IMPORTANT NEWS from Otter Tail County Coalition of Lake Associations
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E-Newsletter
May 2023
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In This Issue:
- From The President
- OTC COLA Upcoming Events
- June 2023 Lake Property Owner Meeting
- Handouts To Be Available
- May 2023 Lake Property Owner Meeting
- See You At The Fair
- Donations Again To OTC COLA
- Toward Zero Deaths Campaign
- MN COLA's New Website
- DNR Offers Tips- Catch and Release
- Improper Use Of Hydraulic Jets
- Burning Restrictions Area Expanded
- Starry Trek 2023
- Lab To Lakes
- AIS Program Summary 2022
- AIS Task Force Update- May 2023
- OTC AIS Task Force Minutes
- OTC Board Of Commissioner Minutes
-
www.lakeadmin.org -Featured Posts
- Instant Access Links -
- Newsletter Article Index
- Water Quality Analysis Reports (2022 samples)
- Lake Property Owner Directories (2019)
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From The President
The lake season has arrived! We went from too much snow to it’s too hot in record time. In April, when it was the day to pick up coolers for water testing, some hardy volunteers made it to Ottertail in a snow storm and by May we had a lovely summer day for the first member meeting of the season. RMB Labs came again to distribute the water testing equipment. Thank you to the
those that take samples each month and those who transport the samples to RMB in Detroit Lakes!
The May meeting featured the past and future of Otter Tail County ditches. Thanks to Ditch Inspector Colby Palmersheim many of us learned something new! Education is the goal of COLA meetings. It was a pleasure to have many lakes represented along with County Commissioners, Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force Chair and members, and the Mayor of Perham. Each summer month is an opportunity to mingle and share ideas.
We hope to welcome you to the meeting on June 15. Fisheries are a hot topic and Jim Wolters from DNR always has lots of information to share. Read the details in this newsletter. You’ll learn about many topics compiled by editor
John Kruse!
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Upcoming Events 2023
Otter Tail County lake property owner meetings are scheduled for the third Thursdays of May, June, July and August. A bus tour of rain gardens and shoreland restoration sites is planned for September. Watch future OTC COLA E-Newsletters for updates.
- Lake Property Owner Meetings and Events
- June 15, 2023
- Featured speaker- DNR Fisheries- Jim Wolters
- Featured Lake Association- David Helgerson- West McDonald
- July 20, 2023
- Lake property owner property taxes-
- Featured Lake Association- Gary Olson, Spitzer Lake
- August 17, 2023
- OTC COLA Annual Meeting
- Featured Speaker- East Otter Tail Soil & Water Conservation District- Darren Newville
- September, 2023
- Bus Tour- rain gardens and shoreland restoration
| | Star Lake 2018 Summer Survey | |
June 2023 OTC COLA meeting
The June, 2023 Otter Tail County Lake Property Owner meeting will be held June 15, 2023 at the Ottertail Community Center, 93 Lake Ave S, Ottertail, MN 56571. The meeting will start at 7:00 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early for a time of socializing and networking.
The featured speaker for the evening is Jim Wolters, DNR Area Fisheries Supervisor, Fergus Falls Fisheries. Jim’s presentation will focus on fish populations in Otter Tail County lakes. He will talk about the Fisheries Surveys program and how they contribute to lake management plans. He will also address the fish winter kill experienced this year and what Fisheries is doing to reestablish populations.
218-671-7954
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Lake Association Handouts
OTC COLA and the Otter Tail County AIS Task Force have items and literature available for lake associations to distribute to lake property owners at meetings and events. Quantities of handouts will be available at OTC COLA lake property owners meetings throughout the summer. Over two hundred sets were distributed at the May 2023 meeting. To reserve a quantity to be picked up at a future meeting, send an email to me with the approximate number of handout sets you are requesting.
