Blog Posts
Men’s Winners – 1st John Rafferty, 2nd Aaron Ray, 3rd Mare Timgerman | Women’s Winners – 1st Hudson VanSlooten, 2nd Karin Ray, 3rd Ellie Sachse | Team Winner’s – Randy Matthes, Barb Lawson and Jared Zacharias
Dock – Shaun & Liz Hawkinson (Lot 27)
Pontoon – Walt & Dianne Weisser (Lot 2)
Speed Boat – Melissa and Curt Mann (Lot 68)
June was a busy month at the lake and July promises to be the same. In this newsletter, we’ve recapped a number of events – the retention pond planting, the River and Lakes Fair, and more. Plus we look ahead to the 4th of July parade and triathlon and the LLPOA Annual Meeting and Potluck on Saturday, July 25. Read on!
Here, I’d like to talk about something of special interest to lake residents, namely issues about the lake level. At the most recent board meeting, the board authorized the formation of a new committee to deal with questions about the lake outlet, which is on the southwest side of the lake. The purpose of the new six-to-eight member Outlet Committee, consisting of representatives from around the lake, will be to review our current operating policy on the outlet and to make recommendations to the board for a formal written policy.
What is the current operating policy of the LLPOA on the lake outlet? Our policy is to keep the culvert and the lake outlet open. This plays out in three ways: First, the board accepts and supports as correct the elevation where the culvert has been placed, as confirmed by the DNR hydrologist and the Aitkin County Highway Engineering department. The culvert was set to allow water to flow out before it reaches the Ordinary High Water elevation of 1,264.6 ft.
Secondly, the board has had a long-standing policy to support the removal of beaver if they inhibit outlet flow. Third, it has been the practice of the board to call for volunteers to watch for and remove any natural, wildlife or man-make obstructions to the water flow. This group of volunteers, called the Ditch Maintenance Taskforce (also known as the Beaver Control Committee), provides this service with members doing daily checks on the outlet. The LLPOA Board carefully follows the law to maintain the outlet and works closely with the DNR and Aitkin County to be sure all actions are appropriate and without vigilantism.
As you can imagine, this is a slippery slope for the lake association to have a policy that serves the ecology of the lake while balancing the needs of residents with low-lying lots or in shallow bays. And --oh yes-- the unpredictability of Mother Nature! Long-timers on the lake have said it is a “no win” situation for the lake association to take on but the current board feels that this issue needs an open dialogue in which to examine the policy. So we as a lake community are either part of the solution or part of the problem! Let’s work to be part of the solution.
If you are interested in serving on the Outlet Committee, contact Steve Frazier at sfrazier@usjet.net to submit your name to the LLPOA Board for their consideration at their July board meeting on July 12th. The Outlet Committee and the Ditch Maintenance Taskforce will operate under LLPOA’s Water Quality Team.
Although the Future of Lone Lake Planning Session held June 13 was lightly attended, its recommendations reach far. The newly revised Lone Lake Management Plan was distributed, reviewed and modified to bring it up-to-date as of June 2015. Take a moment to look at it, as it is the framework for our actions as an organization. Members wishing to have a copy should contact me at sfrazier@usjet.net, Jennifer O’Neill at jennyanyspot@gmail.com or click here to download a copy.
Thank you for your membership and support of LLPOA and your involvement to preserve, enhance and protect Lone Lake for the future!
We’ll see you on the lake, Steve Frazier – LLPOA President.
With over 35 years as a non-game wildlife champion, Carrol Henderson, Minnesota DNR, talked about loon migration patterns at the Aitkin Rivers and Lakes Fair, June 20.
A good crowd turned out for the 19th annual Aitkin Rivers & Lakes Fair on Saturday, June 20. According to event organizer, Diane Weisser, there was something for everyone, whether your interest was loons, wolves, bats or lake-bottom organisms.
DNR's Non-Game Wildlife expert, Carrol Henderson, presented new information gathered from transmitters placed on loons in 2013-2015. Information about their migration and other data can be found on the www.usgs.gov loon tracking website.
The Audubon Center of the Northwoods explored a spectrum of animals found in a north woods ecosystem. Tom Jones, DNR specialist, talked about zebra mussels and their current and potential impact on Lake Mille Lacs; DNR’s Rich Rezenka spoke about invasive species.
The Rivers & Lakes team give special thanks to Lone Lake residents Jerry and Julie Nelson, Dave Scott, and Brian Smeltzer, who volunteered to set up and/or work at the event.
