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Annual Meeting Reminder
Saturday, August 1
Union Congregational Church, Hackensack
Coffee and Social Time: 9:30am
Meeting: 10:00am to 11:30am
Speaker: Heather Baird, Regional
Shoreland Specialist,
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Topic: A Healthy Shoreline Equates
with a Healthy Lake
The speaker at this year's annual meeting will be Heather Baird, Regional Shoreland Specialist with the Minnesota DNR, who will speak about the importance of the shoreline in maintaining the quality of our lakes. Many cabin owners are unaware of the profound effect the condition of the shoreline has, not only on the local region of the lake, but ultimately on the entire lake. Heather will show what makes a healthy shoreline and how to restore damaged shorelines to health.
Why Re-establish Native Vegetation Buffers? A native buffer zone will help stabilize the shoreline and reduce erosion - roots are the glue that holds the shoreline together. Buffer zones also improve water quality by naturally filtering runoff before it reaches the lake, thereby reducing nutrient load from soil sediment (lawn fertilizers, pet droppings, etc.) In addition, buffer zones are naturally aesthetic and they create wildlife habitat.
At The Meeting Hall, members will find displays with handouts and information presented by several of the Association’s committees, including Fisheries, Environment and Ecology, History, Lake Safety, and Conservation. During the meeting there will be brief reports from committee chairs. In addition, the nominating committee will present a slate of officers and directors for the coming year.
Plan To Arrive At The Meeting By 9:30 so you will have plenty of time to get some coffee, visit with fellow members, and view the exhibits prepared by the various committees. The meeting will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. and end by 11:30 a.m.
Fishing Chatter
by Bob Horn, Co-Chair, Fisheries Committee
Good fishing is based on many factors, one of which is the weather. Again, this spring has been very cool, windy and the water temperatures have remained cold. As of June 7th, the water temp for TML was 52 degrees. Normally the water temps should be in the mid-60s.
Ice out on Ten Mile this year officially happened on April 30th. The May 9th fishing opener was another cold and windy weekend. Some larger walleyes were caught by those who braved the cooler conditions and the crappie bite improved as the water warmed. Early on, the bait of choice was minnows and crawlers, but as the lake warms many anglers are switching to the hardy leech. Look for improved fishing as the weather settles into its summer patterns.
I want to share a simple recipe that our family has used for the “finicky” fish
eater. Our kids request it anytime we have fish.
Honey Almandine Sauce for Fishfrom Morey’s Fish House
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Enjoy your summer and try to get out on the lake to do some fishing. Ten Mile is a grand lake with an abundant variety of fish to be caught.
Environment & Ecology Committee Report
by Bruce Carlson, Chair, E & E Committee
2008 Lake Water Sampling
Overall the quality of most of the lake continues to improve slowly over the years, but last year (2008) saw an increase in nutrient load, probably caused by the release of phosphorus from internal sediments during a turnover period. This may account for a greater than normal algae bloom last summer, and it may continue through this year. Such temporary blips in the overall dissolved nutrient load have previously occurred on the lake, and typically it takes a couple of years to resolve them. In recent years, the water quality of the main lake, Long Bay and Kenfield Bay has been improving, whereas that in Flowerpot and Robinson's Bays has been decreasing. The last series of measurements on Robinson's Bay were made three years ago, and further testing this summer will be helpful in determining whether the trend in this bay is continuing.
Sensitive Shorelines
At the May 22 E & E meeting, Paul Radomski of the DNR and John Sumption of Cass County made a presentation on the county's sensitive shorelines initiative. Paul summarized the extensive data collected by the DNR on the distribution of species of plants, fish, amphibians and birds around the lake. This material exists in a DNR Final Report - Sensitive Lakeshore Survey, Ten Mile Lake (11-0413), which is posted on the Ten Mile Website. The net result of these studies is maps (Figs. 66 and 67 in the report) that point out officially identified sensitive shorelines in Ten Mile Lake. These include parts of Long Bay, Flowerpot Bay, Lundstrom's Bay, Kenfield Bay and the area around Angel Island. This material was assembled as background for the possible implementation of special intralake zoning regulations for lakes with sensitive shoreline areas.
