Manitowoc County Lakes Association

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

BOATING ORDINANCES
February 21, 2019
Manitowoc County Office Building
4319 Expo Dr, Rm 300, at 6:30pm. 

Our guest speaker will be Darren Kuhn, DNR Conservation Warden. He will be addressing legal issues, explain the boating ordinance process and getting State approval to boating ordinances. He will take questions regarding creating local boating ordinances, specifically to deal with mirrors on ski boats, and PFD use. Read more

Dec 18, 2018. Steven Hogler, Senior Fisheries Biologist, Wisconsin DNR, has shared a Comprehensive Fishing Survey for Wilke Lake, as well as an electroshock survey report for Shoe Lake. In these reports, he summarizes changes in fish numbers and proposes steps to be taken to correct the overall downward trends.

Read more

Next MCLA Meeting Date: Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018

Manitowoc County Office Complex, Room 300
4319 Expo Drive, Manitowoc
Meetings are at 6:30pm — Public and guests welcome and encouraged to attend!

Our guest speaker will be Ted Rulseh, a former resident of Manitowoc County and author, editor and publisher of several books on the Great Lakes region, he is the author of On the Pond: Lake Michigan Reflections. He recently released a book called Lakeside Companion which presents the science of lakes in an enjoyable way, with real world examples. He explains how little things that shore residents do on their property can have a large impact on the lake’s ecology. Ted J. Rulseh writes the newspaper column “The Lake Where You Live” and is active in lake-advocacy organizations, including the Wisconsin Citizen Lake Monitoring Network. He lives in the lake-rich region of northeastern Wisconsin.

Following the program Gene Weyer will review the lake monitoring data for each lake in the MCLA monitoring program. We now have enough data to start to identify long term water quality trends in our lakes.

by Hanna Edelglass

The Manitowoc County Lakes Association hosted its 20th annual Banquet this October 12th at Gill’s in Whitelaw.

Our Guest Speaker was Jim Knickelbine on “Birds of Our Waters” — view his presentation here.

Before an appreciative attendance, President Tom Ward welcomed attendees. He thanked Chuck Kiehn of Long Lake for arranging the banquet, and the Long Lake Association for sponsoring the dinner.  Tom expressed our appreciation of all who helped with the Fair Booth in August: Marcia Salm and her granddaughters, as well as Hanna Edelglass, Dave Pozorski, Jerry Corfman, Beth Kohlman, Chuck Kiehn, Scott Haberman and Al Klingheisen.

Six Lake Stewardship Awards were presented, reflecting achievements of the MCLA and its members.

MCLA Awards recipients for 2018, left to right, are:
Eugene Weyer, June and Frank Scharenbroch, and Tom Ward.

Read more

Our Guest Speaker for the October 12th MCLA banquet was Jim Knickelbine; Naturalist, Writer, and Director of Woodland Dunes Nature Center.

Jim is an experienced birder with years of experience observing and writing about the natural world. At the banquet, Jim shared his knowledge about our migratory feathered friends that inhabit and visit our county lakes and wetlands.

Read a summary of this presentation by Hanna Edelglass

Download a PowerPoint Show of the Birds of our Waters Presentation (9MB)