2007 Newsletter

June 2007

The Annual Spring Meeting of the Big Fish Lake Association will be held 10 o’clock a.m., Saturday, June 16 th, 2007, at the Blue Heron Supper Club on Highway 23 in Cold Spring. Coffee and goodies will be provided. We have a full agenda.

Letter from Association President Mary Schramel

To the wonderful stewards of Big Fish Lake:

We can be very proud of our devotion to the betterment of Big Fish Lake. We have succeeded moving ahead with positive action as stewards of this valuable resource. The clean water study was a great effort put forth by members of this organization and provides us with the framework for continued positive action.

Our spring meeting on June 16th at the Blue Heron will provide you with an excellent opportunity to see the components of this plan. You can ask questions, make suggestions and take a positive role in the betterment of Big Fish Lake.

One part of the plan is shown in the enclosed map of the lake. This was put together by the supportive agencies that guided our own members in the Clean Water Study. This map shows locations of tributaries to Big Fish Lake. Managing tributaries is the next goal in protecting our lake for enjoyment of future generations. We will discuss the best management practices to guide us on that journey.

This volunteer board has only one agenda. It is defined in our bylaws: the betterment of Big Fish Lake in the area of water quality, vegetation and fisheries. All parts are interconnected and hinge on better water quality. This organization has weathered the upset of updating our septic systems fulfilling one of our established priorities. Many of you have taken the lead on shoreline restoration. Next is the restoration and enhancement of all the lake’s tributaries. This remains our priority.

In reviewing past sign-in sheets, it is clear to see the wonderful support of a good percentage of the lake property owners. I ask that each of you invite a neighbor to join you at our spring meeting. Beverages, snacks and great conversation are on the agenda! We look forward to seeing everyone at the meeting.

-Mary Schramel, president


Dues are Payable

It’s time to renew your membership by paying dues when you find a red ‘X’ next to your name on the mailing label. Please mail a check to the Big Fish Lake Association at Post Office Box 458, Cold Spring, MN 56320, or bring your remittance to the meeting June 16th, 10 a.m. at the Blue Heron in Cold Spring. Dues are $15/year, $12.50/year for seniors. Your dues help pay for production and mailing of this newsletter, and other Association projects. Thank you!


Embarrassment at Big Fish Lake

We live in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, many of which are contaminated or in the process of becoming contaminated. Our Minnesota legislature has made water quality a priority, crafting legislation to make our lakes and streams cleaner. The cost of clean up is massive. BFL is no exception: our lake has gotten dirtier and more polluted during the past several decades and is now listed as “impaired.”

The Lake Association has only one goal: Keeping BFL Clean! More fish and bigger fish are good goals, but they are secondary, dependent on clean water. Mother Nature gave us a clean lake. Stewardship demands we hand that gift on to the next generation in the same condition or better than we received it. The property owners around BFL are stewards of the lake. Because we own land around BFL, it is our responsibility to keep it clean and clear for future generations. Hence, all of our septic systems now function properly: Congratulations! But run-off into the lake cannot be tolerated. Our choice today is simple: either we are for a clean lake or we are for a polluted lake. We can’t have it both ways.

For a decade and a half, a sliver of land, a drainage easement, a wetland, has been the subject of conflict and division for neighbors around the lake. A berm was taken out of this wetland, trees were clear-cut, and trucks and wheeled vehicles were allowed within this wetland. This action has caused significant pollution to enter our lake. Last August, some lake association members met with State and County, Watershed District and Township officials to discuss resolution. Recommendations were made regarding the safeguarding and improvement of water quality at BFL. We have highly capable local officials who appear unable to enforce the laws that protect the lake and its wetlands because they are hampered by local politics and selfish interests. As with other endeavors, we must focus on the problem, not personalities.

Therefore let us live at peace with each other, working for a common goal: Clean Water!

