Open Letter from the On The Narrows Marina Owner, Tom McCahill, to the Glen Lake Community

glenlake — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:10:06 +0000

A special meeting was held by the Glen Arbor Township Board today to discuss the expansion permit request submitted by the owners of the On The Narrows Marina.

The following letter was read at the meeting today and is now a matter of public record.

Open_letter_to_the_Glen_Lake_Community

Home Page Now Features Crystal River Flow Rate

glenlake — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:21:25 +0000

The Glen Lake level and the Crystal river flow rate shown on the GLA web site are now updated continuously as is the Glen Lake water temperature at the Narrows thanks to the efforts of the Water Level Committee and the Auto-Gage Instrumentation that has been installed.

The GLA Water Level Committee has been monitoring the Glen Lake level at the narrows bridge with a remote sensor (auto- gauge) that is tied into our web site with wireless telemetry for more than a year. This continuous lake level read out is more accurate than the manually read gauge, does not expose our volunteers to hazardous conditions during the winter, is available at all times and is the basis for our day to day lake level management decisions. We read and report the manual gauge fixed to the bridge twice a week weather and conditions permitting as this is still the official gauge.

With this success behind us, we installed a second auto-gauge upstream of the Crystal River dam to measure the river flow. The river flow has been estimated with an USGS algorithm that uses the river level downstream of the dam and a flow table provided by the USGS. The flow table is updated about six times a year to account for changes in the river bed. This measurement continues as the “official” river flow measurement.

The new auto-gauge lets us measure the Crystal River flow continuously. No corrections or adjustments are necessary other than the dam gate positions. This flow measurement uses the water upstream level and the dam gate positions and is based on the classic weir equation. This auto-gauge was activated this past fall.

To Read More, click Auto Gauge Info for website

Public Notice – On The Narrows Marina Permit Request for Expansion

glenlake — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:05:22 +0000

The Glen Lake Association has been made aware of a permit request filed by the On The Narrows Marina on Glen Lake to expand their boat slip and mooring offerings.

A copy of the permit request can be viewed here: public_notice-application

Written comments must be received by the State of Michigan Department of Environmental Quality no later than January 31, 2012. Unless a written request is filed with the department by the specified date, the department may make a decision on the application without a public hearing.

A Fond Retirement Farewell to Steve Yancho

glenlake — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:03:56 +0000

The Glen Lake Association is sad to learn that Steve Yancho has announced his plans to retire from the National Park Service. His expertise and willingness to work with GLA to achieve its goals has been invaluable and we all wish him well.

Testing the Waters

glenlake — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:01:33 +0000

In case you were wondering if the Glen Lake Fire Department’s new fire boat would have any problem negotiating the narrow and shallow channel between Big Glen and Fisher lakes….wonder no more. It was a smooth and quick trip through the channel, giving a great opportunity for catching this photo.

After making a quick sprint down the shore to get the photo, the crew kindly offered to give a show of the reach of the spray. Pretty impressive, that’s for sure!

The water is nice and calm in Big Fisher, but a wind advisory warned of high wind gusts on the return trip and the crew was challenged with negotiating the waves on Big Glen. That could have been fun. I guess you will just have to ask the crew! It’s nice to know we now have this added layer of fire protection.

Glen Lake Fire Department Boat Takes Maiden Voyage Today

glenlake — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:40:09 +0000

Just as I was listening to Channel 9 & 10 News report on the launching of the Glen Lake Fire Department’s new fire boat, I saw it approaching our shoreline & got a few shots before it powered out of sight. Talk about serendipity.

From Channel 9 & 10 news report: Fire crews in Glen Arbor have waited many years for this day, because a new rescue boat will make their job a lot easier. This isn’t just any boat, it was designed by a naval architect, and built by a custom builder in New Hampshire who hand-delivered the boat.

For more news and video, click here.

The entire $265,000 cost of the 28-foot fire boat was raised by community members in three months. Fire Chief, John Dodson, says the boat adds new capability for fighting fires on boats, wildfires near the water, as well as homes along the waterfront. Nearly 75% of the homes in the Glen Lake area are within 1000 feet of a body of water.

The fire boat will be used on Lake Michigan and Glen Lake. Fire fighters have been receiving U.S. Coast Guard training on boat piloting and operation, as well as marine firefighting techniques.

