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

Todd S. Bergmann of the Valders Journal highlights the presentations of local ice fishing expert Clint Ward and SLO Farmers Co-op representative Suzanne Zipperer. The two were guest speakers at the February 27, 2020 MCLA meeting.

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MCLA has been fielding more questions lately about whether or not riparian land owners can have piers.

You can find all the answers you need on the Wisconsin DNR’s website at https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Waterways/recreation/piers.html

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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! 

A subscription to the Valders journal is $30/ year. Great articles, great photos. Complete community coverage. Call (920) 775-4431 to subscribe. You can like their facebook page here.

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.

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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

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