READER Congratulations! Fall 2007 CLMP volunteers receive milestone awards for 2006 season big thanks to all you great volunteers who dutifully dip your disk all A summer long each and every year. Without you folks, this program and the wealth of data generated would not exist. At this time, we want to say a special thanks to the dedicated volunteers who have reached long-term milestones in their volunteer monitoring efforts. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is proud to announce the 2006 milestone award winners. In 2006, 145 volunteers reached long-term milestones in their monitoring work. For each five-year milestone, volunteers receive a recognition award. This year 55 volunteers received five-year certificates and coffee mugs, 40 received the 10-year pin, 32 received the 15-year governor s commendation, 14 received the 20-year governor s commendation, three received the 25-year gold coin clock, and one received the 30-year boat cushion. Thanks to all the volunteers who sent in photos. Below is the list of volunteers (in bold), their lakes and counties who recently reached long-term milestones. Congratulations to you all and keep up the great work! Volunteer Award Recipients 30 Year 30 Year Award Recipient Lois Stratmoen Fox Lake (Rice) 25 Year Award Recipients Tom & Nancy Docken Martin Lake (Anoka); Verna Eide Union Lake (Polk); Karlind T. Moller Lake Emily (Ramsey) Lois Stratmoen 25 Year 20 Year Award Recipients Kit Arnquist Long Lake (Cass); Jim Dandrea West Lake Sylvia (Wright); Alec & Donna Donaldson Ossawinnamakee Lake (Crow Wing); Gregory S. Gross Turtle Lake (Ramsey); Les & Jean Gunderson Little Pine Lake (Otter Tail); Clayton J. Knutson Big Dick Lake (Itasca); Wayne LeBlanc Peltier Lake (Anoka); Mel Luke Little Sand Lake (Hubbard); Karlind T. Moller
20 Year Award Recipients - continued Bob & Kay Olson Clearwater, Daniels, Rose & Watap Lakes (Cook); Bruce Paakh Floyd, Lee, Pimushe, Benjamin, Red, Bemidji, Winnibigoshish, Plantagenet, Sugar & Namakan Lakes (Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Hubbard, Itasca & Saint Louis); Ken Peters Fox Lake (Martin); Jim & Carolyn Ploof Long Lake (Todd); Dr. Richard J. Provinzino Big Sand Lake (Hubbard); Robert L. Taylor Middle Cormorant Lake (Becker) Kit Arnquist Alec & Donna Donaldson Melvern Luke Jim & Carolyn Ploof 15 Year Award Recipients 10 Year Award Recipients Jerry Baker Lone Lake (Aitkin); Steve Bechtold Blackduck Lake (Beltrami); John Bloom Little Lake Hubert (Crow Wing); Jim Bombeck Hook Lake (McLeod); John Bower Big Carnelian Lake (Washington); Charles Champlin North & South Twin Lakes (Beltrami); Mark Coil Balsam Lake (Itasca); Dr. Harold Dziuk Turtle Lake (Itasca); Mrs. Ira Ebeling Maple Leaf Lake (Saint Louis); Dr. Lawrance Eisinger Lake Alice (Otter Tail); Nancy Ellsworth Bluewater Lake (Itasca); Shirley Fihn Long Lake (Becker); Raymond Gangl Upper Pine Lake (Pine); Richard Gehlen Collinwood Lake (Wright); Gloria Gervais Eagles Nest #1 Lake (Saint Louis); Al & Darlene Hoeben Lake Ida (Douglas); Mike Howe Crooked & Ann Lakes (Douglas County & Pope); Alvar E. Hupila Snaptail Lake (Itasca); Robert G. MacDonald Jr. Gladstone Lake (Crow Wing); Don & Janet Mason North Long Lake (Crow Wing); John Morton Marlu Lake (Pope); Robert Mueller Pelican Lake (Pope); John Nyhus Ely & Esquagama Lakes (Saint Louis); Duane Olson Larson & Nelson Lakes (Becker); David Peterson Mound Lake (Todd); Leah Peterson Long Lake (Washington); Thomas M. Ries Cowdry Lake (Douglas); Joe Schwaab Goose Lake (Chisago); David Segar Budd Lake (Martin); Dr. Paul D. Stadem Bad Medicine Lake (Becker); Royce Tyre Unnamed Lake (LP-44) (Dakota); Marsha & Bob Videen Parkers Lake (Hennepin) Page 2 Ira Ebeling Shirley Fihn Nancy Ellsworth Alvar E. Hupila Charles Champlin David Segar Gary L. Cruff Goldie M. Johnson