-By Fr. Jack Brunner, lake property owner since 1964


Here are some Simple, Important “Best Management Practices” for your Lake Property

  1. Septic systems should comply with local ordinances and be properly operated and maintained.
    • Do not use a garbage disposal. Raw, undigested food can float to your drain field and plug the system.
    • Practice water conservation in the home. Run only full loads in the laundry and dishwasher
    • Use only phosphorus-free soap in the dishwasher, laundry and bathrooms.
    • Pump your septic systems at least every three years, and more often depending on use & occupancy.
  2. Practice good lawn maintenance.
    • Limit fertilizing. Use only zero-phosphorus fertilizer. Soils in our region are naturally high in phosphorus.
    • Do not fertilize within 50 feet of the lake shore.
    • Do not fertilize your drain field.
    • Set your mower high.
    • Keep grass clippings, leaves, ash, charcoal, and pet waste out of the lake and away from the lakeshore.
    • Reduce or eliminate pesticide use on the lawn and garden.
    • Pump lake water instead of applying fertilizer.
  3. Maintain or establish a shoreland buffer zone of natural vegetation.
    • Buffers prevent erosion and infiltration of nutrients into the lake.
    • Buffers should extend a minimum of 30 feet from your shoreline to maintained lawn areas.
    • Encourage woody vegetation and tall grasses to stabilize the shore land. Do not disturb embankments.
    • Minimize the disturbance of aquatic plants as they help to stabilize shorelines.
    • Are trees blocking your view? Trim them up, don’t cut them down. Consider planting another
    • All shore line alterations require a Stearns County permit. Call (320) 656-3613 before disturbing soils or cutting trees and other vegetation near the shore line.

June Supplement 2007

Big Fish Lake Sundown

A Fiery Dragon
Swirling in a Prussian Sky.
Reflecting on the waves
Moving on the Mirror of the lake,
and in their wake
Puffing angels on the wing
resting in the clouds to sing
the everlasting promise of
an eternal spring.

With love,
Ruth Catherine Peters


The lake association gratefully acknowledges George Torrey for his generous contribution to the Big Fish Lake Conservancy Fund. George’s extraordinary contribution demonstrates his environmental stewardship and commitment. His gift sustains future projects improving lake water quality.


Water clarity impacts your property values

Three of your neighbors attended a DNR-sponsored seminar on March 15th at the St. Cloud MnDOT headquarters that included a presentation on how water clarity directly affects lake shore property values. Recommendations state, in part, “…the relationship between lakeshore property values and lake water quality is demonstrated by [our] research. Collectively, changes in lake water clarity will result in millions of dollars in property values- lost or gained-in this lake region of Minnesota. Clearly, for economic reasons alone, not to mention the ecological health and social benefits at stake, it is important to protect the water quality of all Minnesota’s lakes.

The relationship between lake water quality and lakeshore property values is likely for other lakes outside the area of study, but additional research could be done to verify, as well as to further support this study’s findings. Enlightened citizens and progressive regulatory policy are the key to protecting Minnesota’s valuable lakes from further degradation. Education to the importance of sustaining and/or improving the quality of Minnesota’s lakes is critical and must occur if current detrimental practices affecting water quality is to be averted. The results of this study provide compelling evidence for an educational initiative.”

See http://www.co.cass.mn.us/esd/intralake/bsu_study.pdf


Grant money awaits an applicant

The Initiative Foundation in cooperation with the DNR has funding available for shore re-vegetation projects. The DNR grant matches on a three-for-one basis! Points are awarded based on the number of contiguous neighboring lots, in other words, if you and two neighbors wish to participate, your odds of a grant award are improved. Applications due mid-September. Also, the Association is eligible for a $5,000 challenge grant from the Initiative Foundation which we can use to restore and enhance our tributaries; and we can apply for up to $25,000 for control of GPS-charted invasive exotics such as chara and curly-leaf pond weed.


September 2007

The Fall Meeting of the Big Fish Lake Association will be held 10 o’clock a.m., on Saturday, September 8th, 2007, at the Blue Heron Supper Club on Highway 23 in Cold Spring. Coffee and goodies will be provided. We have a full agenda.

Letter from Association President Peter Fandel

First of all, congratulations! Your lake association-you-got a standing ovation at the Initiative Foundation Healthy Lakes Partnership reunion. Your Association was distinguished as being the only lake association in a seven county area to have completed the Healthy Lakes Partnership and Clean Water Study, Lake Assessment Program study, and attained our goal of 100% septic system compliance. It is the lake that benefits from your commitment and investments of money and time.

