2024
Winterpaloza – Saturday, February 24, 11 am at Westra’s Double D
BFLA Annual Meeting – Saturday, June 15th, 8:30 am at the Collegeville Township Hall
2023
BFLA Annual Meeting – Saturday, June 17 8:30 am at the Collegeville Township Hall
Annual Social Picnic – Thursday, August 17th at the Hidden Cove Orchard
2022
BFLA Annual Meeting – Saturday, June 17th 8:30 at the Collegeville Township Hall
2020
BFLA Annual Meeting — Saturday, June 22, 8:30 a.m. at the Collegeville Township Hall Cancelled
Annual Social Picnic — Thursday, August 13 at Hidden Cove Orchard Cancelled
2019
BLFA Annual Meeting — Saturday, June 22 8:30 a.m. at the Collegeville Township Hall
Annual Social Picnic — Thursday, August 15 at Hidden Cove Orchard
“Find Your Mussels” Day–TBD Aug/Sept
2018
Annual Meeting– Saturday, June 9 at 8:30 a.m. at the Collegeville Township Hall
4th of July Boat Parade on July 4th at 2 p.m.
When: 2PM start
Where: Start at old access / beach along Hwy 50
Rule: Anything goes. Must have American flag flying to be judged.
Everyone gets to vote this year. Please text your vote to 320-267-2648. All votes will be tallied as we arrive back to old access / beach area where we will announce winner and award the coveted trophy!
BFLA Social is August 16, 5:30 p.m. at Hidden Cove Orchard
2017
Annual Meeting is Saturday, June 10 at 8:30 a.m. at the Collegeville Township Hall.
4th of July Boat Parade starts at 2pm. Meet at the old beach by Highway 50.
BFLA Social Gathering and Picnic is August 17 from 6 pm to 9 pm.
2016
Annual Meeting is Saturday, June 11th at 8:30 a.m. at the Collegeville Township Hall.
The Boat Parade on the 4th of July starts at 2 p.m. on main beach.
The Big Fish Lake Social Picnic is August 18th at 6 p.m. at Hidden Cove Orchard
2015
Annual Social is August 21 starting at 6pm at Hidden Cove Orchard.
Informational Meeting on Lake Improvement District
On Saturday May 17th at the Collegeville Township Hall, 8:30 a.m. there will be a informational meeting regarding BFLA’s effort to establish a Lake Improvement District, (LID) on Big Fish Lake. The meeting will begin sharply at 8:30 a.m. with a short video on AIS. President Jim Sand will then give an update on how we got where are and what lies ahead. A question and answer session will take place giving everyone a chance to weigh in on this project.
2012
You’re Invited to our Big Fish Lake Association Fundraiser on Monday, July 2, 2012 from 5:30pm – 8:30pm. Click here to view the flier: Big-Fish-Lake-Fundraiser.
BIG FISH LAKE ASSOCIATIONS
FALL MEETING
SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2012
COLLEGEVILLE TOWNSHIP HALL
9:00 a.m.
AGENDA
Call Meeting to Order
Quorum Declaration
Approve Agenda with Flexibility
Guest Speaker: Stephanie Johnson, WaterGuards, Report on Boat Landing Inspections
Approve Minutes of June 9th Meeting
Treasurer’s Report
Membership Update
July 2nd Fund Raiser Report
August 26th Social Report
July 4th Boat Parade Report
Northern Rearing Pond Project Update
Loon Report
MN Waters Membership
Go Daddy website name
Constant Contact Update
Water Testing Report
Secchi Dish Report
Development Update
Law Enforcement Report on BFL
Other
2012 BFLA DATES TO REMEMBER
JUNE 9th Annual Meeting 9:00 AM Collegeville Township Hall
JULY 2nd Conservancy Fund Fundraiser at Fisher’s with a Silent Auction
JULY 4th Boat Parade 2:00 p.m.
