Posted on June 27, 2020 by Lake of the Falls in Mercer, Wisconsin
Volunteers have stopped pulling CLP on Rice Lake, Pike Lake, and the Turtle River for this year, as the plants have started growing their reproductive parts and disturbing them would only spread them more. But great progress was made, and the effort to keep these aggressive invasives under control will continue next year. Read Zach Wilson’s report on the work that has been done here, on Pike Lake’s website. As always, if you notice any invasives growing around Lake of the Falls, please let us know so we can inform Zach.
Filed under: Association news | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 18, 2020 by Lake of the Falls in Mercer, Wisconsin
At the LOFA Board meeting on Sunday, June 14, the board unanimously agreed to cancel this year’s Annual Meeting and Picnic due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In lieu of elections of officers, it was agreed to extend the terms of all officers by a period of 1 year. Voting on the proposed changes to the bylaws and the coming year’s budget will be conducted via email.
We really regret this decision but, in light of the current social distancing requirements, it seemed that there was no other way. LOFA members will receive an email at the beginning of July asking them to vote on the bylaws and the budget, which can be done easily by return email before the original date of the annual meeting. The minutes of the meeting can be read here.
Stay safe, everyone!
Filed under: Association news | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 7, 2020 by Lake of the Falls in Mercer, Wisconsin
Here is the Power Point that Zach presented to volunteers at his training last week. Volunteers pulled weeds in Rice Lake over the weekend and are going to pull between Rice and Pike Lake on the Turtle River this week. Let’s hope for good weather!
Filed under: Association news | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 4, 2020 by Lake of the Falls in Mercer, Wisconsin
Last week several LOFA members attended an online training session led by Zach Wilson of the Iron County Land and Water Conservation Department about how to identify Curly Leaf Pondweed (CLP), a persistent aquatic invasive species which has infested Rice Lake and has been recently discovered growing in PIke Lake, just up the river from Lake of the Falls. The ICLWC is partnering with the Iron County Lakes and Rivers Alliance in an effort to control CLP and prevent it’s spread., and the landowners around Pike Lake are forming a new lake association specifically to meet this challenge. Volunteers are being trained and scheduled to hand-pull the weeds in the next few weeks during their early growth period, when they can be identified and removed without spreading further.
If Curly Leaf Pondweed were to make its way into Lake of the Falls it would be a serious problem for all of us. Our lake has the perfect environment for it to grow and thrive. Here is a video produced by the North Lakeland Discovery Center showing how to identify the plant. Since we can’t meet in person to learn about this together, please watch the video and be on the lookout for CLP when you are out on the lake or up the river. If you find any don’t pull it, but send a note immediately to lofassociation@gmail.com so we can let Zach know. And if you want to volunteer as a “pondweed puller” on Pike Lake see this page on their website for more information
Thanks!
Filed under: Association news, Fish and wildlife | Tagged: weeds | Leave a comment »
Posted on May 7, 2020 by Lake of the Falls in Mercer, Wisconsin
The annual newsletter of the Lake of the Falls Association went into the mail on Monday, so LOFA members probably have their copies by now. Or, you can read it right here. A couple of things to note: The spring board meeting, originally scheduled for May 24, has been postponed until Sunday, June 14 at 10:00 at Beaver’s. We’ll meet outside, sit far apart from each other, and talk a little louder than usual. Everyone is welcome; bring your own lawn chair. And after the meeting, Zach Wilson from the Iron County Department of Land and Water Conservation (I wish they’d get a shorter name) will talk to us about the aquatic invasive species present in Pike Lake, and what we can do to prevent their spread into Lake of the Falls. At least, that’s the plan for now! If we have to postpone again, we’ll let everyone know.
The proposed revisions to the by-laws, to be voted on at the annual meeting on August 2, can be seen here.
Feedback is always welcome. Post a comment here or send a note to the LOFA Board at lofassociation@gmail.com.
Filed under: Association news | Leave a comment »
