This spring and summer has been interesting to say the least. Many temperature ups and downs and a sever moisture deficit. Because of this the summer season seems to have been very short.

We have enjoyed some benefits of the weather along with some frustrations. On the positive side the lack of runoff due to low rain fall has minimized algae blooms. Because of this, water clarity has been the best I have seen in some time. There are a few heavy weed pockets in Big and Little Green but the overall condition of the lakes in respect to Curly Leaf and Milfoil is good.

On the negative side the low water level has played havoc with docks and boat lifts. I am sure anyone with this equipment has had to move to deeper water one or two times. Also getting from Big to Little Green has been more of a challenge than normal. All this said we can be thankful it has been a relatively severe weather free season and I’m sure everyone has taken advantage of the few summer like days we have had. The GLA is working hard to continue being stewards of our lake. This has become a difficult task do to lack of volunteers and financial support. I personally want to see this organization continue to treat for invasive species in Green Lake and other special activities the association becomes involved in. Sorry to say we are approaching a cross roads on whether The GLA can continue in the same capacity as in the past.

Without volunteers the Green Lake Association will cease to exist. The current board members have served multiple terms and several committee members commitments have ended. We are in need of new faces to replenish our committee member ranks and individuals who would consider taking on the following board positions: President, Secretary and Treasure. Filling of board member positions will not be an overnight expectation. Anyone interested in any of these positions will have ample time to work with the current position holder to get comfortable. These positions do require a small commitment but a commitment never the less. As in any volunteer organization the more individuals that are involved the less is required by any one person.

From its resurrection almost ten years ago the GLA has made great strides forward in the treatment of invasive weeds in Green Lake. Given the ability to chemically treat for Curly Leaf and Milfoil using our own association treatment boat and expertise saves the lake shore property owners thousands of dollars per season over hiring a private company to do the treatments. The GLA is of great importance in helping to maintain the general health of Green Lake. Be aware without your lake association there is no one else who will be stepping forward to watch out for the well being of the lake. I will end my article with a plea for volunteers who care about the quality of the lake they live on and are willing to commit some of their time to preserve this special resource. The GLA will monitor the responses to this request and the results will dictate what the association will be capable of in 2010. Please consider becoming involved and preserving the Green Lake Association and the valuable work it does. Contact me or any of the board members listed in the contacts section of the news letter. I wish you all a safe and fun remainder of the summer and a great future for the GLA.

Dan Standish
GLA President

Summer is approaching fast and with it water activities will abound. The Green Lake Association works diligently to do what it can to keep our lake clean and safe. Water
quality is a priority when putting together our strategy for treating Curly Leaf and Eurasian Water Milfoil. These two invasive weeds play a large part in our ability to enjoy
all that lake living has to offer.

On May 14th the GLA treated thirty-one acres of Curly Leaf under the supervision of the DNR. Seven acres were treated in Little Green and the remaining twenty-four in Big Green.  In mid June twenty-four acres in the south bay will be treated for Milfoil. Do to budget constraints we will be treating twenty-five less acres than last year. In dealing with the drop in acreage we have tried to be more strategic in the areas treated. Bands were treated 150ft out from shore in an attempt to hug the line where private spraying leaves off. The mindset is to give an extra thirty to sixty feet of clear water from the 150ft mark of the areas treated. The GLA is hoping for better results this year. We treated at a water temperature five degrees warmer then last year. Mother Nature may also have given us a break. Thick ice and heavy lake snow block the sun light and curb the weed growth. The combination of treating at a warmer water temperature and getting some help from nature may give us a good season of weed control in the treated areas. Treating for exotic weeds is not an exact science. There are many factors that can affect the outcome and each season involves trial and error in trying to perfect our treatment process. We all can agree that without ongoing treatments for these invasive weeds there is a good chance our lake will succumb to their choking reality.

Please support your lake association’s efforts by becoming a member and volunteer. The GLA can’t do it with out you. Have a great summer and I hope to see you at our one of our events.

Dan Standish
President

Presidents Corner:

It won’t be long and winter activities will be replaced with fun in the sun. Ice fishing and snowmobiling will become just a memory while boating and swimming take their place. With the onset of open water comes the annual concern about invasive weeds and how they will effect our enjoyment of the lake. For those who are not aware the DNR has been proposing for some time to make major changes in their aquatic plant management program. A hard fought battle by many individuals and lake associations was waged to try and stop the proposed changes from being adopted. Unfortunately the proposed changes appear to have gone through. As most
fights against large government agencies go, it seems some decisions are predetermined.  Under the new guide lines private property owners will only be allowed to treat one half of their lake frontage up to 100FT maximum. Though this is a blow to the fight against invasive weeds it is not a knock out punch. We must not let our frustration turn to complacency when it comes to treating what we can. Fortunately the new rules do not appear to have as major of an effect on the GLA’s ability to treat off shore. The Green Lake Association will continue to treat as many acres of Curly Pond Leaf and Milfoil as is permissible and financially feasible. Our goal has always been and will be to do what ever we can to improve the water quality of our lake and promote a safe and clean environment for all. 2009 will bring challenges for the GLA with the current economic conditions. As you know the acreage we treat is directly related to funds raised. Currently the association does not have the funds to treat the same acreage as the past two seasons. We will treat what we can afford and hope that more financial support will come in the future. If you are not a member please consider becoming one. Membership dues are a major source of treatment funding. Treating for invasive aquatic plants is an expensive endeavor but lack of action will cost much more in many ways moving forward. Support the efforts of your lake association by becoming a member and volunteer. We all have a common love of our lake so we should work together to preserve it. Thank you for your current and future support of the Green Lake Association. Have a safe and enjoyable summer and I hope to meet more of you at some of our summer events.

Dan Standish
Green Lake Association President