AUGUST 26th BFLA Social 11:00 – 3:00 Hidden Cove Orchard
SEPTEMBER 8th Fall Annual Meeting 9:00 a.m. Collegeville Township Hall
With this years early ice out many of us rushed to get our boats, docks and yards ready for another summer of fun. Our loon nests were placed on the lake on Wednesday March 21st. It took until Saturday the 24th for the 1st Loon sighting. Males usually arrive first and look for nesting sites, the female follows later. We hope to have another successful year this year. Please respect the loon sites and ask friends that visit our lake to do the same.
Membership continues to be a priority of the Board. Last year was our best year ever with 107 paid membership. Although that seems like a lot it represents roughly 57% of our lake home owners. If we are to continue our efforts to protect our lake and maintain/improve its water quality it will take all of us. If you are not a member, please consider join us. For those who are members we are grateful for your support and shared vision.
Lake Development: Currently there are over 25 individual undeveloped lots on Big Fish Lake. We welcome those who would come and join us on the lake. We hope that as these lots are built on that the owners follow our simple message. When making decisions that affect the quality of the lake make the decision that has the least negative impact on it.
Northern Rearing Pond: After funding a study BFLA along with the Initiative Foundation we will be doing a treatment of the Northern Rearing Pond in the hopes of reducing the high phosphorus levels recorded there last year. Working with the MN DNR, owners of the Rearing Pond and the MPCA a plan was developed and approved. We hope to stay under $5,000.00 for the total cost of this project. We will continue to monitor water entering the lake from the Rearing Pond to judge our success.
Boat Landing Inspection Grant – Denied – This winter we applied for a grant from the MN DNR to have 500 hours of inspection time at the boat landing. With the number of folks who use are lake we felt it was important for us to have those inspections. Invasive species is a concern for us all and just one infected boater could have drastic effect on our lack. We are currently looking into “Volunteer Inspectors” They would be trained by the MN DNR, would inspect boats before entering the lake but they would not have any authority to ticket any boater or stop them from entering the lake. If you would be interested in being a “volunteer inspector” please contact Pres. Jim Sand.
Please read the dates to remember and make every effort to support the association by taking part in these events. On behalf of the BFLA Board of Directors we wish you a safe and enjoyable season on the lake
Jim Sand, Pres. BFLA
————————————————————————————————————————————————
2011
WATER QUALITY REPORT Fall 2011
Bill Schnettler
We have 3 ways to look at water quality this year. They are:
1. Whole lake sample data
2. Inlet sample data
3. Airplane flyover testing and analysis
The whole lake sample data can be view at our testing labs website. Google search RMB labs and click on “lakes monitoring program” and click on “lakes monitoring database” and enter the lake location information. Our primary site is #203. Web site is www.rmbel.info/. There you will see that the Trophic status index showed very slight improvement for 2011 compared to 2011 but that the similar date data is very close to the same. The 2011 TSI index was 38. TSI values of 31 to 40 is considered Oligotrophic meaning “Clean lake with clear water and normal algae levels.”
Inlet sample data is taken by me and measured at RMB labs but they do not post the data on the web site. Using 3-sample collection dates during large run-off times in 2011 the phosphorus readings averaged as follows: (mg/l)
Northern Rearing Pond: .43
Inlet by Schnettler: .33
East side alleyway: .32
Long Lake inlet .04
I have noted that flow rates are huge from the Northern Rearing Pond as compared to all other inlets combined but we have no measured data to back that observation up.
The airplane flyover report can be viewed at www.awlab.com. Click on “Client Data”, click on “Big Fish Lake Association”, click on “2011 TSI Mapping Report”. The report shows a color-coded map of the whole lake surface with different TSI level for each color. The report circled three concern areas. They are approximately:
1. On the north end on the lake from the northern half of the Sundance addition to the south end of the Northern Rearing Pond.
2. On the west shore from the farm to almost Ernst point.
3. In the southwest bay from the outlet to a point straight across the bay.
A majority of the lake surface is mapped with a TSI value in the 31 to 40 range. This data supports the TSI index of 38 taken at site 203 in the middle of the lake. The “concern” shore areas are mapped with TSI values of 41 to 80.
I submit water samples. I summarize the data. I do not draw conclusions. I am not an environmental expert.