Gordon O. Prickett Richard Adair Mille Lacs Lake (Mille Lacs); Tony Appelget North & South Twin Lakes (Itasca); H. Charles Ario Indian & Larson Lakes (Otter Tail); June & Richard Axelson Little Mantrap Lake (Hubbard); Tom & Ann Beaver Lower Cullen Lake (Crow Wing); Jerry Bennett Long Lake (Otter Tail); Nick Bernier Upper & Lower Mission Lakes (Crow Wing); Jack Bonner Pokegama Lake (Itasca); Gary L. Cruff Sybil Lake (Otter Tail); Brad Davenport Turtle & Little Turtle Lakes (Beltrami); Cliff Delp Lake Ida (Douglas); Charles C. Dobihal Jack the Horse Lake (Itasca); Don Emery Tait Lake (Cook); Don & Janice Glimsdal Long Lake (Aitkin); Wally Gronberg Gunn Lake (Itasca); Richard Hafdahl Goose Lake (Ramsey); Ken Hubbard Pomme de Terre Lake (Grant); Dennis Johnson Little Dead Horse Lake (Itasca); Goldie M. Johnson Coon Lake (Anoka); Van Kalinoski Berger Lake (Otter Tail); Wayne Koehnen Big Swan Lake (Meeker); John Kroeger Little Round, Star & Little Star Lakes (Crow Wing); John C. Larsen Pelican Lake (Otter Tail); Lyle Laske Mantrap Lake (Hubbard); Fred Manuel Little Pelican Lake (Otter Tail); Mike McCann Fish Hook Lake (Hubbard); Tom McKenzie Rush Lake (Chisago); Laurel Mezner White Sand Lake (Crow Wing); Herold Neumann East Lake Sylvia (Wright); Gordon O. Prickett Nord Lake (Aitkin); Sandra Redman Reno Lake (Pope); Charles & Genevieve Roessler Fish Lake (Le Sueur); Joseph Schaefer Unnamed (Schwanz) Lake (Dakota); Gloria & Jim Senenfelder South Silver Lake (Martin); Paul Sifford Long Lake (Cass); Shannon Stewart Unnamed (Tamarack) Lake (Ramsey); John Waldhauer West Lake Sylvia (Wright); Clair Weigand Lightning Lake (Grant); Robert J. Widerski Clearwater Lake (Beltrami); Greg Winkler Split Hand Lake (Itasca)
5 Year Award Recipients Ed Anderson Lake Andrew (Douglas); Roger & Jane Arndt Ham Lake (Anoka); Chuck Bainter Majestic Lake (Saint Louis); Steven Berndt Schubert (East Bass) Lake (Saint Louis); Glenn Bertelson Eagles Nest #4 Lake (Saint Louis); Arlen Bowen Serpent Lake (Crow Wing); Keith Brokke Big McDonald Lake (Otter Tail); Virgil F. Buck Little Long Lake (Itasca); Tom Chapin Little Long Lake (Itasca); Clarence & Helen Chapman Lake Isabelle (Dakota); Gary Cummings Clitherall Lake (Otter Tail); Scott Dahl Long Lake (Hubbard); Harry Davis Devils Lake (Douglas); Mike Doran Bald Eagle Lake (Ramsey); Bill Dressen Island Lake (Cass); Donn R. Driver Lake Louisa (Wright); Mervin Eisel Twin Lakes (Crow Wing); Paul Fairchild Mary Lake (Crow Wing); Larry Fortner Scrapper (Wilson) Lake (Itasca); David Fritz Mille Lacs Lake (Mille Lacs); Robert Garberg Ross Lake (Crow Wing); Jim Harrison Sand Lake (Cass); Don Heesen Lake Irene (Douglas); Gerald Helling Lake Hanska (Brown); Jean & Dennis Koewler Wabana Lake (Itasca); Arden Labonte Perch Lake (Saint Louis); James W. McCormick Birch Lake (Cass); Sherry Miner Wabana Lake (Itasca); Nicholas Moe Lake Geneva (Douglas); Clint Mueller Lake Plantagenet (Hubbard); Kenneth & RosaLee Niemi Little Johnson Lake (Saint Louis); Gordon Keith Brokke Olson Straight Lake (Becker); Rick & Marni Olson Ham Lake (Anoka); Donald Oman Cross Lake (Carlton); Dave & Christine Osier Big Pine Lake (Aitkin); Wayne L. Peterson Quamba Lake (Kanabec); David Pribyl Clear, Fish, Loon & Little Spirit Lakes (Jackson); Don F. Quaintance Lake Francis (Isanti); Dave Rasmussen Coon Lake Arlen Bowen (Anoka); Ray Rau Granite Lake (Wright); James Renslow Little Cormorant Lake (Becker); George Schneider Rice Lake (Hennepin); Phil & Rhoda Serrin Bearskin Lake (Cook); Kenneth Spohn Long Lake (Stearns); Bob Steffes Kraemer Lake (Stearns); Jean Sturm Lake Hanska (Brown); Gary Turner Sunshine Lake (Saint Louis); Don Vodegel Pelican Lake (Grant); Marlyn Nick Moe Wacholz Green Lake (Kandiyohi); Nicole Ward Zumbro Lake (Olmsted); Steve Weston Carlson Lake (Dakota); Daniel Wohlenhaus