The Main Lake reading was, of course, too good to last. By August 22, the measurement had deteriorated to 21.0 feet (Long Bay 19.5 feet), reflecting the enriching effect of several rains and a stretch of warm weather. The "formula" is quite simple: more nutrients plus hotter temperatures equal increased algae production. And more algae equals a decline in clarity.

The Method for reading transparencies goes back 135 years, a technology that hasn't changed significantly in all that time. The first series of tests, using disks of various sizes and colors suspended on a cord, were conducted over a six week stretch in 1865 by Fr. Pietro Angelo Secchi (rhymes with etch-e), science advisor to the Pope. The original disk was white; most disks used now have alternating black and white quadrants. Ours is all-white.

To Take the Readings, Toni (my wife) and I go out on clear, quiet days over the noon hour. At the deep-est point in the main lake (208 feet) I lower the disk over the shaded side of the boat until it disappears. (The shaded side helps minimize surface reflections.) I then lift the disk until it comes into view, lowering it again slowly until it just fades from my sight. I note the depth on the cord (calibrated in feet) and Toni records the data and any other information we feel may be pertinent to the operation (wavy, cloud cover, algae bloom, etc.). We then head for Long Bay where we repeat the routine.

All of These Readings, year after year, are reported to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, sponsor of the Citizen's Lake Monitoring Program (CLMP), one of the most successful such enterprises in the nation. Ten Mile has been involved in the activity since its inception. Each year, I receive a summary of every lake's readings for that season, listed by county. The publication also interprets findings, charts trends, recognizes exceptional lakes (Ten Mile has been cited as a lake whose long-term trend is toward greater clarity), and offers guidance on ways to evaluate your lake's health. While Ten Mile is not the clearest lake in Minnesota, it is consistently among the very best on that score.

Dishwashing Detergents can contribute phosphates to your waste water treatment system that eventually find their way into the lake through groundwater flow. Since phosphorous (present in phosphates) is the nutrient that is most instrumental in triggering algae blooms and lowering water quality, using low phosphate detergents is a good idea.

Here is a listing of phosphate content in eight dishwashing products:

HONOR ROLL

It Has Been Awhile since we published an honor roll recognizing Ten Mile residents who have upgraded or installed new wastewater treatment systems to comply with Cass County requirements. With apologies for the delay, here we present the property owner listing (we recognize that some properties may have changed hands in the interim):

If you know of anyone we have missed, please let us know so recognition can be made in a future Newsletter. The listing, covering the last three years, is an impressive demonstration of Ten Milers doing their part to protect the health of their lake environment.

The TMLA Board received a petition in August signed by 29 self-described residents and lake users asking that the No-Wake buoys at the entrance to Kenfield Bay be removed. The request first surfaced at the Association's annual meeting and also was requested by one letter writer. The petition asserted that the buoys unreasonably affect the recreational use of the lake by adjacent property owners and the public. The document also maintained that the No-Wake designation could have a deleterious effect on Kenfield Bay property values and complained that the buoys created an unnecessary safety risk.

The petition and letters were referred to the Environment and Ecology Committee (E&EC), the TMLA entity that had developed the Association's "no wake" policy several years ago and selected the buoys' locations. At its August 12 meeting, the E&EC considered the matter, reviewed its policy and the reasons for its development and decided not to change or abandon site locations for the present. The petition and supporting arguments will be reviewed by the Committee over the winter and a recommendation will be prepared for Board action next spring.

A Letter to That effect went to the petition signers in September. Included was a request that the petitioners give serious thought to the reasons why the Committee had included Kenfield Bay in the list of No-Wake zones:

1. Kenfield Bay is an ecologically fragile area uniquely valuable to the lake as a whole, partly because of the enormous quantities of spring water it feeds into the lake every year and partly because it is prime spawning ground for largemouth bass and panfish. Given the high concentration of pollutants emitted by two-stroke marine engines and the possible harmful impact of watercraft traffic on spawning beds, maintaining watercraft activity at reasonable minimums was thought to be the sensible thing to do.
2. The Bay's Topography C a high bluff area to the west and a low sandy shore and narrow peninsula on the east and north sides C make it potentially vulnerable to wave erosion, whether caused by watercraft in the bay or wind and watercraft outside.
3. The Effects of Erosion are already apparent C large shore trees, undercut by the ice and wave action, toppling into the water; gradual changes to the peninsula=s land mass, and tree stress and mortality on that thin ribbon of shoreline.
4. Kenfield Bay is a relatively small body of water whose size alone is sufficient to raise legitimate safety concerns about engaging in such surface recreational activities within its confines as skiing, tubing, and operating watercraft at high speeds.

