County shares results from AIS inspections

Lone Lake was one of fourteen lakes participating in the Aitkin County Aquatic Invasive Species inspection program this year.  The lakes included Big Pine, Big Sandy, Cedar, Clear, Farm Island, Hill, Lone, Long, Minnewawa, Ripple, Round (Haz), Spirit, Sugar and Wilkins. Of all county lakes, Lone Lake was the 9th in the number of the total inspections conducted with no significant issues. In 2018, LLPOA will apply for a county grant to assist us with inspections.  Your responses on our member survey will help us determine if we continue with volunteer inspections or have the county do all inspections at the launch.

Thanks go to all the volunteer inspectors who inspected over Memorial Weekend to help us with the in-kind goal.

Thanks to every watercraft owner who drained, dried and disposed bait correctly.

— Linda Szymanski

(Click on charts to see larger)

Meet Maureen Sanford

NEW BOARD MEMBER Maureen Sanford

“I have been coming up to Lone Lake with my family since I was 5.  The ‘cabin’ my parents purchased in 1988, was the original Maude Klingelhoffer family farmhouse.  Currently, the cabin is owned by two of my siblings, along with their spouses, and me.  Most of our time at the lake is in the summer but we do come up in the winter when there is snow for winter sports.  When not spending time at the cabin, I reside in the Twin Cities suburb of South St Paul.  I am not yet retired from my position as an elementary reading teacher/specialist.  I am serving on the lake board because someone needed to fill the open spot!  I have been an AIS volunteer for several years and I love the lake!”

Maureen Sanford: “Here’s a picture from this past summer – fishing in Kodiak, Alaska

How clear is Lone Lake? See how water clarity is tracked

Every year, as soon as the ice goes out, Dave Scott, LLPOA board member and Water Quality team leader, begins to measure the clarity of Lone Lake’s water.  He sends those readings to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). His back-up testers have included Jerry Nelson and others. We’ve presented his numbers to you before, but it’s interesting to see the raw data, as he tracks and reports it.

Q: What’s a Secchi Disk?

A: A Secchi disk is an 8-inch (20 cm) disk with alternating black and white quadrants. It is lowered into the water of a lake until it can no longer be seen by the observer. This depth of disappearance, called the Secchi depth, is a measure of the transparency of the water.

Transparency can be affected by the color of the water, algae, and suspended sediments. Transparency decreases as color, suspended sediments, or algal abundance increases. Water is often stained yellow or brown by decaying plant matter. In bogs and some lakes the brown stain can make the water the color of strong tea. Algae are small, green aquatic plants whose abundance is related to the amount of plant nutrients, especially phosphorus and nitrogen. Transparency can therefore be affected by the amount of plant nutrients coming into the lake from sources such as sewage treatment plants, septic tanks, and lawn and agricultural fertilizer. Suspended sediments often come from sources such as resuspension from the lake bottom, construction sites, agricultural fields, and urban storm runoff.

Transparency is an indicator of the impact of human activity on the land surrounding the lake. If transparency is measured through the season and from year to year, trends in transparency may be observed. Transparency can serve as an early warning that activities on the land are having an effect on a lake.  -From www.secchidipin.org/

Interested in learning more?

Learn more about how University of Minnesota scientists are researching solutions to aquatic invasive species problems in our lakes and rivers CLICK HERE

Are you a citizen scientist? You can become part of a network of trained volunteers eager to make a difference around the state. The AIS Detector program, started last year by the University of Minnesota Extension, provides participants with high-quality training, which was developed and reviewed by AIS experts.  Learn more HERE

Does snow in winter mean we’re in for a tough winter?  No? Yes? Read what the DNR says (published October 30, 2017): CLICK HERE

Summer peaks with parades & annual meeting

Hi Lone Lakers, Wasn’t the 4th of July weekend great this year? We hope you had a great time with family and friends in our beautiful weather.

View fullsize

2017 Dock Winner

View fullsize

2017 Pontoon Winner

View fullsize

2017 Speedboat Winner

LLPOA events went off without a hitch. The boat parade on Saturday, July 1st had 10 participants: the Zacharias family (Lot 136) won the speedboat decorating award; the Wagenknecht’s earned the pontoon award; and newcomers, the Feist family (Lot 105), won the dock-decorating contest. Winners will get their engraved LLPOA traveling trophies at the annual meeting. With regards to the contest, the board of directors voted at their July 9 meeting to allow anyone on the lake to compete in the contest -- even board members who have previously been omitted. They also voted to request that the contest winners be the judges for the following year’s competition, because winners cannot win two years in a row. To be a judge, you simply need to boat around the lake and pick the best speedboat, pontoon and dock - about an hour of your time.

