June 2008
The Annual Meeting of the Big Fish Lake Association will be held Saturday, June 14th at 10:00 a.m. at the Blue Heron Supper Club in Cold Spring. The agenda includes election of officers and board members; discussion of rezoning and development of Alexander wooded lake property; PCA eutrophic designation-water quality is worsening; tributary improvement projects; County-sponsored wetland conversion action; and more. Our guest speaker is Gary Grossinger, Stearns County Tax Assessor. Mr. Grossinger will respond to general questions about lake property taxation but can’t address property-specific tax valuation. Beverages and goodies will be provided.
Letter from lake association president Peter Fandel
The ice melted on April 26th, later than usual. As of last week lake water temperature was eight degrees below normal. Recent heavy rains are great for the trees and crops but will certainly result in algae blooms once the water warms up.
Work continues on the tributary initiatives that were described in September (a summary is enclosed). Projects have been defined and action plans adopted. Four remaining tributaries will be investigated this summer and fall. You and a Board member will be invited to adopt a tributary near your property and develop a plan to reduce phosphorus and erosion. Thanks to all neighbors at Big Fish and Long Lake who participated with investigating the first group of tributaries.
On October 14, 2007 the St Cloud Times ran an article with a chart indicating the trophic status of area lakes. Despite over $100,000 spent to study our watershed and runoff and lake water composition, plus years of diligent work on a range of projects, the Minnesota PCA downgraded Big Fish Lake to eutrophic status. This signals rapid decline in game fishing, increase in rough fish, and an ecosystem more accommodating to invasive weeds. Professor Matt Julius explains that once we tip into eutrophic status, it is very difficult and expensive to revert to a mesotrophic state. We need to redouble efforts to eliminate every source of phosphorus runoff.
A significant source of phosphorus remains the east-central wetland that was bulldozed and clear cut for a township road access. Collegeville Township hasn’t responded to the DNR’s 2006 letters curtailing traffic and urging wetland restoration. Now Stearns County has applied to itself for a “road replacement project” in the wetland. Some of us appeared at a hearing to speak against but testimony relating to water quality was not allowed because the project isn’t described as a water quality project. Professor Julius provided written testimony citing water quality concerns. Naturally the county approved its own plan. If the project proceeds, trees and other vegetation will be submerged and are predicted to die within a couple years. An Appeal of Stearns County’s action is being handled by the State of Minnesota.
The lake association’s Mission is to work for the betterment and improvement of the lake. Your new officers and board members can anticipate achievements and setbacks in challenges that lay ahead. Your participation in the lake association ensures personal satisfaction in being a good steward protecting this precious lake for future generations. Stay involved. -pcf
Rural Land Development Expert
Randall Arendt, an internationally known author and conservation planner spoke at Saint John’s University on preserving the character and natural assets of rural areas in housing developments. Collegeville Township and Stearns County officials, St Cloud city planning, parks and zoning officials, land developers and environmental advocates attended. Arendt presented case studies of how developers build environmentally and family-friendly neighborhoods by conserving up to 70 percent of the land as green space without sacrificing the number of homes or their value. Dwellings are situated in central wooded neighborhoods sharing common septic/sewer system and roads, dark-sky compliant lighting, with communal access to undisturbed shore land. Ingeniously simple.
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 June 14th 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!
Here are some Simple, Important “Best Management Practices” for your Lake Property
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
September 2008
The Fall Meeting of the Big Fish Lake Association will be held 10 o’clock a.m., on Saturday, September 13th, 2008, at the Collegeville Town Hall on County Road 50. The agenda includes an update on funding from the Initiative Foundation, goals for grants and a fundraiser, term limits, current issues affecting the lake.
Letter from Association President Rena Weber
Greetings! As your newly elected President of the Big Fish Lake Association I am determined to take the job seriously. Since the June association meeting the Board met and went over issues concerning the lake. Those issues include: Healthy Lakes Partnership program (what worked and what needs to be done yet); proposed development of the Alexander family property; the wind turbine; DNR rearing pond erosion correction project; standpipe installation at the Hidden Cove Road wetland.
Regarding the Healthy Lake Partnership program: Three committees were formed through the process: Water quality, Fisheries, and Aquatic Vegetation. These committees were successful in completing their work, but there still are opportunities to do more. On August 21st Linda Eich DesJardin and I attended the re-union of Central MN Initiative Foundation’s HLRP and learned that Big Fish Lake is still eligible to use a $5,000 matching grant.
We listened to what other lake associations were doing for their lakes and what can be done if you have people who are willing to take the time to take on projects. This is where I sincerely hope that people stop and think about what the lake means to you and how you can help. Many, many hours have been sacrificed by those before me and they should be thanked for what they have done.
I am inviting Barb Lang from the Pelican Lake Association who will tell you first hand some of the things they have done for their lake and how they get people involved along with businesses. Their fundraisers build cohesion and fund important projects.
Regarding the Proposed Development: The Board went on record as recognizing the Alexander Family’s right to develop the property, but we simply want the Township and Stearns County to honor their commitment preserving the natural state as much as they feasibly can and develop in a conservation design way. If anyone has heard Randall Arendt speak about this concept you will know that this can be done and still preserve open space and the trees. According to the Stearns County newly adopted updated Comprehensive Plan this area is located in the Avon Hills Conservation District thus requiring conservation planning in the development. The re-zoning of this property was approved by Stearns County at the August 21st meeting from Agriculture to R-1 (single family dwelling). The Avon Hills Conservation District is an overlay on the R-1 layer and has different zoning standards.
Regarding the wind turbine: The Board chose to take no stand as we recognize that renewable energy is a thing of the future. I myself just questioned if they should be located within 1,000 feet of the lake shore. I believe they have a place and technically they are allowed in the Agricultural Districts. This was approved also.
Regarding the DNR rearing pond erosion correction project: The Board approved a $700 expenditure to correct the problem. That project was successfully completed .
Regarding the standpipe installation in the Hidden Cove Road wetland: This work was completed shortly after our June Association meeting. The standpipe project wasn’t a lake association project.
My goal is to preserve the water quality of the lake and hopefully improve it. I believe we need to bring back some of the fun and community type activities to get more people involved. Please take time out of you busy schedules to attend the next Association meeting on Saturday, September 13th, 10 a.m. at the Town Hall.
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 13th meeting, 10 a.m. at the Town Hall Dues are $15/year, $12.50/year for seniors. Your dues pay for production and mailing of this newsletter, and other Association projects. Thank you!
HERE ARE SOME SIMPLE, IMPORTANT “BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES? FOR YOUR LAKE PROPERTY
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.