Newsletter: Issue 42
Message from the Board
NEW BMLA WEBSITE:
bigmarinelakeassociation.org
The BMLA website has been totally redesigned and launched with a new name as of Oct. 15. It incorporates the latest website technology, includes many enhancements, and is much easier to maintain. Check it out! Many hours of work were donated by Paul Burton with some input and entries by Rich Burton. Many thanks to Paul for his valuable donation! And, thanks again to Steve Kronmiller for his work on the original BMLA website.
The website is a source for newsletters, BMLA Board Meeting minutes, events, notes on AIS (Aquatic Invasive Species) - related conferences, AIS descriptions, AIS news articles, and more.
Refer to the website for a listing of the BMLA Board.
The question has been asked as to why we have so many on the Board. The answer is simple. There are many volunteered tasks to be done: AIS surveys, EWM spot treatment, arrangements with our licensed applicator, springtime ice cleanup, grant applications, financial details, tax filing, fundraising, membership drives, mailing list database management, conferences to attend, liaison with governmental entities, communications with other lake associations, communications in general (newsletters, e-mail notices, publicity, mailing of newsletters and invoices, website management, and responding to questions on lake issues) to name a few.
The website now includes a listing of annual expenses of the BMLA.
EWM (EURASIAN WATER MILFOIL) TREATMENT
As of July 23, PLM (licensed applicator) and BMLA herbicide treatment of 27 acres was completed. Further treatment was delayed until August or September because it appeared that the EWM that PLM treated in some locations was still decomposing. The strange thing was that there were several spots that PLM didn’t treat (about 2 to 2.5 acres) that were still standing, but brown and limp. Steve McComas of Blue Water Science and Patrick Selter of PLM had no idea why. When or if treated EWM started to recover, PLM was to treat it again.
A further treatment in September addressed some new growth, etc. A survey on October 18 by Jeff Dahlberg was really good news. He did not find any live EWM in all 20 fall PLM treated areas or in 5 PLM spring treated areas. The EWM found was completely dead as shown in the following photo.
In past fall surveys it was possible to view EWM from the surface and find many green/white healthy rootlets. Not so this fall.
Many healthy northern milfoil and other native plants were raked up.
Vet’s Camp boat dock areas that were treated by Jeff (Renovate OTF in Sept.) when the docks and boats were in the water were checked. There were many dead plants, some healthy single EWM plants, and a lot of northern milfoil. It was hard to treat the area because of the docks and boats, therefore the EWM kill was not 100%.
We look forward to surveys next spring!
WATERSHED ISSUES
Refer to the website in Current/Newsletter for the 10/30/2021 CMSCWD newsletter addendum.
ZEBRA MUSSELS
Washington Conservation District (WCD) inspectors at BML watercraft launch sites found 4 violators this past summer. The real downside of this is that 3 of the boats had last been in Forest Lake. The WCD has alerted the Forest Lake Lake Association, requesting that Forest Lake lakeshore property owners pay more attention to cleaning boats after being in FL.
OUR NEIGHBOR
Jeff Dahlberg and his wife Michele have enjoyed living on BML for 38 years. He participated in the founding of the current BMLA in 2009 and has been a very active Board member ever since. His major duties have centered around spring/summer/fall surveying and mapping of the lake for aquatic invasive species (AIS) and partners with other lake owners in keeping the lake ice free of trash each winter. Jeff educated himself on AIS by completing the U of MN / MAISRC AIS Detectors program June 2017 and the AIS Management 101 program April 2021. He has also attended 2 MAISRC AIS day seminars and 3 Zoom AIS meetings.
Jeff has known BML since his teenage years when he and friends would water ski, scuba dive, and fish the lake.
The following photo is an example of how the Dahlberg family has enjoyed BML. It was taken in 1999 at the 50th Linnerooth Family (Jeff’s mother’s side of the family) Reunion. Attendance was 94 from all over the country. Jeff and Michele may be in the photo somewhere.
Michele and Jeff hosted the picnic for 34 years on BML. The reunion is now held in various locations around the USA.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership donations should be sent to the BMLA – 12636 182nd St. N. Marine, MN 55047. Those who have not joined for 2021 can still do so. Note that payments can be made on the website at bigmarinelakeassociation.org.
BMLA E-MAIL bigmarinelakeassociation@gmail.com
BMLA FACE BOOK PAGE
Refer to this page for announcements, local news items, and other miscellaneous details. Is anyone interested involunteering to be administrator? If not, the Facebook page will be discontinued.