Lone Lake healthy; fishery holds its own or in slow decline since mid-1980’s
By Marty Cook
Did you notice the DNR on Lone Lake last week? During the period June 15 through June 18, DNR representatives were on Lone Lake conducting a fish survey. This survey was made up of 9 gill nettings and 9 trap nettings in various locations around the lake. Although the official results will be published later this year, local DNR representative Rick Bruesewitz sat down with me for an early (and unofficial) look at what they found.
First, a few facts about our lake…
Lone Lake has a total water area of 448 acres. The littoral area (or that area near shore where sunlight penetrates all the way to the sediment and allows aquatic plants to grow; or that area around the lake which is 15’ or less deep) is 148 acres. That’s about 33% of the entire lake. The maximum depth is 60’ and there are 5.64 miles of shoreline around the lake. The fetch (or the longest unbroken stretch of open water on the lake) is 1.67 miles on a 270 degree orientation. The latest DNR water clarity reading (using a Secchi disk) was 15’ on June 15. (Lake resident Dave Scott regularly evaluates clarity and he reports that it has been as deep as 30’+ at times. Early June brought some warm weather and with it….algae bloom…which reduces water clarity for a period of time.)
Two important ingredients for healthy fish populations are water temperatures (see chart on this page) and dissolved oxygen. Dissolved oxygen was (as Rick put it “like a trout lake”) 7.7 parts per million on the surface and 5.0 parts per million at 45’ deep. This is an excellent rating for any lake.
Now for the fish survey results (unofficial at this time) and what trends they may suggest. The DNR has conducted fish surveys on Lone Lake every five years since 1949.
There are 13 categories of fish registered in the survey. These include Black Bullhead, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Bowfin (Dogfish), Brown Bullhead, Hybrid Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, Walleye, White Sucker, and Yellow Bullhead. While all of these fish are important to a healthy and balanced lake ecosystem, I’m going to focus my comments on the fish almost everyone is interested in – Crappie, Panfish (Hybrid Sunfish, Green Sunfish, Pumpkinseed and Bluegill), Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike and Walleye.
Black Crappie – The number of fish netted remains relatively consistent over the entire period 1949 til now. For the 2015 survey, the size ranges from 6” – 11” with the mean length being 7.41” and a mean weight of .41 lbs. Of the 18 nettings in 2015, the DNR caught 25 Black Crappies.
Panfish – Lone Lake is definitely a panfish lake! The number of fish netted has remained stable when compared to previous surveys in the last 10 years but has taken a significant drop from the 80’s and 90’s. In 2015 198 fish were captured in both types of nettings with almost 90% of the fish taken via trap nets in shoreline waters 8’ or less. The size ranges from 4” – 8” with the mean length being 5.76” and a mean weight of…well, we don’t weigh our panfish, we just eat them!
Largemouth Bass – The number of fish netted remains stable when measured against previous surveys. The size ranges from 8”– 16” with the mean length being 12.53” and a mean weight of almost a pound. Between the 18 nettings in 2015, 12 fish were taken.
Northern Pike – The number of fish netted continue a downward trend when compared to previous surveys in the 80’s and 90’s. The size ranges widely vary from 12” to 25” with a few in the 30+” ranges. According to DNR staff, it would appear that Lone Lake is getting fewer, but larger, Northern Pike. Between the 18 nettings in 2015, 73 Northern Pike were taken, keeping this species a prevalent fish in Lone Lake.
Walleye – The number of fish netted are relatively stable when compared to previous surveys in the last 20 years but down from the 80’s and 90’s. The size ranges from 12” – 22” with the mean length being almost 19” for the deeper nets and 14” for the shallower nets. Mean weights varied from 1.01 lbs. in trap nets (shoreline) to 2.44 lbs. in gill nets (deeper water). Between the 18 nettings, 11 Walleyes were caught.
The graph below illustrates survey data for these particular fish species since 1949.
* Panfish includes Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Hybrid and Green Sunfish.
One last note on Northern Pike: the DNR is considering some new legislation or regulations for Northern Pike and should have a proposal out in the fall of 2015. This legislation would cut the state into three zones (Southern, Central and Northern) and would place possession and size limitations on Northern Pike. These limitations would be different depending upon which zone you are fishing in. Look for more information in the newspapers and on the DNR website later this summer or early fall.
Residents Dave Scott and Jerry Nelson collect and report precipitation, lake level and water clarity data. They take Secchi disk readings regularly throughout the ice-free season to measure water clarity. Marty Cook provides the graphical representation.