The End of Summer Secchi Disc Report for Big Fish
Written by Matt Peters
I am glad to write we have four Secchi disc readers for Big Fish. Glenn Fuller reads the west side, Matt Peters reads the south side, and Joe Peters and Bill Schnettler read the north end. The deepest reading was west side Glenn’s reading at 31 feet deep May the 19th. The shallowest reading was 11.5 feet read by Joe north side on April 25th. The average secchi disc reading for
all four readers are 19.84 feet deep. Last years average secchi disc was 15.23 feet deep. That makes this year’s average secchi disc reading 4.61 feet deeper than last year.
The highest water temperatures were 81 degrees on July 21st and 29th. This water temp was taken 7 feet deep in the middle of the lake.
During the summer I heard several boaters tell me they saw mats of green algae floating in the middle of the lake. I also found some and identified it as filamentous algae. Common names include water net, frog spittle, and moss. The DNR book “A guide to Aquatic Plants” states that if this filamentous algae is a nuisance growth, it may indicate that a lake has excessive nutrients and write to limiting the flow of nutrients into the lake may reduce the severity of nuisance conditions, for exiting nuisances, you might achieve better control if you break up large surface mats before applying algaecide.
This summer we saw a lot of rain; my total this year is 27.08 inches of rain/snow
Remember if you see a weed in the water that you think it is invasive specie, call me 320-685-4507 or any other members in the vegetation group I listed in previous newsletters.
Dear Friends of Big Fish Lake
Happy Halloween!!
There has been a lot going on with our lake and our organization this past summer and we are getting ready for a busy 2012, what follows are some of those activities.
501(c)3 IRS status: Big Fish Lake Association has been granted tax exempt status with the IRS, this has been a two year project for us and will allow tax deductible donations for us as well as being our own fiscal host for grants.
Speaking of grants, Big Fish Lake Association has been awarded a $5,000.00 matching grant to look at the high phosphorus readings we have been monitoring from the Northern Rearing Pond. We have contracted with Osgood Consulting to determine the possible causes of these high readings and to come up with possible correction plans and their cost. As this study develops we will keep you posted on the website and in our newsletters. The grant was awarded from the Ininiative Foundation of Central Minnesota.
We have made contact with the DNR on the possiblility of doing boat monitoring during the 2012 season at the DNR boat landing. Our hope is that we can be part of the DNR education program and that we will be awarded a 50 – 50 cost share program for that.
Fall 2011 Meeting
September 10, 2011
9:00 a.m.
Collegeville Township Hall
9:00 a.m. Video on AIS
9:12 a.m. Call meeting to order Jim
Quorum Declaration Matt
Approve Agenda with flexibility Jim
Approve Minutes June 11th 2011 meeting Fr Jack
Treasurer’s report Matt
Fund Raiser Report & Conservancy Fund Jim
2011 Shoreline Restoration Grant Policy
Secchi Dish Report Matt
Water testing results Bill
Heinen Excavating – Life Membership for Laverne and Celestine Heinen
501(3) c IRS status Jim
Fly Over results Mark
Loon update Jim
2012 Fund Raiser July 2nd, Fisher’s Jim
2012 Social Picnic Date TBD
Community Clean Up Meeting
Lake Home Succession Planning BFLA Co Sponsor
Membership/Dues Notices
2012 Projected Projects
Northern Rearing Pond
Boat Landing Inspections with DNR
2011 Board Member Terms Up
Matt, Fr. Jack, Bill & Rena – letter from Mark
Vote for 5 – positions Matt, Fr. Jack, Bill & Rena agree to stay on if voted in.
September 2011 Membership Meeting
Please note starting time and we would ask that you share this information with your neighbors around the lake
Gusest Speaker: John Ratzenberger, (Cliff Clavin of TV’s Cheers) on AIS (Video presentation of 11 minutes)
2012 Topics: Northern Rearing Pond, Boat Landing, Fund Raiser & Social Picnic
Board Member Elections
June Full Membership Meeting
Saturday June 11th
Full Membership Meeting
10:00 a.m.
American Legion – Cold Spring NOTE SITE CHANGE
Guest Speaker: Anne Nelson, Stearns County Environmental Services
Topic: The Role and Importance of Wetlands to our Lake
Hope to see most of you at the meeting.
