Join Elk-Skegemog Lakes Association

ESLA’s only source of annual income is membership dues. Your dues allow ESLA’s volunteer board to pay for projects to protect and enhance the water quality, boating safety and enjoyment of Elk and Skegemog lakes and the Torch and Rapid rivers. Basic membership remains $25 per household, although many members pay $50 (captains), $75 (commodores), $100 (admirals) or more to support our shared precious resource and strengthen our collective voice as advocates for our waters.

JOINING IS EASY for first time or renewing members. Click the button above to JOIN ESLA TODAY! Payment by credit card or PayPal. Or send a check to Elk-Skegemog Lakes Assn., PO Box 8, Elk Rapids, MI., 49629 (2020 dues in memo field). Thanks to all who paid dues recently, bringing memberships for 2020 from 200 early this summer to 426, on Sept. 17 – 135 short of our 2019 total of 561. All dues-paid members will be listed in ESLA’s November newsletter.

ESLA is a 501c3 certified not for profit organization!

ESLA goes virtual with “It’s a Shore Thing” Hear what Heather Hettinger, the DNR’s top fisheries biologist for our region, told us about trout, bass and other fish in Elk and Skegemog

For two years, ESLA had been trying to bring Hettinger, who made the decision to resume brown trout plants in Elk Lake in 2018. So, with our live meetings cancelled due to the pandemic, we asked if she’d do a Zoom interview, the same way your ESLA board has held meetings since March. This is the result. We’ll post more interviews on the website in the coming months. If you’ve joined ESLA but we don’t have your email to alert you to website updates, send your request to elkskegemoglakes@gmail.com.

ESLA board meeting virtually with Zoom on September 17, 2020

ESLA members: Report experience, good or bad, with Swimmers Itch.

Click on the first tab below to report your SI experience. Click on the second tab for the latest tips to avoid SI infection.

REPORT SWIMMERS ITCH

FWS Prevention 2020

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Flushing the Future – The Challenge of Failing Septic Systems

The premiere showing at the Leelanau Clean Water Symposium. In this 16-minute documentary, we talk with nationally recognized wastewater experts, human health professionals and policy experts to discover the water quality risks posed by failing and broken septic system.
Joe VanderMeulen, M.S., Ph.D.
Science Journalism / Videography
naturechange.org

Boat wash First – Stop Aquatic Hitch Hikers

The date was moved once or twice, but thanks to a first year agreement with Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council (TOM), ESLA brought the gospel of “Clean, Drain and Dry” to Whitewater Township Park’s boat launch last month.

Trailer boaters launching at the park’s ramp on the morning of Sunday, August 9 received handouts promoting the state’s 2019 law to “Clean, Drain and Dry” their boats and trailers before launching to prevent the spread of aquatic invaders like zebra mussels and Eurasian Water Milfoil. The invaders use bilge water, bait tanks and hulls and trailer bunks to hitch rides from one body of water to another.

The Whitewater Park boaters also had an opportunity to have their boat power washed by the TOM crew of Lizy Michaelson and Garrett Greer. Of about 12 boaters who launched, only one took advantage.

A second event was scheduled for the state Department of Natural Resources Baggs Road launch from 2-6 p.m. on Friday, August 21. The portable, self-contained boat wash unit is on loan to TOM from the U.S. Forest Service.

Invasive Species Michigan Law 2019

More Info

To comply with the law and prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species, boaters should:

CLEAN boats, trailers and equipment.
DRAIN live wells, bilges and all water.
DRY boats and equipment.
DISPOSE of unwanted bait in the trash.

More Info

Current News

NOTE WORTHY ARTICLES:

Weevil Wonders | July 2020 Tip of the Month

Harmful Algal Bloom Response System | June 2020 Tip of the Month

Watchlist Aquatic Invasive Species: European Frogbit & Yellow Floating Heart | May’s Tip for 2020

LakeScan Vegetation Surveys | April’s Tip for 2020

Lake Management – Plan for Your Watershed | September 2019 Tip of the Month

European frogbit found in two locations near Lake Michigan | August 27, 2019

Have you heard of these invasive species? | July 2019 Tip of the Month

New Michigan Legislation Targets Aquatic Invasive Species | June 2019 Tip of the Month

Paddle Antrim article from 3Lakes Spring Newsletter

Lakeshore Owners “May 2019 Tip of the Month”

Michigan Swimmer’s Itch Partnerships | Newsletter Spring 2019

Three Lakes Association | Golden Brown Algae Report Update | TLA January 2019 Newsletter

A few words about Golden Brown Algae | Three Lakes Association Quarterly | January 2019

Here is a picture I took from our yard. Around 9 pm I took my camera outside to see if there would be any good sunset pics. No joy on that but as I watched the sun go down behind dense clouds I noticed there was a front with thunder and lightning moving in from the west across the lake. So I switched modes and got my lightning trigger attached to the camera (first time I have ever used it). This was the most interesting catch. It is kind of amazing that a little electronic device can actually anticipate (sometimes) a lightning strike.

Dean W. Ginther