May 2008 – Issue
# 7
Here comes summer! As boats and docks find their way to the water our
newsletter is shedding some light on topics that will help lake quality for all. Please review the information carefully in
this issue as many of the topics are filled with information that some of you are already practicing but others may be unaware
of. As always I would love to hear some topic ideas from residents. Please let me know if I can research
and include an article that you feel everyone can benefit from.
Want
to be involved with your lake? The D.E.Q. has a great way to learn about and help protect our lake. The
CLMP volunteer program described below would be a great way to understand how our lake works. Volunteers in this program would
be valuable consultants to our established Lake Improvement Board, and what a great way to get kids involved with the lake
with hands on activities to do like taking water samples, and clarity measurements. The Department of Environmental Quality
(DEQ), in partnership with the Michigan Lake and Stream Associations, Inc. (ML&SA), developed the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring
Program (CLMP) as a cost-effective method for citizens to monitor water quality and to document changes in lake quality over
time. The CLMP provides sampling methods, training, workshops, technical support, quality control, and laboratory assistance
for volunteers to monitor their lake for these indicators of lake productivity. As more and more people use the lakes and
surrounding watersheds, the potential for pollution problems and use impairment increases dramatically. Reliable information,
including water quality data, levels of use, and use impairment, are essential for determining the health of a lake and for
developing a management plan to protect the lake. As the users and primary beneficiaries of Michigan’s lake resources,
citizens must take an active role in obtaining this information and managing their lakes.
CLMP
Goals
- To measure baseline water quality and document water quality trends on participating lakes.
- To educate the public in lake ecology, lake management practices and in procedures for
collecting water quality data.
- To build public support
for lake quality protection.
- To encourage sound
lake management practices.
- To increase baseline water
quality data for inland lakes statewide
The CLMP continues the DEQ/citizen volunteer partnership critical to lake management in
Michigan. Currently, the CLMP is supported with Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI) funds. All this information was obtained at
Michigan D.E.Q.’s website: www.michigan.gov/deq For more information on this program
please contact: Ralph Bednarz 517-335-4211
Some Tips on lakefront landscaping are always important
this time of year. General tips are to rake and dispose of leaves away from the lake. Do not burn leaves near shore, as nutrients
concentrate in the ash and are easily washed into the lake. And avoid using herbicides near the lake, many are toxic to aquatic
life. To minimize the amount of leaves falling into the water, deciduous trees (i.e., trees that lose their leaves at the
end of the growing season) should be planted as far from the water’s edge as practical. Ideally, deciduous trees should
be set back from the water’s edge a distance equal to twice the mature height of the tree. Evergreens can be established
closer to the lake shoreline. See list at left for some native greenbelt varieties.
Fertilizing
- If you don’t use fertilizer, don’t start now. If you do..... Most lakeside
lawns don’t need phosphorus. Don’t use fertilizer that contains phosphorus. Once in the lake, 1 pound of phosphorus
can generate several hundred pounds of aquatic plants. Fertilizers are labeled with a 3-number system that indicates the percentage
of the bag that contains nitrogen (first number), phosphorus (second number) and potassium (third number). Example: a 50-pound
bag of 20-0-10 fertilizer contains 20% nitrogen (or 10 pounds), 0% phosphorus, and 10% potassium (5 pounds). When spreading
fertilizer, don’t allow fertilizer to land directly in the water.
Greenbelt -
Lakeside landscaping
involves planting or preserving a zone of natural vegetation, a greenbelt, around the lake's edge. This vegetation acts
as a buffer, trapping runoff and absorbing nutrients before they can enter the lake. The lakefront should be landscaped to
allow full recreational use of the lake and still provide water quality protection. Lawns alone do not make good greenbelts.
Plant varieties should be selected that are attractive, easily maintained, and effective buffers.
Does everyone enjoy how clear the water is this time of year? It is amazing to see plants and wildlife so perfectly
before sediment is stirred up into the water by boats. Our objective for placing buoys out in the lake is to keep ALL motorized
vessels OUT of the shallow areas where they disrupt wildlife habitat as well as churning up silt that clouds the water clarity.
This year we will be adding more buoys to the channel area in an attempt to keep traffic over the deepest parts.
PLEASE REMEMBER to inform all of your friends and family who use the lake what they are for and how to travel safely
around the lake. Buoys are placed at shallow points throughout the lake for your safety as well as the lakes.
Calendar of
events
* 4th of July Boat Parade is Friday, July 4 @ 12:00 Noon.
* An open forum meeting will be held at the Public Access Saturday, May 24 @ 10:00am
* Pontoon Poker Run
Memorial Day Weekend time and date to be determined
* Visit the all new LakeMontcalm.com for up to the minute times and dates for all events.
Lake Montcalm News
Published By: JasonHiscock
Contact
info- Email: sold@jasonhiscock.com Phone: (517) 881-9532
Lake Montcalm News Hours: Monday – Thursday 9:00 am – 5:00pm
All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced totally or in part without
expressed written consent from Lake Montcalm News or its publishing partners. All
information is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. © 2008