Please pass this email on to others you feel would be interested in what is going on at Big Fish Lake.
Jim Sand, Pres.
BFLA
2010
DNR Fish Survey, August 2010
Lake (County) Date
Species
Number/net
Average length (in)
Max length (in)
Big Fish Lake (Stearns)
8/2/10
Black Crappie
0.2
7.9
11.8
Bluegill
11.7
5.3
7.8
Northern Pike
20.1
16.5
29.7
Walleye
1.4
20.5
25.7
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2010 Big Fish Lake Association Fall Meeting
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends of Big Fish Lake,
Here is the information the FAll BFLA Meeting
When: Saturday, September 18th
Where: Collegeville Township Hall
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Guest Speaker – Paul Diedrich, Minnesota DNR Fisheries
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Paul will be speaking about recent fish and vegetation studies done on Big Fish Lake as well as new rules for boaters leaving or entering the lake, rules for docks and rafts along with time for questions from the membership
Loon Update July 12, 2010 by Jim Sand: I am a very confused individual rightnow. This afternoon I took two ofmy grandsons for a pontoon ride to check on the loons and what we found has mebaffled. We saw 3 sets of adultloons on the water, two of the sets had a young loon swimming with them, the 3rdset had TWO, yes TWO young loons swimming with them. We have 4 young loons on the lake now with 3 sets ofparents. I have no idea where the3rd set came from or for that matter where their two chicks havebeen. Rose and I have spent somany hours on the lake this Spring and Summer watching what we though were twosets of parents with one chick each that this new ‘find’ of twins has us scratching our heads. I will be contacting Pam Perry to seeif it is possible that another family has moved onto Big Fish after nestingsomewhere else. The good news hereis that we have more loons and chicks on the lake then we had thought. I will let you know what I find out.
7.07.2010 Big Fish Lake Association Social Gathering
When: Sunday August 1st
Where: Hidden Cove Orchard
Time: 12:00 – 3:00
Hot Dogs and Fixings Provided – Bring a dish to pass
Bring your own chair or blanket
Come for an afternoon of sun and fun. Get acquainted with other families who live on the lake and have the opportunity to order Big Fish Lake Sweatshirts, TShirts and Greeting Cards. BYOB
5.26.2010 Our Baby Loons have arrived!!
Last night Rose and I saw our 2nd nesting Loons new baby! The new family is the nesting pair off of Chuck Daniel’s place. We watched for some time and only saw one chick and there is not another egg on the nest platform.The good news is that we had 2 nesting pairs and they each have one new chick. We were blessed last year with twins from both nesting pairs. Now the bad news – sort of – the next few weeks are the most critical for the young ones, please do whatever you can to encourage friends who use the lake to give our Loons as much space as possible. With this weekends activities there will be a lot of boat traffic.Jim
4.27.2010 This is a link to a blog about Big Fish Lake put together by the Healthy Lakes Program
http://ifoundmn.blogspot.com/2010/03/second-times-charm-for-lake-association.html
4.23.2010 Here is a link to long term benefits of shoreline restoration
http://www.shorelandmanagement.org/shore_shore/index.html
4.20.2010
Here’s a link to Shoreline Alteration Rules.
This is a summary of what you can and can not do to your shoreline under current DNR rules. It also gives you needed information on if a permit is needed or not.
3.16.2010
The Central Minnesota Water Education Alliance (CMWEA) is proud to announce its 2nd annual rain barrel sale. CMWEA is offering a 60 gallon rain barrel in your choice of Forest Green, Earth Brown or Nantucket Gray for $75.00 per barrel (tax included in price). The barrels come with a detachable lid, spigot, mosquito skirt, drain plug and overflow valve.
CMWEA will be accepting orders until May 13th, 2010 with a distribution date on June 5th, 2010. Please refer to our website atwww.mnwaterconnection.com for additional information or call me at (320) 251-7800 x 153.
Here is a link for the 2010 rain barrel order form and a poster promotingthe benefits of using a rain barrel. Please consider spreading the word and posting the information at your respective City Hall’s, websites and/or newsletters.