Program on The Impact of Hydraulic Fracturing on Water Resources

glenlake — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:56:13 +0000

If you are interested in the quality of our water resources, you may be interested in the information that Dr. Grenetta Thomassey, Program Director at Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, will present on The Impact of Hydraulic Fracturing on Water Resources.
WHERE: Leelanau County Government Center-Community Meeting Room
WHEN: Monday, October 17 from 5:30 to 7:00
Fruit, cheese and beverages at 5:00
Free and open to the public

RSVP appreciated, call (231 256 9812) or email Karen at:
khall@co.leelanau.mi.us

Topics to be discussed:
* Where the millions of gallons of water used in each fracking well comes from
* What chemicals are added to the water for the fracking
* Where the wastewater from fracking goes

For more information, click PRESS RELEASE for Grenetta Thomassey Oct 17 2011

GLA Annual Meeting Update

glenlake — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:06:11 +0000

The GLA annual meeting held at the Leelanau School Cafeteria was well attended this year. Perhaps its was the shorter condensed presentation or the lovely lunch that gave members a chance to socialize with their neighbors. Or, perhaps our members just wanted to be present to learn about the GLA National Award and the status of our programs that support the associations efforts to be good stewards of the Glen Lake – Crystal River Watershed.

If you missed it and want to know who was awarded this years good stewardship award or see the highlights of topics discussed, click here:

GLA 2011 Annual Meeting

Invasive Aquatic and Shoreline Plants

glenlake — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:45:10 +0000

Invasive Aquatic Plants: Eurasian Milfoil, Hydrilla, and Starry Stonewort — learn how to identify them as compared to their beneficial look-alikes.

Invasive Shoreline Plants: Purple Loosestrife, Phragmites, & Coltsfoot have already been found on parts of Glen Lake.

Take a look at this Invasive plant article.

Help us in our effort to identify and remove these invasive species before they present a much larger problem to control and eradicate. Please take a careful look at the shoreline and aquatic plants when you are out enjoying activities on the lake.

If you think you have found something that looks like one of the invasive species shown in the article, please contact the GLA Water Quality Committee at 334-3612.

Here is another interesting piece about invasive species and what you can do to help: Weeds Gone Wild. (Thanks to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Park, Plant Conservation Alliance, and Midwest Invasive Plant network for the information and photos.)

Swimmer’s Itch

glenlake — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 15:59:22 +0000

Swimmer’s Itch is an infliction generated by a parasite in the water which is part of a cycle involving Merganser ducks, other water fowl, and snails. The parasite burrows into one’s skin and generates a ‘mosquito bite’ type irritation which swells into a node on the skin.

The Swimmer’s Itch Program tracks where and when anyone contracts swimmer’s itch. Please report any case of swimmer’s itch at http://www.swimmersitch.org/. Just click on ‘Report a Case’. This site is used to monitor and track the factors associated with swimmer’s itch and monitor programs to curtail it.

To Learn More About Swimmer Itch you can review this video about Swimmer’s Itch produced by Rob Karner

Possible Itch Prevention????
There is a product available called Swimmers’ Itch Guard. GLA is not endorsing it, but it has been tested and shown to be effective against swimmers’ itch. Check the local pharmacies for availability, or swimmersitchguard.com. Apply liberally before entering the water & reapply after 90 minutes of water activity.
Another product to consider using is a sunscreen lotion called Bullfrog.

Merganser Duck Control Program

The GLA has had various program over the years to control this problem, with much emphasis on ridding the lake of its Merganser duck population. Since 2004 to 2009 we worked with a Hope College research team that trapped Merganser broods, inoculated them with a de-worming medicine, and relocated them to Lake Michigan where the snail part of the cycle does not exist. Thus the parasite life cycle was broken.

Due to the retirement of members of the research team and the discontinuation of their research efforts, there is no longer a scientific permit to trap and relocate Mergansers in the summer. The Association’s only means of conducting Merganser control is during spring and fall with the use of pyrotechnics. These ‘screemers and bangers’ are employed to ‘harass’ the ducks and force them off the land and prevent them from ‘loafing’ along shorelines. If you see a brood of Merganser ducklings in the lake, please call Rob Karner at 231-334-5831.