2017 Triathlon Participants

Early July 4 we cheered on 11 contestants who participated in the 16th annual Lone Lake Triathlon. Individuals and teams swam 500 yards, biked 10 miles and ran 4 miles. Twenty-five or so people cheered them on with many event spotters present. LLPOA awarded medals to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners of each category. This great event is organized and sponsored by the VanSlooten family.

Our next event is the annual meeting/potluck on Saturday, July 22 at 11 a.m. at the Preiner’s storage facility on Oak Avenue, on the north side of the lake. This year Chris Perrine of Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative will talk about the new Fiber Home Internet Project, their Right-of-Way Tree Trimming program and electrical safety. Chris’ presentation and information will virtually affect every lot on Lone Lake one way or another.

Also on Saturday LLPOA will conduct a short business meeting and members will elect LLPOA officers and directors. Up for election are president, treasurer, communications director, and three director positions. So far the incumbents have indicated that they will run again. We have one open director position to fill a vacancy. If you would like to run for an officer or director position, please let me know and I will place your name on the ballot by July 19. Board member duties include attending and actively participating in monthly meetings (approx. 2 hours) on a weekend (typically April - Oct.).

Thanks for your membership and support of the Lone Lake Property Owners Association.
Steve Frazier, LLPOA President

Help is needed to keep trees & shrubs thriving on hillside

Will you volunteer to help keep the tall grasses and weeds down around the fledgling trees and shrubs growing on the hillside near 297th and 296th, just south of the beach, (SE side of Lone Lake)?

Due to the redesign of a road in 2015, the the hillside was “re-arranged” and re-planted with deep-rooted native trees and shrubs to keep run-off out of our pristine lake.

A group will gather Sat., May 27 at 10 am to clear weeds from around plants.  

Please join us!  Other times can be scheduled as per the volunteer's available time.  Questions? Contact Jennifer (jennyanyspot@gmail.com) or Beth-Anne (browe06@gmail.com)   Thanks!

Maple Ridge Produce expands

At the lake you can eat well and buy local, too

It has been a busy year for Erik Heimark and Jay Rigdon at Maple Ridge Produce, 29555 380th Ave. “We didn’t anticipate breaking even our first year on the farm,” said Erik. “But thanks to so many enthusiastic customers, we were able to not only break even and make a little profit.”

Erik and Jay in the almost-finished farm stand

As a result, they decided to expand their garden to just over two acres, build a green house, and a new farm stand at the corner of County Road 81 and Township Road 1028.

In addition to produce, this year the farm stand will include:

• A mini-fridge for farm-fresh eggs
• A refrigerator/freezer for produce, breads, and frozen meats
• Products from other farms such as home-made soap, maple syrup, USDA inspected pork and beef...and even goat!
• A card reader for credit and debit cards (we have to be home to use it though)
• A guest book for suggestions, comments, and questions
• A weekly recipe of the week

Last summer’s bounty of squash, melons and other veggies.

The stand will open Memorial Day weekend. Look for fresh cut rhubarb and asparagus, vegetable and flower starts, hanging flower baskets, jellies, jams, and relishes, homemade soap, farm-fresh meats, and our Maple Ridge breads!  “We look forward to seeing you throughout the growing season!” said Erik.

This year Maple Ridge Produce will also be hosting the Sustainable Farming Association's annual summer picnic. SFA would like to invite the Lone Lake Association members to join them for a potluck picnic extravaganza at Maple Ridge Produce on Saturday,  July 8th from 3-7 pm.

At this picnic you will be able to meet a variety of other local farmers in the area and see what they have to offer.  “It’ll be great to see you all there!”

For more information, contact Erik Heimark, Maple Ridge Produce at mapleridgeproduce@gmail.com or call 218-232-1303

Fun Facts from the lake

Please welcome Beth-Anne Rowe to the LLPOA board of directors!

Independence Day Boat Parade will be on Saturday, July 1 at Noon (NOT on the 4th of July).

