Newsletter: Issue 51
Issue 51 December 31, 2023
NEWSLETTER RICH BURTON, EDITOR
Message from the Board
As has been mentioned in past newsletters, the Veterans Rest Camp is a great asset on BMLA. It’s anorganization that serves our vets in a special way. The Big Marine Lake community should be very proud to be a “sort-of host” of the organization’s activities. The camp has many visitors and the impact on the lake could be great, but the staff is dedicated to keeping BML the great lake it is. They are serious stewards of BML and all of us appreciate and thank them for their hard work.
Here are some details about the Camp.
A break down for all the new Veterans that registered with the VC in 2023 is:
WWII Veterans - 0
Korean Veterans - 3
Vietnam Veterans - 67
Gulf War Veterans - 1
Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans - 5
All other Veterans - 195
Adding up to a grand total of 271 new registered Veterans for 2023. Besides being a wonderful place for Vets to relax in cabins, at campsites, at RV sites, and in single day visits, the VC has many visitors for a whole host of events throughout the year.
The result of the various attractions is that visits to the Camp keep increasing each year. The camp serves a fantastic function.
The Grand Total of 48033 visitors in 2022 had been a new record, including:
The VC Office recorded 44214 visitors.
The Canteen recorded 3819 visitors.
The VC maintenance crew recorded 280 work orders.
Volunteers recorded 879 hours of work.
As of November 1, 2023 the VC recorded 64,486
visitors to the camp for 2023 smashing the 2022
numbers.
In 2022, total donations raised and earmarked for future developments were $135,667.82, mainly designated for a new truck and for the new manager’s house.
Facilities offered by the VC:
198 RV Sites as of June, 2023. 28 new sites were
added in the past year.
15 Tent Camping sites
24 Cabins
Ice Fishing Houses
82 Boat slips
Boat Rentals
Golf carts
Cabins and other camping facilities are usually fully booked many months in advance. For detailed info on the Camp go to vetscampmn.org.
For summer, 2023 the VC proposed installing a fuel pump on their dock for sale of non-oxy 89 fuel. In a summer, 2023 survey, a majority of BML LPO’s that responded to the survey were positive about this service becoming available. It was put on hold because of the cost of the holding tank needed. As far as the fuel tanks go, the VC is moving forward on this subject, just waiting for the permits to come together. The VC represents a significant portion of traffic on BML. We welcome them as neighbors and thank them for their generous monetary donation to the BMLA every year and the use of the pavilion for various BMLA events.
BMLA & Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM)
On Nov. 1 Mike Blehert filed the final AIS treatment report and invoiced Washington County ($5,000) for partial reimbursement of BMLA’s $25,944 treatment expenditure. The Watershed District ($8,000) also supported the Association’s 2023 treatment costs. Based on fall surveys Mike estimated that about 10 acres will be needed for treatment in 2024. This info was forwarded to the County letting them know that going forward we will continue to need their assistance. Thanks to Mike for the report and to all those that participated in the surveying and treatment program (or any part of BMLA activities). It takes many hands, minds, backs, mouths, fingers, and dollars to make it happen year after year.
Maps of the areas to be treated and the treatment assessment can be viewed on the BMLA website in Resources/FAQ’s-AIS/What was the year by year herbicide treatment of BML?
In preparation for the above Final Report Mike asked Jeff Dahlberg, the BMLA’s prime surveyor and Steve McComas from Blue Water Science to comment on Big Marine’s native plants and effect of herbicides on native plants in treatment areas.
Jeff Dahlberg noted that there is abundant native Northern Milfoil near or mixed in with the invasive EWM prior to treatment and that after treatment, the native plants filled in the voids.
Aquatic Plant Health – Blue Water Science Report:
Big Marine was surveyed for EWM on June 20, 2023 and for AIS on October 12, 2023. Our observations and rake sampling found native plants were diverse and robust throughout the growing season. EWM treatments have been relatively selective for EWM and native plants show vigorous growth. Qualitative rather than quantitative aquatic plant data were collected. The dominant native plants in 2023 were water stargrass, water celery, and northern watermilfoil.
There was excellent EWM control and native plants remained healthy throughout the summer season. BWS did two AIS checks this summer. They did not find any zebra mussels nor starry stonewort. The public accesses were checked closely on the last survey. Nothing turned up.
Per Mike Blehert: Our observations and rake sampling found native plants were diverse and robust throughout the growing season. EWM treatments have been relatively selective for EWM, and native plants show vigorous growth.
Other AIS
The hybrid cattail program is going to be expanded south of the County Park as it was shown to be mildly effective. The MAISRC Study was given more funding to accomplish further expansion.
Annual Meeting
The next BMLA annual meeting will be held April 10, 2024 at the Scandia Community Center – 7 p.m.
Membership
2023 memberships lagged 2022 by over 15%! Your financial backing is key to continuing to combat AIS in BML. The participation of every BML lakeshore property owner is of utmost importance. Please let’s start 2024 on a positive note with your donations to minimize the need to invoice and to have to ask and ask again.
Membership donations should be sent to –
BMLA
12636 - 182nd St. N.
Marine, MN 55047.
Minimum suggested donation is $50.00.
Or pay on the Website at:
bigmarinelakeassociation.org
The website is a source for past newsletters, BMLA Board Meeting minutes, notes on AIS-related conferences, AIS descriptions, AIS news articles, and more.
E-mail: contactus@bigmarinelakeassociation.org
Other News Items
Also, check out a report from Angie Hong in October 2023 East Metro Lakes Update
Minnesota's vanishing shorelines and what we can do about it (Aug. 11, 2023)
If you want to read a scary story – Tony Vavoulis was recently in CO and came upon this strategy for Zebra Mussel treatment…see link below. Zebra Mussels have become a problem in Highline Lake, a very popular and heavily used 563 acre lake in western CO. The Colorado DNR’s plan to address the ZM problem is to……….
DRAIN THE ENTIRE LAKE!!!
https://denvergazette.com/outdoors/highline-lakezebra-mussels-plan-colorado/article_2a66d1d2-692b-11ee-a325-b34640a22808.html
In the October “Water Connects Us All” MLRA Newsletter, see –
The intro by Jeff Forester
And the article –
Loving Our Lakes to Death, by Mark Casey, Lake Country Journal.
Also, the 9/2023 MN Lakes & Rivers Advocates newsletter has many important and interesting articles.