Conservation Program zoologist.

The Butler’s Garter Snake is listed as being of ‘Special Concern’

• Wisconsin snake populations have declined due to habitat loss and human persecution; 13 of Wisconsin’s 21 snake species are listed as endangered, threatened or special concern.
• 3 of Wisconsin’s 4 lizard species are in trouble, including the legless and endangered slender glass lizard.
• Wisconsin is home to 12 species of frogs. Many populations have declined throughout the state due to habitat destruction and fragmentation.
• Wisconsin has 7 species of salamanders, one considered “special concern” because of uncertain population numbers.

Read the Aug 10, 2020 DNR news release in its entirety here

Be sure to take the “Herp” quiz to sharpen your identification skills and win guidebooks!
Contest ends Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020

photo by Eric Muhr, via unsplash

MCLA is canceling the bi-monthly April 23rd meeting.  Our next scheduled meeting is June 25th, and hopefully by then it will be safe to meet again.  Update: The June 25th meeting has also been canceled, along with the August meeting and October Banquet. We want everyone to know that MCLA is still here to assist with lake concerns, including invasive species. You can reach us at manitowoccountylakesassoc.email@gmail.com

In the meantime, take some time to read and enjoy the information and many important articles about the health of our lakes that can be viewed on the website. We’ve had many guest speakers in the past… 2019 guest speakers are here

Enjoy the beauties of spring, a time when nature springs to life and new hope does too! The peepers will soon be in chorus and most birds have arrived and in full song. Maybe after this experience we will appreciate what whitetail deer go through a in a bad winter.

Farmers have to be optimistic come spring as they are heavily invested in putting their money and seeds in the ground, hoping for the best.

Feel blessed to live on or near the water and enjoy the healing hands of nature.  A great cure for cabin fever.

Tom Ward