Memorial Day Weekend: LLPOA Membership drive begins. Please welcome your door-to-door membership volunteers!

This year’s LLPOA annual meeting and picnic will be on Saturday, July 22 starting at 11 a.m. More details to come.

ICE WENT ON THE LAKE: December 10, 2016

ICE CAME OFF THE LAKE:     April 4, 2017 (see more historical dates here)

LAKE ELEVATION on May 10, 2017 was 1,264.23 ft.  The Ordinary High Water Mark is 1,264.6 ft.

LAKE CLARITY: the Secchi disk reading on May 10, 2017 was 28 feet

Neighborhood Crime Watch signs installed

You may have noticed the Neighborhood Crime Watch signs that appeared in the Lone Lake vicinity late last year.  They are posted to deter intruders by stating that “We immediately report all suspicious activity to our Sheriff’s Office.” Dave Scott, board member who coordinated the effort, said “Now you are supposed to watch and call the Sheriff.” Ten signs were erected in 2016.  The Aitkin County engineer donated several sign posts.

High water threatens water quality, erodes shorelines

Last August Lone Lake residents made willow wattles, a tied bundle of just-cut willow, alder and other young woody trees, which are staked just at the shoreline to capture organic matter from the lake and break wave action. Native plants, typically planted behind the wattle, set down deep roots and become established. Wattles can also be used on steep slopes on the land. (Pictured from front to back) Dave Scott, Carrie Van Slooten, Shelley Larson, Dean Frost, Julie Nelson and Kathryn Engdahl carry a newly made willow wattle from shore to lake.

Living on Lone Lake, we are fortunate to be able to enjoy a lake that has some of the clearest waters in Minnesota.  It’s not uncommon to be able to see 30 feet down into the water on a summer’s day.  We have not been plagued with blooms of algae or excessive plant growth -- a sign of too much phosphorus in the lake – that is caused by soil erosion, lawn fertilizer, decomposition of leaves at the shore, and other pollution running off the land.

But with more frequent spikes of higher than normal water levels, which we’ve been experiencing since 2014, shoreline erosion threatens to create more runoff from the land, and the pollution that is carried with it.  Even before the heavy rains of May 16-19, the lake was already just about 4 inches below our lake’s Ordinary High Water Mark.

“The shore land zone where you live is the lake’s first line of defense,” according to the Aitkin County Shoreland Homeowner’s Guide to Lake Stewardship. “What you and your neighbors do--or don’t do—on your shoreland property can have a significant impact on the quality of the lake.  Managing water quality means managing the land use around the lake to reduce the amount of pollution that enters the lake.”

Reed Canary Grass is a non-native invasive grass that crowds out more beneficial deep-rooted shoreline plants. Its blades are 1/2” wide, and the leaves stand up vertically. It is good to remove it — but don’t pull it because it will disturb the bank. Instead, “swipe” the leaves using rubber gloves and a cloth with a product like Rodeo if near the water, or make a home mix of Dawn detergent, vinegar and salt.

With persistent high water, “it’s really been challenging the last few years,” said Shelley Larson, preservation expert with Hayland Woods Nursery.  “We’ve been seeing water quality decline in lakes.” Shelley will be leading a second educational session and hands-on workshop to teach us about lakeshore preservation strategies and techniques at the lake on Saturday, June 10 starting at 10 a.m. Location: Dave Scott’s home at 29789 380th Ave. (Location may change – details will be published via email.)

New techniques, borrowed from nature, are replacing rip-rap, the traditional rock-based shore protection approach. “The old idea of rip-rap…the ice just shoves it back and eventually it just collapses,” she said. Instead, today, homeowners are encouraged to use natural woody materials such as fiber bundles and willow-wattles along the lakeshore. Planting native plants in the water and along the shoreline will “protect the toe,” she explained – the place where the water meets the lake.”  They will “absorb the energy of the waves.”

With Shelley’s guidance and funds from an Aitkin Co. Soil and Water conservation grant, a LLPOA team is working with interested homeowners to assess their lots and shorelines, and recommend erosion control and planting approaches.

If you are interested in participating and/or learning more, please attend the June 10 workshop, and/or contact Dave Scott at 218-927-2967, or Jennifer O’Neill at 218-839-6825. We will be publishing more information on our web site throughout the year: www.lonelake.org.