Chisago & South Lindstrom Lakes (Chisago); Chuck Worum South Turtle Lake (Otter Tail); Ronald C. Zachmann Winsted Lake (McLeod); Kevin Zahler Rush Lake (Crow Wing) Nicole Ward SECCHI READER MPCA Fall 2007 Welcome new volunteer water monitoring staff Meet Johanna Schussler, new this year to CLMP and CSMP staff. Johanna comes to the PCA from the City of Burnsville, Minnesota, where she was the Natural Resources Technician. Johanna brings a varied skill set to her new position: she graduated from St. Olaf College with a degree in biology and philosophy, and then worked as a canoe guide at the end of the Gunflint Trail in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. She spent two years conducting stream surveys and coordinating volunteer groups in Northern California before returning to Minnesota, where she received her master s degree in Water Resources Science at the University of Minnesota. Johanna s master s thesis research focused on phosphorus balances in Minnesota watersheds, and made good use of data collected by CLMP volunteers. In her time with the City of Burnsville, Johanna worked closely with lake homeowner associations, taught elementary school kids about healthy watersheds, and helped facilitate community discussion of what Burnsville will look like from an environmental perspective in 2025. Johanna lives in South Minneapolis with her fiancé and her dog. When she s not at work, you can find her camping, canoeing, skiing, cooking, or doing yoga. Johanna is very excited to work with Minnesota s volunteer water monitors on the important work they do to increase the understanding of Minnesota s water resources. Page 3
News & Notes Free kit to help Get the Lead Out! Order a free Get the Lead Out! kit for your next lake association gathering and encourage anglers to use environmentally friendly lead-free fishing tackle. Provided for Minnesota-based lake associations, this attractive educational kit includes: a tabletop sign, fact sheets, and sample packs of lead-free jigs and weights. Help prevent the lead poisoning of loons, eagles, and other wildlife by choosing non-toxic weights and jigs. For more information, visit www.pca.state.mn.us/ oea/reduce/sinkers.cfm or contact Dan Miller (daniel.miller@pca. state.mn.us) of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency at 651-297- 8319 or toll free 800-657-3864. Anglers get the lead out at exchanges across state With the open water fishing season upon us, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announce their lead tackle exchange events. The MPCA and the DNR are partnering with retailers and others to offer more than 30 lead tackle exchanges across the state this summer. The exchanges are educational and offer anglers a chance to try out the growing variety of lead-free fishing tackle. There is no charge to exchange tackle. Depending on what anglers turn in, lead tackle will be swapped for jigs and weights made of bismuth, tin, tungsten, and steel. For the complete list of 2007 summer exchanges, visit, www.pca.state. mn.us/oea/reduce/sinkers.cfm or call 651-297-8319, toll free 800-657-3864. 2006 Annual Report now available The 2006 Annual Report on the Transparency of Minnesota Lakes is now available. Hard copies were sent to all CLMP participants and other interested parties. One questions that comes up a lot is on the number of readings taken per site. The data used to generate the mean (or average) Secchi reading is from June through September only. Any data collected outside this June - September window IS still stored in our database where it is available for viewing and use in future more detailed studies. If you would like an additional copy, contact the CLMP staff at clmp@ pca.state.mn.us or by phone at (651)296-6300 (Twin Cities Metro) or (800)657-3864 from Greater