The letter was signed by Bob Crom, TMLA President, and Jim Schwartz, E&EC Co-Chair.

It was emphasized that the No-Wake policy is advisory only, and that the buoys are there to remind watercraft operators to cruise slowly through these environmentally sensitive spots. "It is an appeal," said the letter, "for behavior intended solely to serve the long-term best interests of the lake." The advisory policy was established following conversations with the Cass County Sheriff's office. The letter thanked the signers for their interest in lake management issues and concluded by expressing confidence that "our common purpose is to do whatever we can to preserve the environmental integrity of our lake."

Many of us around the lake suffered severe shoreline damage during the winter months, a stern reminder from Mother Nature that she is in charge. I make no claim to infallibility on this matter but my reading and observations suggest that it's a phenomenon that occurs almost every year but not always in the same places. The damage, minimal or extensive, is the consequence of two forces: expansion/contraction and wind-blown ice floe movement.

Although I've never been a witness to it, old-timers tell me one of the damage events coincides with the freeze-up process. As the lake surface turns to ice, heavy pressure is brought to bear on the shoreline. Rapid and thick freezing does greater damage than slow and thin congealing. Also the amount of snow cover and when it occurs can be a variable: deep snow represses the ice-thickening process while, as you would expect, light snow cover has the opposite effect. Often, towering ice ridges form jagged ranges across the lake or along a beach, relieving shoreline pressure but, unfortunately, usually only after the harm has been done.

In the Spring yet another series of forces goes to work. As temperatures climb, thawing takes place during daytime hours. At night freezing returns. This alternating thawing/freezing process generates a new pressure source. Estimates are that this ongoing change can produce as much as three feet of expansion for every mile of surface ice. And again, when this happens, shoreline devastation can be a consequence.

Finally, One Farewell event, this time as part of ice-out. During spring melt, if a strong wind kicks up while thick floes remain, a gathering cadre of mini icebergs begins a relentless march toward the windward shore. As the floes make landfall, they pile up in a thick mass, hammering and chewing into the bank, creating all sorts of havoc. Our neighbors, Bob and Jean Rydell, were here for the show this spring. They stood on their concrete patio on the bank, watching in fascination as the ice crept toward them. It was when the platform began to heave under their feet that they decided it would be wise to beat a retreat to their cabin. Eventually, of course, the wind died, the slab settled back at least somewhat and nature's demonstration was over. That's the way it happens: the wind moderates, the ice melts and the lake readies itself for the new season.

All of this leaves the question: what, if anything, can be done about it? Some measures can be taken. One is lakescaping, as Gail Becher so ably illustrated for members at the annual meeting. Establishing buffer strips and planting native trees and shrubs along the shoreline can do much to stabilize the beach area. Sometimes, though, the topography is such that lakescaping cannot cope with powerful ice thrusts. When that is the case, riprapping with field rock can be an alternative. If done according to DNR specifications, no permit is needed. A pamphlet detailing procedure is available at any DNR office.

Having Just Installed the third wastewater treatment system in the 40 years we have been on the lake, I am more sensitive than ever to what disappears down our drains. One product everyone uses is toilet paper. Does the brand you buy make any difference? Yes. What you want is a soft paper that disintegrates readily (doesn't clog the equipment), yet is rugged enough to do the job for which it is intended. The August issue of Consumer Reports compares 30 products and finds important variations. Among the better performers: Kleenex Cottonelle Ultra Soft, White Cloud and Charmin Ultra (but the latter scored only fair on disintegration).

A Newly Identified parasite has been found in Leech Lake yellow perch, close enough to us to warrant a report on what to look for. The organism causes perch flesh to have a "cooked" or "freezer burn" appearance when cleaned. The infection is not visible from the outside of the fish. The parasite does not infect people but does reduce the quality and change the texture of the flesh.

Another Species that should be on your "watch for" list is the rusty crayfish. It's in the Boy River chain and is an ecological outlaw. It can severely reduce lake and stream vegetation, depriving native fish and their prey of cover and food, and reducing native crayfish populations.

If either of these species comes your way on Ten Mile, report your "find" to the Walker DNR Fisheries Office. The yellow perch infection can be identified when you clean the fish. Rusty crayfish identification is more difficult; look for a reddish spot on either side of its body and grayish-green to reddish-brown claws.