Reducing Runoff, Erosion Prevention & Lakeshore Landscaping Design Class
May 30 from 9 a.m. – noon, plus optional activity from 1-3 p.m.
Instructor: Jim Ravis, Minnesota Master Gardener.
At Glory Baptist Church, 28053 360th Ave., Aitkin.
One of the keys to keeping Lone Lake’s water quality high is reducing run-off from surrounding lake home and farm-lot properties. This free class covers how to apply lakeshore-landscaping principles to prevent erosion and reduce run-off. Use of plants and “hard-scaping” materials will be covered. In the afternoon activity, which is optional, participants will stake out the locations for wildflowers, trees and shrubs for the 297th Lane retention pond and hillside planting. Contact Jennifer O’Neill at jennyanyspot@gmail.com.
Welcome back to another great summer on Lone Lake. Your lake association has many activities planned for this summer that include something for everyone in your family. Time at the lake is precious and we would like you to become involved in our lake association whenever possible to help enhance, protect and preserve the beauty of Lone Lake.
The summer kicks off with several events in May with the first two happening this weekend. The Spring Road Clean-up is Sat., May 9th at 9:00am at the swimming beach. We’ll have coffee and rolls and time to meet with other lake neighbors before dividing into cleaning teams. This fun activity only takes about an hour to beautify the environment around our lake. Also it’s Fishing Opener this weekend. For the first time, thanks to an Aitkin County AIS grant, DNR-trained AIS boat inspectors will work at the public launch to check boats for compliance to Minnesota regulations. LLPOA is looking for volunteer inspectors for the other big traffic summer weekends, including the Memorial Day weekend. To help protect our lake from invasive species, please consider becoming a certified boat inspector. Plan to attend the training session on May 30th that runs roughly from 9:00am to noon (see details here). Finally, our Membership Drive starts on Memorial Day weekend. Dues are $25 this year. A LLPOA volunteer will call on you for your membership and to update the lake roster.
News about the LLPOA’s Board of Directors: They have been hard at work setting up this year’s programs and activities. They are a great group and I thank them for their service to Lone Lake. This spring Dianne and Walt Weisser retired from the board to care for family. Oh yes, they will still be involved but need to step back a bit from their leadership roles on the association. They have been great and we can never thank them enough for all that they do for our lake and our lake association. So, we have a vacancy for secretary and director’s positions. If you would like to serve please contact me at sfrazier@usjet.net and we’ll get you involved in the Lone Lake Property Owners Association. Thanks for your support, involvement and membership in the LLPOA and we’ll see you on the lake!
Steve Frazier, LLPOA President
LLPOA is happy to announce that it received a grant from the Aitkin County AIS Fund to hire trained inspectors to work on weekends at the Lone Lake public launch this summer. The grant stipulates that the lake association must provide volunteers for 25% of the total days being covered. This is where your support is needed. We must fill the holiday weekend slots to meet this 25% requirement. Will you volunteer for one inspection shift this summer to meet our 25% in-kind requirement Contact Linda Szymanski at ljsatthecabin@msn.com.
What can you do?
Aquatic invasive species still threaten, but there’s plenty we can do to keep them at bay
Spring has arrived. It is time for everyone to be thinking of aquatic invasive species and protecting Lone Lake. You may ask, “What can I do?” Below are a few steps each cabin owner can take to protect the lake this spring.
Service Providers
If you use a service provider to launch your watercraft or put your dock in, remember to ask two questions:
1) Are they a DNR certified service provider
2) have their employees have been through service provider AIS training.
If a service provider is not able to answer these questions, think twice before hiring them.
Trailer Rental / Pontoon Launch
Many users rent trailers to launch their pontoons. While the pontoon may have been out of the water all winter, do you know what lake the pontoon trailer was last in and when? If you rent a trailer to launch your pontoon, please inspect it for invasive species. An additional safety measure, take a few minutes and run the trailer through the car wash at the Aitkin Laundromat.
New/Used Lake Equipment – Boats, Docks, Lifts, Diving Platforms, Water Slides, etc.
Will you be purchasing lake equipment? If you have purchased lake equipment from a private party on another lake allow the equipment dry for two weeks before installing in the lake. Used equipment must be stored for 21 days in a dry environment before placing in the new body of water.
Lone Lake experienced high lake levels during the summer of 2014. In fact, the lake was above the Ordinary High Water (OHW) mark from May through July. Lots of snow last winter, plentiful rains, and a sluggish lake outlet have all been given as reasons for the extra water. For most of the summer, boaters were asked to keep wakes low to prevent shoreline erosion.
