OCLRA eNews – February 2025

Please share this information and the OCLRA website (www.oclra.org)
with the members of your lake association, district and/or friends
group and with your personal networks.

The next OCLRA Board meeting is Monday, February 10, at 9 a.m., at the
ADRC building in Rhinelander, across the parking lot from Trig’s grocery.
All are welcome.

Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention names keynote speakers
Northwoods Six-County Lakes and Rivers Meeting set for July 11
Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program faces threat
Winter Water Talk features crayfish identification
Michigan releases 2024 State of the Great Lakes report
Webinar focuses on impacts of road salt on water quality
Do’s and don’ts of winter bird feeding
Ice anglers can act to protect against invasive species
Nicolet College acts to curtail salt runoff to Lake Julia
OCCWA update covers mining, Knowles Nelson funding, and more
30th Wetland conference set for February
Wisconsin watershed interactive web-viewer now available
North Lakeland plans second Woods and Waters Conference
UW Press releases Ripple Effects book in paperback edition

Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention names keynote speakers
“The Power of Words: Working for Our Waters” is the theme for the 2025
Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention March 26-28 at the Stevens Point
Holiday Inn. The keynote speakers are Kelsey Leonard, Ph.D., a water
scientist, legal scholar, policy expert, writer, and citizen of the Shinnecock
Nation; and Chris Heeter, a leadership speaker, wilderness guide, poet and
dog musher. To learn more, visit https://wisconsinwaterweek.org/.
Northwoods Six-County Lakes and Rivers Meeting set for July 11
Plans are taking shape for the annual Northwoods Six-County Lakes and
Rivers Meeting to be held at Nicolet College in Rhinelander on Friday July
11. This annual event brings together lake association leaders and
members and water resource lovers and advocates of all stripes to learn about and discuss issues facing our lakes and streams. Save the date andwatch for details.

Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program faces threat
Wisconsin legislative leaders have recently called into question the future
of Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. As a new legislative session
gets underway, Team Knowles Nelson is calling on lawmakers from both
sides of the aisle to put aside political grievances and finding a constructive
path forward to keep Knowles-Nelson working for Wisconsin. One way to
help is by writing a letter of support to your legislators. Or, at the very least,
send a postcard to share why Knowles-Nelson matters to your community.
The time is now to stand up for Wisconsin conservation.
Winter Water Talk features crayfish identification
Citizens Lake Monitoring Network volunteers are invited to the final Winter
Water Talk is coming up on February 14. Dr. Chris Taylor from the Illinois
Natural History Survey present on Biology and Identification of Wisconsin
Crayfishes. Register at:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pTVgtxBJQoqDBSqe64D
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Michigan releases 2024 State of the Great Lakes report
The State of Michigan released its 2024 State of the Great Lakes Report in
December. It explores major accomplishments, issues, initiatives, and
challenges related to the health and sustainability of the Great Lakes.
Webinar focuses on impacts of road salt on water quality
Wisconsin Lakes will host Allison Madison of Wisconsin Salt Wise in a
February 18 webinar on salt and how its overuse can pollute our lakes,
streams, and groundwater. In much of the United States, chloride from salt
is infiltrating our waters; it takes only a teaspoon of salt to pollute 5 gallons
of water to a level that is toxic for freshwater ecosystems. Visit here to
register.
Do’s and don’ts of winter bird feeding

Bird feeders can support Great Lakes birds when natural food sources may
be scarce, but there are safety tips to keep them healthy and prevent the
spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza and other diseases, according
to the Michigan DNR. For example:
 Clean bird feeders every week or two in a 9:1 solution of water and
bleach, scrubbing away any debris. Let feeders dry fully before refilling.
 Fence in feeders if possible to prevent deer access and reduce the risk
of chronic wasting disease.
 Don’t place seed directly on the ground or use platform feeders, which
attract large numbers of birds, deer and rodents.
 Don’t feed wild birds if you have backyard poultry.
Ice anglers can act to protect against invasive species
County AIS coordinator Stephanie Boismenue notes that aquatic invasive
species including zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil and curly-leaf
pondweed can tolerate cold water temperatures and low light. “Their
adaptation to our winter conditions makes it possible to accidently transport
and spread AIS during the winter months in the same manner as in the
summer,” she observes. Find advice in an article: Ice Anglers: Take Action
to Protect our Waters from Invasive Species, by Jeanne Scherer of UW-
Extension.
Nicolet College acts to curtail salt runoff to Lake Julia
Responding to concern about salt from campus roads and parking lots
entering Lake Julia, Nicolet College hired an engineering firm to advise on
the best ways to limit salt issues. The college also held a "Salt Wise"
training session for its employees and those from several K-12 school
districts. The college also fixed culverts that might convey runoff to the lake
and applied several best management practices.
OCCWA update covers mining, Knowles Nelson funding, and more
Oneida County Clean Waters Action issued its January update. It covers
topics including the county’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan, a Clean
Water Minute on trumpet lichens, a short history lesson on why metallic
sulfide mining is a permitted use in over 70% of the county, a status report

on Knowles Nelson Program funding, and much more. Visit
www.occwa.org. .
30th Wetland conference set for February
The Wisconsin Wetlands Association will hold the 30th anniversary
Wetland Science conference February 25-27 at LaCrosse Center. The
agenda includes keynote presentations by Paul Burns, a U.S. Forest
Service fisheries biologist, and Kristen Bouska, a research ecologist with
the U.S. Geological Survey. Visit
https://conference.wisconsinwetlands.org/.
Wisconsin watershed interactive web-viewer now available
The River Alliance of Wisconsin reports that a new water quality data
viewer has been released from UW-Stevens Point. It allows users to gain a
better understanding of land impacts on water resources, examine the role
that land protection plays in maintaining water quality, and to discover what
causes lakes, rivers, and streams to become impaired. Users will get a true
sense of how special our waters are and what is happening that we should
be aware of as water stewards.
North Lakeland plans second Woods and Waters Conference
The North Lakeland Discovery Center in Manitowish Waters will hold its
second Woods and Water Conference on Friday, April 25. Last year]s
event drew more than 100 attendees; the 2025 conference offers more
than 15 speakers with insights from scientists, lake association leaders,
landowners, resource professionals, and outdoor enthusiasts. Visit here to
register.
UW Press releases Ripple Effects book in paperback edition
Ripple Effects: How We’re Loving Our Lakes to Death has be issued in a
new trade paperback edition by The University of Wisconsin Press. This
book by OCLRA president Ted Rulseh details the challenges facing our
lakes and proposes achievable solutions, drawing on personal experience,
interviews, academic research, and government reports. Its driving
question is summed up by one interviewee: “We love this lake. What can
we do to keep it healthy?”

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