January 29, 2020 Turtle River Watershed Meeting
On January 29, a conference was held with a wide attendance from area Lake Associations, Iron County, the Iron County Lakes and Rivers Alliance, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The Curly Leaf Pondweed invasion of Rice Lake, Pike Lake, and the Turtle River was a major topic. Here is the meeting invitation, which was distributed to all subscribers of our email list members@pikelakemercerwi.org, and a meeting report by Steve Anderson.
Email from Steve Anderson via Members: [Members] Turtle River Watershed meeting
Greetings everyone,
Three of us from Pike Lake attended the conference today, Bob Rowe, Rita Erspamer (sorry Rita, your last name just eluded me) and me.
There was so much information that it was almost overwhelming. A couple highlights:
1) Curly Leaf Pond Weed needs to be addressed head on immediately. Otherwise it will get out of control very quickly. There’s no way to catch up after it’s spread.
2) to receive funding for assistance we must have a qualified lake association which has been in existence for a year.
3) there are other ways to immediately receive a grant. The Lake of the Falls Assoc and the Turtles Flambeau Flowage Assoc have both said they want to help Pike lake because they want this stopped before it reaches them. They can apply for grants on our behalf (I think that’s a correct interpretation of what I heard). These two down river organizations were insistent that they want to help us.
4) there is another organization which might be doing (for us) an aquatic plant survey of our lake this spring so that funding can be applied for and an action plan developed
5) We need to form a qualified lake association this spring, if not sooner. Without a qualified lake association we will be helpless
6) there are plans to form a turtle river watershed association for dealing with all issues related to the health of our lakes all the way up and down the river. The formation of that organization is only in the very early brainstorming stages.
I think the immediate concern for us, now, is to get our association formed.
Maybe Rita and Bob would like to add to my reflections on this afternoon’s conference….?
Steve Anderson