The activities of the three Focus Groups studying fisheries, water quality and aquatic vegetation involved many new members, gathered information from technical sources, and concluded some important work. Lasting results to fisheries improvement and suppressing invasive weeds hinge on improving lake water quality. Last week, your Board adopted a strategy involving members from all around the lake. We will focus on lake tributaries, the final of our three lake improvement priorities recommended by the aforementioned state- and county-funded studies. Here is our plan:

The preceding newsletter included a color map of the lake showing the locations of each of our tributaries and those flowing into Long Lake, which in turn flows into Big Fish. Members of your Board have been asked to adopt one of these nine tributaries. Starting now, Board members will contact about five individuals to join them in studying their adopted tributary. We’ll call a special meeting in October to discuss what we have witnessed in the past, what we know about the sub-watershed- any modifications, damage, encroachment-and try to determine what kinds of assistance we might request from government agencies to further investigate, test, engineer, and ultimately to improve the quality of water flowing into the lake.

With that general (maybe unscientific) information in hand, your Board will apply for grants and other tangible assistance to implement defined action plans. If one of our Board members contacts you, get involved. Some tributaries are fine and do not contribute to a pollution problem. Affirming that finding may be all that is asked of you.

The controversial east-central shore wetland is in litigation and although cited as a contributing source of runoff, that tributary is being handled outside the Association.

While we met last June at the Blue Heron, the Horseshoe Chain of Lakes group was meeting at the other end of the building. They had about 100 people attending and it looked impressive. But as a percent to total, they attract fewer members than we do which is little consolation as we see our lake declining-with increasing weeds, early algae blooms, fewer game fish-little consolation because these are problems we can manage if we stay involved.

Congratulations again for past accomplishments; important work lays ahead.


Dues are Payable

It’s time to renew your membership by paying dues when you find a red ‘X’ next to your name on the mailing label. Please mail a check to the Big Fish Lake Association at Post Office Box 458, Cold Spring, MN 56320, or bring your remittance to the September 8th meeting, 10 a.m. at the Blue Heron in Cold Spring. Dues are $15/year, $12.50/year for seniors. Your dues help pay for production and mailing of this newsletter, and other Association projects. Thank you!


Weeds Weeds Weeds

Dr. Keith Knutson has classified many of the weeds we see prolifically growing and propagating this summer. Samples have been dried, labeled, laminated and compiled in a binder. Come to the September meeting this Saturday the 8th to learn what’s causing the prolific weed growth and what needs to be done to curtail proliferation of native and invasive species. Dr. Matt Julius is having difficulty identifying masses of algae or invertebrate eggs sampled at the northernmost point of the lake. Dr. Julius and students will this week conduct studies for a revised Carlson trophic index, a formula based on turbidity, dissolved oxygen, phosphorus and nitrogen. Results are anticipated in time for our meeting this Saturday the 8th.


Here are some Simple, Important “Best Management Practices” for your Lake Property

  1. Septic systems should comply with local ordinances and be properly operated and maintained.
    • Do not use a garbage disposal. Raw, undigested food can float to your drain field and plug the system.
    • Practice water conservation in the home. Run only full loads in the laundry and dishwasher
    • Use only phosphorus-free soap in the dishwasher, laundry and bathrooms.
    • Pump your septic systems at least every three years, and more often depending on use & occupancy.
  2. Practice good lawn maintenance.
    • Limit fertilizing. Use only zero-phosphorus fertilizer. Soils in our region are naturally high in phosphorus.
    • Do not fertilize within 50 feet of the lake shore.
    • Do not fertilize your drain field.
    • Set your mower high.
    • Keep grass clippings, leaves, ash, charcoal, and pet waste out of the lake and away from the lakeshore.
    • Reduce or eliminate pesticide use on the lawn and garden.
    • Pump lake water instead of applying fertilizer.
  3. Maintain or establish a shoreland buffer zone of natural vegetation.
    • Buffers prevent erosion and infiltration of nutrients into the lake.
    • Buffers should extend a minimum of 30 feet from your shoreline to maintained lawn areas.
    • Encourage woody vegetation and tall grasses to stabilize the shore land. Do not disturb embankments.
    • Minimize the disturbance of aquatic plants as they help to stabilize shorelines.
    • Are trees blocking your view? Trim them up, don’t cut them down. Consider planting another
    • All shore line alterations require a Stearns County permit. Call (320) 656-3613 before disturbing soils or cutting trees and other vegetation near the shore line.