Tiffany Determan of the Sherburne County ASCS office reported last week her office will be forwarding to the county in June a plan for spending state grant funds on aquatic invasive species plant projects.

 

Determan addressed the annual meeting of the Big Eagle Lake Improvement Association, reporting the funds could be used in identified lakes having AIS, of which Eagle Lake is among, plus the Mississippi and Rum Rivers. (Other lakes affected include Big Lake, Lake Mitchell, Little Elk Lake at Zimmerman and Rush Lake in the Briggs Lake Chain.

 

She advised the Eagle Lakers join in a coalition of Sherburne County lake associations to meet annually and develop a widespread plan of action against AIS. There are eight such associations in the county.

 

The state funding (the only designated monies by a state legislature in the nation) were first allocated in 2014. The 2015 funds, estimated at $73,000, are projected to be spent on four areas of AIS: 1. Public education; 2. Early detection; 3. Special projects; 4. Inspection of watercraft and enforcement of AIS rules.

 

The fund totals per county are based on the number of boat accesses and parking spaces at those accesses.

 

Determan made strong mention of proposed watercraft inspection “by friendly faces at lake accesses.”

 

Those forces would likely be county boat and water patrol of the sheriff’s office, or trained local volunteers. There have been reports the county will be manning launch sites at Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day weekends.

 

Aquatic invasive plant species - the European water milfoil and curly leaf pondweed - have been identified and treated at Eagle Lake for several years. Gordy Westerlin of the association reported Eagle Lake is allowed 15% of its surface acreage (456 acres) for treatment each year. That means 48 acres were available for treatment. 

 

Aquatic Solutions has been contracted in years past for such treatments.

 

Cost to the association for the two weed treatments was about $11,000 last year. 

 

The lake is unique for its shallow waters - maximum depth of the lake is 18 feet.

 

Most of the milfoil and pondweed, though treated at different times because of efficiency at differing temperatures, are treated at about four to five feet.

 

Property owners can contract individually for control of other weeds.

 

The lake has suffered from the effects of significant fertilizer runoff in years past. 

 

Dick Bittner, longtime member of the Eagle Lake association, reported on the condition of the carp trap at an inlet off Co. Rd. 75.

 

Weeds need to be cleared. Signs are also going up, asking residents not to climb on the trap. He also invited archers to show up and take out a few carp with bow and arrow.

 

Joanne Peterson of the association announces their Adopt-A-Highway project will be Saturday (May 16). Persons are to meet at the public access on Co. Rd. 75 at 9 a.m.

 

Among their finds at a recent cleanup program? A large quantity of root beer schnapps, Peterson reported.

 

The association abandoned its annual winter fishing contest for a new gig in 2014, with great success.

 

New fundraiser was a wine and beer tasting at The Friendly Buffalo, which netted nearly $3,000. A second wine taster is Fri., Oct. 2, 2015.

 

The association did well in beefing up its checkbook in 2014-15, Treasurer George Wallin reports. 

 

State weed treatment grants, wine tasting proceeds and dues and extra contributions from the associations’ approximate 115 members have boosted their coffers from about $11,200 the first of 2014 to about $19,000 at present.

 

Association boardmembers includes Westerlin, Peterson, Wallin, Bittner, Bryan Adams, Dan Boyle, Kris Biser, Kyle Nerison, Tony and Judy Klapperick, President Earl Rose, Secretary Lori Andreen and Doug Gracey.

 

New email account for the association is bigeaglelakeboard@gmail.com.