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!
Virtual “It’s a Shore Thing”
Stay tuned for more interviews 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.
Mark Stone
Antrim County Director of Dams and Drain Commissioner Mark Stone talks to ESLA’s board about the safety of the Elk Rapids and Bellaire dams and his excitement about a critical study underway of the hydrology of our lakes, rivers and connecting waterways.
Ron Reimink
Ron Reimink, founder of Freshwater Solutions, L.L.C., reveals in an interview with ESLA Environment Committee chair Jan Garvey and VP Bob Campbell what his 2020 research into Swimmers Itch for ESLA showed. Spoiler alert: Think – duck, duck (uh-oh)!
Heather Hettinger
Heather Hettinger, the top Department of Natural Resources biologist in the northwest corner of lower Michigan, answers questions from the ESLA board’s fishing fanatics about the present and future of fishing our waters.
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.
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.
Invasive Species Michigan Law 2019
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.
Current News
A LOVE STORY: Two of world’s oldest loons, longtime mates return to Seney National Wildlife Refuge
SENEY, Mich. (WJMN) – Two of the world’s oldest documented Common Loons on the planet have returned back to their home on the Seney National Wildlife Refuge. But the history between the male called the ABJ and the female named Fe is much more than that. As their love story began 23 years back on the refuge.
According to Damon McCormick of Common Coast Research and Conservation, the ABJ and Fe have been paired on the refuge since 1997. McCormick has done much of the work on this population of loons.
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
ESLA Committees
Environmental Protection
Researches issues and proposes ESLA positions and programs. Manages protection activities.
Finance Committee
Responsible for reviewing and providing guidance for all of the organization’s financial matters.
Government Relations
Organizes and Maintains ESLA representation with township, county, state and federal agencies.
Communications
Manages ESLA newsletter, website, email broadcasts, handbooks, membership directory etc.
Recreation & Safety
Develops programs for water and ice safety, boat and snowmobile safety, water level control.
Governance and Membership
Maintains oversight of all committees. Promotes membership and member services.