John Sumption then presented a draft document outlining lot standards for what are called Resource Protection Districts (areas containing sensitive shorelines), as well as a proposed process for the designation of such areas as Resource Protection Districts. As it stands now (and remember that it is still just an early draft proposal), the process would look like the outline below.
1. A petition signed by shoreline property owners of the affected public water.
2. A resolution of support from the Township(s) in which the proposed resource protection districts are to be located.
3. Verification from the DNR that such areas are sensitive, according to strict criteria.
4. A public hearing.
5. Affirmation and approval of the request by the County Board.
6. Final approval of the classification change by the Commissioner of the Minnesota DNR.
Critical to this process is its initiation by citizen landowners on the affected lake. Both Ten Mile and Woman Lakes are considered the test cases for this process, and extensive DNR surveys have been conducted on both lakes. A report on this meeting was presented to the TMLA Board at its May meeting, and the Board is now considering how to respond. By the time this article appears in print, things may have already changed, so stay tuned.
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SHORELAND LANDSCAPING AND PLANTING WORKSHOPS PLANNED A shoreland preservation/restoration workshop will be held at Deep Portage Learning Center on August 1, 2009 The morning workshop, which begins at 9 a.m., will discuss the characteristics and beneficial functions of natural shorelines and applicable shoreland regulations. Lunch will be served at noon. In the afternoon, a bus tour of nearby shoreland restoration projects is scheduled. A follow-up fall workshop (date TBD) will provide an opportunity for hands-on planting experience in an actual shoreland restoration project. Participants will help with site preparation and installation of native vegetation. The workshops are partially funded by a grant from the Minnesota DNR Shoreland Habitat Program and are sponsored by the Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation (LLAWF), Cass County Environmental Services, University of Minnesota Extension Shoreland Education Program, Cass County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America and Deep Portage Learning Center. Pre-registration is required and a small fee, which can be paid on the day of the workshop, will be assessed. For more information and/or to pre-register, contact Paula West, LLAWF, 218-675-5773 or westcom (at) brainerd.net. |
History Committee: Book Report
by Lorraine Stromquist, TMLA History Committee
Are you looking for a good book to read this summer? Try Hiram Hill Homestead “Back to the Land at 50” by local resident, Bill Turgeon. Bill’s book describes the plans, development, hardships and joys of completing his home in Hiram Township.
Of interest to the TMLA History Committee is the fact that Hiram Township covers a large part of Ten Mile Lake and plays an important role in our historical and current affairs.
The book was published in 2008 and realistically describes what Bill and wife, Kathy, accomplished from 1997 to the present. The building project could have been done in like manner by our Hiram and Ten Mile Lake forebears.
The image portrayed of the property shows it as beautiful, being both wooded and hilly. Bill tells of planting select trees, digging rocks, digging a pond in 2001, making paths through the woods and of course, all the complexities of planning, constructing and furnishing their house.
The wildlife pond, built on a wetland on the property turned out to be unique and gorgeous. It required a great deal of research, study and work, but is a treasure of the homestead.
Many other adventures occurred in the development of the homestead. The book ends with homestead recipes made from several food products grown on the property.
Extension Shoreland "Better Living" Videos Available Online
by Marty McCleery, Healthy Lakes Committee
The University of Minnesota has prepared a series of informational videos for lake or river shoreline property owners. The series is entitled “Better Living on Our Lakes and Rivers”, and is available to view, free of charge, at the following website:
www.extension.umn.edu/Shoreland/videos.
The videos range in length from 11 to 24 minutes, and titles include:
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Keeping Our Shores: Best Management Practices |
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The Living Shore: Best Management Practices For Shoreland Vegetation |
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Standing Firm Against Erosion: Best Management Practices for Shoreland Stabilization |
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Septic System Revealed |
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Shoreland Restoration: A Growing Solution |
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Stop Exotics Clean Your Boat |
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Water Conservation |
The word is that the septic system video is very good. Check them out!.
Loon Log
by Kim Moe
Springtime on Ten Mile Lake seemed to be rather late this year. The loon nest platforms were all top dressed with weeds and reeds to entice a pair of loons and placed on the edge of loon territories. As of mid-June, we have reports of the following activity:
1 nesting pair on Lundstrom’s bay
2 chicks hatched on Long’s Bay
1 nesting pair on the bay behind the Island
1 nesting pair south of the Island Causeway
2 chicks hatched on Kenfield Bay
FACT - A loon can live for up to thirty years of age. Loons must be three to four years old to breed and reproduce. At their reproductive age, loons will leave the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic coastline. These young loons have been tracked, studied, and found to return to the SAME lake they were hatched on!!!