However, readings taken Oct. 31 showed the lake level had dropped 9.6” from the June 20th reading, and 6.6” below the OHW mark.
In September several individuals donned their waders and took up shovels to tackle the dirty job to open the culvert and ditch, and keep the water running between Lone and Ripple lakes. The last time the ditch was cleaned was ten years ago so the growth had become a huge obstacle.
With property owners’ permission, volunteers cleared growth and debris in the half mile long ditch. LLPOA thanks Bob Kosloski, Jerry Nelson, Dave Scott, Marty Cook, Ward Olson, Zint Kics, Mustafa Bulut and Walt Weisser. Applause also goes to Walt, Bob, Jerry and Dave who monitored the outlet culvert weekly all summer. They removed debris from a screen, which a trapper suggested be used in front of the culvert to prevent beavers from entering the culvert to build a dams.
Beginning July 1, 2015 a new trailer decal requirement is scheduled to start. The new law requires anyone who transports watercraft or water-related equipment like docks and lifts with a trailer in Minnesota to complete an online aquatic-invasive-species training course. The decal must be displayed after July 1.
The training course will be available starting in January 2015 so people can get their training and decal before the law goes into effect. Paper home-study training packets will also be available in January 2015 by calling 651-351-2000. After completing the course, you will receive a decal that must be displayed on your trailer.
For more about the program, go to trailers.mndnr.gov/
There are many excellent resources on the internet about invasive species in Minnesota, including the Minnesota Invasive Species Advisory Council at www.mda.state.mn.us/misac
Sometimes nature needs a nudge to right its course. That’s what happened when 23 Lone Lake residents teamed up with Aitkin County and a local excavator. Because of their efforts, polluting run-off from badly rutted 297th Lane is now being diverted into a new sedimentation pond rather than spilling directly into Lone Lake. Improvements to the road, were completed this fall after five years of neighborhood discussions, fundraising and finally, design and construction.
During rapid thaws, water spread across lawns and flowed directly into the lake.
It was “a high priority project,” said Steve Hughes, District Manager, Aitkin County Soil and Water Conservation District (SCWD). “Lone Lake is one of the nicest lakes in the county.” The unimproved road acted as a ditch with water carrying dirt and debris from surrounding hills, especially after big spring thaws and heavy rain storms. “To quantify the environmental impact is hard to say, but the improvements will stop sediment and they will not go into the lake. It is significant,” Hughes said.
Water carved deep gashes into the lane making travel difficult.
A chain of conversations and plans began after particularly drenching rains in 2009, when Dave Scott, LLPOA board member, saw a delta of sand and debris in the lake. It was obvious that it had come from up the hill and across the road. Scott takes regular water clarity readings and reports them to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. “Being the water quality guy,” he said, “I knew we wanted to keep silt out of the lake.” Neighbors met and talked about design options, and, importantly, how to pay for the work, recalled Jerry and Julie Nelson, two of the project organizers.
The view up 297th Lane shows the rip-rap alongside the road, which will significantly slow down the flow of the water. Grasses are planted under the cloth to further stablize the hillside.
In September, armed with a design from John Welle, Aitkin County highway engineer, Larry Liljenquist, Liljenquist Sewer and Excavating, reshaped and resurfaced the 1,000 ft. gravel track. They created a rock filled spillway adjacent to it and planted grass to prevent erosion. Now when water runs, it will stop first in a small pond, which is made to let the sediment settle and to allow only clean water to enter the lake.
The next phase of the project is planned for next spring. Lone Lake volunteers will work with Jim Ravis, Minnesota Master Gardener, and SWCD to plant deep-rooted, rain garden plants in the pond and native, bird and pollinator friendly plants further up the hill where the environment is drier. “The plants take up the water through their roots and it transpires into the atmosphere. It won’t go directly into the lake.“ Hughes explained.
The retaining pond is designed to filter the water so that leaves and other organic matter stay on the pond floor. A rain garden and meadow will be planted in the spring.
The first phase of the project cost ($33,650 with the state and county providing 75 percent of the funding, and local residents funding the remainder. Aitkin County officials and Mille Lacs Electric also donated labor and expertise.
With the new road and pond graded and surfaced, organizers met to check how the newly planted seedlings along the pond edge and hillside were faring. (L to r) Jerry Nelson, Larry Liljenquist, Steve Hughes, Elaine Palthe (who owns the land with the holding pond) and Dave Scott.