MN. Blue-green algae alerts As we approach the dog days of last summer, some lakes in Minnesota got so soupy with algae that they can present a danger to pets and people. Although nasty algae blooms in summer are not unusual, the effects from a specific type of algae can be. The culprit, a common type of algae called blue-green algae, under the right conditions can produce toxins that can have serious effects, particularly for animals but occasionally even for humans. To help keep your family and pets safe, here are a few simple things to do: Watch for algae that looks like thick pea soup or paint spilled on the water - usually found in large floating mats. There will often be a strong musty or earthy odor associated with these algae. Keep kids and pets out of contact with algae filled water. If contact is made, be sure to rinse skin/fur well. Don t allow kids or pets to drink algae filled water. For more information or to see photos of blue-green algae, please visit our web site www.pca.state.mn.us/water/ clmp-toxicalgae.html Don t let your disk end up like this... Your disk will give you the most accurate data if you take good care of it. Make sure that the paint isn t chipped and is stored out of direct sunlight when not in use to prevent fading. Minor dings and chips can be fixed by repainting them. Disks can be re-painted using a white enamel paint (glossy finish) or if it s beyond repair (like the one in this photo) contact the MPCA for a replacement disk. Page
Professor Lim Knowledgy Ask The Professor Topic of the day: Swimmer s Itch Q Dear Professor: I went swimming in a lake the other day, and now I ve got these red bumps all over and they itch like crazy. What is it? Signed, Joe Curious A Dear Joe: Sounds like you have a case of Swimmer s Itch. Swimmer s itch is caused by a blood fluke common in waterfowl. Chances are the lake you were swimming in probably has a pretty healthy population of ducks or geese residing on it as well as snails. The itching is caused when the fluke, while in the immature stage of its life cycle (referred to as cercaria ), mistakes you for its primary host, the waterfowl, and burrows into your skin after being release from the intermediary host, the snails. The good news is that aside from being annoying, the rash is relatively harmless to people and should clear up on its own after a few days. If the itching gets to be too much, check with your doctor or pharmacist about some over-the-counter or prescription medications for relief. To learn more about swimmer s itch and how to avoid getting it in the first place visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources web site at: www.dnr.state.mn.us/swimming/swimmersitch.html Until next time, Professor Lim Knowledgy Page
A special note from Jennifer : I m sure by now that some of you have heard rumors that I will be leaving this position. It is with bitter-sweet emotion that I tell you the rumors are true. I don t have a specific end-date as of yet, but I will be leaving as my family is in the process of relocating to Michigan for an opportunity that we simply could not pass up. Words can not truly express how wonderful it has been to work with such truly devoted and fun people. I have had the great fortune to work very closely with many of you and have enjoyed every minute of it! I will miss you all greatly, but have full confidence in the staff here to keep things running smoothly. In the long road of life, I am grateful to have walked this part of it so far and so long in such great company. 520 Lafayette Road North St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-4194 Presort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 171 St. Paul, MN In this issue: 2006 Award Winning Volunteers... 1 Welcome new volunteer staff... 3 Ask the Professor... 4 News & Notes... 5