NOW, take a look back at chick counts for the TRADITIONALLY 6 established/nesting pairs on Ten Mile Lake:
2003-4 chicks hatched
2004-9 chicks hatched
2005-6 chicks hatched
2006-5 chicks hatched
This spring, a pair of loons was witnessed checking out the platform on Flower Pot Bay and showing interest in nesting, only to be driven out of the bay by other aggressive loons looking to work their way into the territory and nest. “Loon Fights” are very nasty and can go on for hours. The loons will insistently pull each other underwater with their beaks, forcefully stab at one another with their sharp bills, and aggressively chase one another on top of the water and under water. Eventually, one pair will convince the other to leave the territory.
THEORY - We could have twenty-four YOUNG LOONS returning to Ten Mile this year, attempting to mate and nest. They could be in competition for territory with their own parents!!?? Thank goodness Mother Nature will handle this difficult problem.
ON JUNE 14 FROM 6-9 P.M. we observed 40 adult loons on Ten Mile.
If you spot a new chick and parents, please keep your distance. Give the loon family their space. Enjoy them from afar with a viewing scope or binoculars. Let’s all work to protect and appreciate what Mother Nature provides.
A Fitness Opportunity
by Hope Lang, Program Director, Walker Area Community Center
If you are a seasonal resident or visitor to Ten Mile Lake, you may not be aware that Walker now has a Community Center with a fully equipped fitness center. The center includes a basketball court and gymnasium; treadmills; stationary bikes; elliptical machines; weightlifting machines; a full cadre of free weights; fitness bands, balls, and mats; a flat-screen TV; and locker rooms with showers.
As the personal trainer for the Walker Area Community Center (WACC), I am available to show you how to derive maximum benefit from all of these resources. Many people try to use walking the dog, housework, and gardening as excuses for why they don’t need to exercise at a gym. While those activities provide lots of value for other reasons, they do not provide the extraordinary health benefits that are a product of strenuous, regular, and deliberate cardiovascular and weightlifting exercises. More and more evidence is showing that heavy weightlifting has dramatic health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and body fat — all of which go a long way toward reducing heart disease and preventing strokes and diabetes.
Approximately half of the current WACC gym members are seniors. Cardiovascular machines such as a treadmill with a steep incline feature allow for maximum exertion with the least amount of impact or risk of injury, because the terrain is safe and stable. In addition, it may be important to realize that if you are a senior citizen, the ability to exercise in a public place, with a staff person on duty who can respond quickly in case of an injury or emergency, should be an important consideration. In addition, a defibrillator is located behind the front desk at WACC, and the ambulance service arrival time from their headquarters in Walker is less than four minutes.
To reach WACC in Walker, go south on Second Street and turn left on Tower Avenue. You may contact us at (218) 547-1853 or visit our website at www.walkerwacc.com.
Lake Safety Committee
by Don Harris
We often hear complaints about boats with excessively loud motors. Sometimes this loud noise comes from a device known as an exhaust diverter. Exhaust diverters, by the flip of a switch, divert the motor’s exhaust from underwater to an outlet in the hull. Diverting the exhaust gives the boat more oomph, but it also makes a very, very loud noise. Exhaust diverters are marketed under names such as “Captain’s Call” and “Silent Choice”. Since 1980 it has been illegal to sell or use an exhaust diverter in Minnesota (Minn. Stat. 8 6B.521). This law has not stopped people from purchasing the device in another state and installing it on their boat in Minnesota or purchasing a boat from another state and bringing it into Minnesota and registering it, even with illegal equipment. The water patrol has to catch the loud runabouts in the act, stretching law enforcement’s limited resources. If caught with an exhaust diverter installed, a boat could become the property of the County or State.
Poem
Anonymous?
The lake dancing in the light
Branches swaying in a gentle breeze
The garden lifts my heart with its bright petals
A joyful evening on Ten Mile
PLEASE NOTE: A new TMLA Membership Directory will be published in the FALL. When you send your dues, please update your directory information on the notice enclosed with this newsletter.Thank you! |
