President's Letter, January 2010
 Welcome to Elk-Skegemog Lakes Association (ESLA) and its
website! The Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed is a tremendous resource and
treasure covering 320,000 acres, 54 lakes, 220 streams and tributaries as well as 110 miles
of connecting waterways. ESLA is in its 60th year as an all volunteer organization
consisting of 650 + members and a Board of Directors. ESLA supports a wide variety of
environmental projects with the specific purpose of preserving and protecting our
waterways and adjoining land surfaces. As an active organization we promote/support
water quality, safety and recreation, prudent land use adjoining our waterways, interact with
other organizations that have similar interests and local communities to include associations,
townships, counties and state agency coordination, collaboration and interaction where
appropriate and necessary. ESLA also has a primary responsibility to our members, other
riparians and generwaterway.
ESLA geographical area includes Elk Lake, Skegemog Lake, Elk River, Torch
River and Rapid River, essentially the tailwaters of the Elk River Chain of Lakes
Watershed. As of 2009, the Tip of the Mitt, Watershed Council Water Quality Report,
contracted by ESLA to measure Elk and Skegemog water quality annually, reflects that our
water has remained remarkably clear and oxygen rich. A testament to the excellent water
quality of Elk Lake and the continued high quality of both Elk and Skegemog Lakes. Most
lake associations contract with The Tip of the Mitt every three years. ESLA has chosen to
contract on an annual basis to proactively analyze any changes in water quality, so that
change can be addressed quickly, rather than be reactive as consequence of three year old
data. To date, we have not been surprised as our water quality has been consistently been
positive. We will continue to aggressively monitor our water quality annually.
 This past year, 2009, was an active year for ESLA as we worked to educate our members
and public on new challenges to our waterway. The legislative proposal (Michigan
legislature) to allow road ends was defeated in committee with much effort and has been
tabled with no traction to continue, at least for the immediate future. This special interest
group (road end advocates) have been persistent to secure this proposal as law, so we
anticipate this political dynamic will surface again at some point. ESLA also formally
opposed the Environmental protection Agency (EPA) review and possible permit
approval of a request to change to alternative use a Class II well to a Class I well (Hubbell
B1-9 SWD/Hubbell Well) for the specific purpose of of underground injection of cherry
brine waste from a cherry processing company. The opposition by ESLA was specific to
the proximity of the well being between Grand Traverse East Bay and Elk Lake and the
absence of science to support current as well as future non-leaching of cherry brine into both
or either body of water. ESLA also opposed a permit for a Class II disposal well (Cherry
Berry B-1-25 SWD/Cherry Berry Well) to accept brine from oil production at a site south of
the Hubbell Well mentioned above.
 Additionally, I, the ESLA President, held three Town Halls (informal settings) around Elk-
Skegemog Lakes in June, 2009 to provide to the membership the state of ESLA as
organization and future projections of pressures on the waterway. The intent was to receive
from the membership/riparians their needs and suggestions as to the direction of ESLA. It
was an excellent communication forum and the ideas, comments, concerns were many and
varied as well as helpful to those in attendance and myself. The information was shared
with the ESLA Board of Directors and submitted to various committees as appropriate.
ESLA, in Spring/Summer 2009, endorsed, participated and supported the Antrim County
Sheriff Marine Patrol Lake Watch Program in an effort to enforce marine safety on Elk-
Skegemog Lakes and our three Rivers, Elk, Torch and Rapid. This ambitious program will
take several years to fully implement and educate members and riparians, as well as the
general public boating on our waterways.
We continue to provide financial scholarships to our summer interns (three of $500 each) for
water quality monitoring and environmental mentoring for local high school students entering
their senior year. Additionally, ESLA supports environmental education in the local
elementary public schools. We continue to sponsor financial assistance for local township
projects as appropriate and participate in sponsored meetings with local townships and
public officials at all levels.
One of our most important future agendas, which is ongoing, is the relicensing of the Elk
Rapids Hydroelectric Dam with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). That
process is ambitiously underway, led by the tutelage Mark Stone, Antrim County Drain
Commissioner. Mark and his team, to include assists, collaboration and support form
ESLA, recently completed the Pre-Application Document (PAD) and submitted to FERC
for review. The anticipation is from this review will come specific requests, from FERC, for
additional information, some of which may have expenses in order to complete. This formal
submission of the PAD begins the clock for approval/disapproval of the Elk Rapids
Hydroelectric Dam to continue to generate electricity on or about, but not later than, 2014.
The Dam is currently leased and competently and efficiently operated by the Stockhausen
family. We hope that the Stockhausen family continues to maintaiRapids Dam through the next decade and beyond.
Our ESLA Annual Meeting in July featured keynote speaker Grenetta Thomassey,
Policy Director, Tip of the Mitt, Watershed Council on Water to Power, key issues for
the Great Lakes and northern Michigan inland lakes. We also sponsored John
Molen, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries Division update on continuing
study of Muskellunge habits/migration in our ESLA boundary waters. Kevin Kronk,
Tip of the Mitt, Watershed Council update on water quality monitoring results for
Elk-Skegemog Lakes. The meeting culminated with ESLA Treasurer report, membership
report and Board of Directors Organization in accordance with the bylaws and Board to
include Zone Directors' position needs for volunteers encompassing ESLA's five zones, A
through E.
ESLA members receive newsletters throughout the year beginning with the January
newsletter, in addition to notices for specific events. As alluded to earlier, ESLA is an
organization governed in accordance with published by-laws and is guided by a Board of
Directors. The Board is comprised of the executive officers, four committees and
geographical zones chartered to coordinate and manage specific agenda items. Current
ESLA officers, Zone Captains and Directors can be viewed in the Members or Contact
tabs. To view the ESLA zone map, click on the map section of this website.
The effectiveness of our association (ESLA) depends, exclusively, on membership
representing a high proportion of riparian property owners. Membership dues are modest
and your contribution can be tiered beginning at $ 25 per calendar year. Membership
details can be viewed at the Members tab, this website. Membership is open to all and
especially those that have an interest in the preservation, protection and continued water
quality of this special waterway which includes Elk Lake, Skegemog Lake, Elk River, Torch
River and Rapid River. Please come join us and volunteer. My time as an ESLA volunteer
has been educational, enjoyable and rewarding!
If you are not a current ESLA member, please do join us. If you are a current member,
thank you for your continued support . As ESLA volunteers, we are here for you, the
members and riparian owners.
Please be considerate and safe around, in, and on Elk Lake, Skegemog Lake, Elk
River, Torch River and Rapid River during this year, 2010. Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Peter N. DiMercurio
President, Elk-Skegemog Lakes Association
|
