Tom Ward and John Durbrow

At the MCLA annual banquet on October 18, 2019, John S. Durbrow was presented with the Lake Stewardship award for his work in support of Manitowoc County lakes.

Through his leadership as President and Past President of the Manitowoc County Lakes Association, MCLA initiated its first website.

John set up a candidate forum on water quality topics to educate voters and the candidates on natural resource issues.

On behalf of MCLA, John obtained a grant to study the impact of water clarity on home prices in Manitowoc and surrounding counties.

John has also helped MCLA to host educational topics expanding the membership’s understanding and knowledge of lake issues.

MCLA thanks John for his dedication to our lakes.

George Meyer

George Meyer and Tom Ward

At the October 18th MCLA Annual Banquet at Meats Opera Haus in St, Nazianz (more details), MCLA members were privileged to hear a talk by guest speaker George Meyer. George Meyer is the former Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and Executive Director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation (WWF). Valders Journal Reporter Todd S. Bergmann covered the event in his October 24, 2019 article.

Read the Valders Journal article

Thank you to The Valders Journal for their coverage and for allowing us to share these timely and informative articles. Support your local news! 

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Waterfowl hunters do their part to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species

About the time the Green Bay Packers start fulfilling our football dreams, Wisconsin’s hunters prepare to take to the waters for the 2019 waterfowl hunting season on opening weekend, September 28-29. It will also begin the fourth year of Waterfowl Hunter Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Outreach, when teams of DNR staff, statewide AIS Partners and volunteers will be stationed at access points on opening days across the state to talk to hunters about AIS and what they can do to stop the spread. Staff at Glacierland RC& D will be out at the Marshes and other hunting hotspots around Sheboygan and Manitowoc Counties to assist hunters with preventative actions and answer any invasive species questions. Read more

MCLA MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
Thursday, September 26th, 2019
Please mark your calendars and join us
at the Manitowoc County Office building @ 4319 Expo Drive,
Room 300, at 6:30pm.
Public and Guests are encouraged to attend.

Our program will be on internal phosphorus loading in our lakes with guest speaker Ron Gerrits from Bullhead Lake. Bullhead Lake is in the process of doing a feasibility study to determine if an alum treatment can be conducted to improve water quality conditions. Ron will highlight the findings of the project.

Our second speaker will be  the President of the Kewaunee County Lake Association, Randy Kleiman. He will discuss the successful alum treatment conducted on east Alaska lake in Kewaunee County to control the phosphorus internal loading.

The MCLA business meeting will follow.

Ever question your catch?

There’s a new FREE fish ID tool available from the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute. Read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Madison—Thousands of Wisconsinites will take to the water this Fourth-of-July for the state’s busiest boating holiday of the year. During the tenth annual Landing Blitz, July 3-7th, 2019, many boaters will be greeted at landings and access points by Glacierland RC&D and Wisconsin DNR staff, as well as volunteers sharing a simple, but powerful message: YOU can protect lakes, rivers, and streams from aquatic invasive species.

Read more

Starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa), a submerged annual macroalga, is known to cause nuisance conditions in MI, NY and IN. It can outcompete other vegetation and forms monotypic stands that can reduce fish spawning habitat.

Learn about Manitowoc’s latest AIS threat at the next MCLA meeting on Wednesday, June 26th, 2019 at 6:30pm

Please join us at the Manitowoc County Office building @ 4319 Expo Drive, Room 300. Public and Guests are encouraged to attend.

DNR Fish Manager Steve Hogler will be our guest speaker, Steve will be reviewing last year’s fish survey findings on Wilke and Shoe lakes in the County and discuss DNR’s plans for surveying lakes this year. He will shed some light on the fish die off of Bullheads on Silver Lake this past month. This will be an opportunity to ask questions regarding the fisheries of the area and discuss the special panfish regulations on Long, Bullhead, English and Harpts lakes.

• View Steve Hogler’s presentation on fish survey findings

Read more

Draining livewells can stop invasive species and protect Wisconsin’s Waters

MADISON- Fishing success is tied to healthy lakes, rivers and streams. Anglers can help keep our waters healthy and beautiful by stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) by draining their live wells, bait buckets and bilges every time they leave a boat launch or fishing access. When we forget to drain, the water moved from one location to another can transport fish diseases and aquatic invasive species. The statewide Drain Campaign, our annual reminder, will take place on May 31-June 2, 2019 and coincides with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Free Fishing Weekend, June 1-2. Read more

The cost of poor water quality to property values, an analysis commissioned by Manitowoc County Lakes Association, and conducted by Drs. Wolf and Kemp of UW-Eau Claire, will be presented by MCLA past president John Durbrow. The study, which analyzed 8,372 property transactions between 2013 and 2016 in Manitowoc and adjacent counties, has demonstrated that lake water clarity directly impacts the property value of residences on that water body. The report concludes “…that a 1 meter increase in water clarity will result in a 10.5% increase in home values for properties located within 250 meters of a lake.” Conversely, the more water clarity is degraded, the more property values are reduced. Read more

Darren Kuhn has collected many stories in his career as a recreation safety warden, along with a strong desire for people to stay safe while having fun. Kuhn, who works for the state Department of Natural Resources, recently spoke to the Manitowoc County Lakes Association during a meeting in Manitowoc.

Read more

Phosphorous levels are slowly increasing in Manitowoc County lakes.

Gene Weyer, water quality testing director and former president of the Manitowoc County Lakes Association, displayed graphs of phosphorous levels on 16 area lakes to those gathered at the association’s Feb. 21 meeting. Read more