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OTC COLA Lake Property Owners May Meeting
Colby Palmersheim, Otter Tail County Manager of Public Drainage Systems was the featured speaker for the May 18, 2023 meeting of Otter Tail County lake property owners. The Otter Tail County Drainage Inspector presented on the history of County Drainage systems, their current utilization, needs, and the county’s plan to provide pro-active responses and bring all systems to present day value and functionality by completing re-determination of benefits. A map of County Drainage Systems and ditch specific information can be found at https://ottertailcounty.gov/department/ditches-and-drainage-systems/. Any questions, comments, or concerns about the drainage systems can be directed to the Drainage Inspector – Colby Palmersheim, cpalmers@co.ottertail.mn.us 218-998-8473
218-998-8473
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See You At The Fair
Come to the East Otter Tail County Fair and visit the OTC COLA booth! The fair will be Thursday - Sunday July 20- 23. Watch for updates and more information in future E-Newsletters.
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OTC COLA Receives Donations Again in 2023
Otter Tail County Coalition Of Lake Associations (OTC COLA) continues to receive unsolicited donations. Donations are "in recognition of the excellent work of OTC COLA". OTC COLA enjoys support from the Otter Tail County Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Task Force. It also receives support from foundations, Member Lake Organizations and donations from individual lake property owners. Donations are invited to not only enable OTC COLA to continue its current programs and services but also to expand them.
OTC COLA is a 501 (c)(3) allowing donations to qualify for tax deductions.
To donate to OTC COLA please send your check to:
OTC COLA
4302 13th Ave S, Suite 4-333
Fargo, ND 58103
Please direct questions to:
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Toward Zero Deaths (TZD)
The Otter Tail County Communities Coalition campaign,Toward Zero Deaths (TZD), is aimed at reducing impaired driving around the lakes during the summer months. Impaired driving continues to be one of the top contributing factors in fatal and serious injury crashes on our roads. Our plan is to decrease impaired driving on our roads and improve the public’s awareness of sober driving among people going to and from and living near the lakes.
This summer, a project we’re working on is getting signage up around some of the lake access points in our county. The messaging is simple, “Find a Sober Ride Home”. These signs will be up during peak times like the Fishing Opener, Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. We hope to encourage people to stay safe on the roads and make the smart decision to not get behind the wheel if they’ve been drinking.
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MN COLA Introduces New Website!
To better serve our members MN COLA developed its new website. Our goal was a clean, modern, and inviting website with up-to-date information useful to members and other visitors. We organized our areas of focus and put them in one place (Our Focus Areas). We provide a list of water-oriented events and webinars for professionals from Minnesota and surrounding states. We also provide current news from around the region and beyond, and there’s a quick reference page for links to organizations, government and private. Take a look at mncola.org and let us know what you think!
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DNR Offers Tips On
How To Catch, Release Fish
Anglers who intend to release any of the fish they catch can boost the chances those fish will survive by following best practices for catch and release
- Plan fishing trips
- Set the hook quickly
- Support the fish with both hands
- Attempt to revive the fish before releasing
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Improper Use Of Hydraulic Jets
A person may legally operate a hydraulic jet if it is placed at the surface of the water in a way such that it does not disturb the bottom or destroy rooted aquatic plants. It should be directed slightly upward toward the water’s surface. This can prevent dead vegetation and duckweed from collecting around docks and boat lifts.
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Counties Added To Spring Burning Restrictions
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has expanded the area subject to open burning restrictions as warm and dry weather spreads throughout the state.
Beginning Friday, May 5, additional counties in which burning restrictions apply are:
Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clay, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Roseau, Stevens, Traverse, Wadena, Wilkin
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Starry Trek Scheduled August 19, 2023
Starry Trek volunteers have been responsible for the discovery of 4 previously unknown populations of starry stonewort, 1 new zebra mussel population, 2 newly reported Eurasian watermilfoil infestations, the discovery of Corbicula fluminea in an Sherburne County lake, and much more.
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Lab To Lakes: A MAISRC Regional Workshop
Join the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC) and regional leaders in a two-day workshop about priority aquatic invasive species concerns for North Central Minnesota.
| | Click on image for Handbook | |
AIS Task Force Update May 2023
- Eighteen Water Inspectors completed 2023 orientation
- Sixteen I-LIDS cameras installed
- Improvements to self-service rinse station
- AIS Handbook is available for distribution
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OTC AIS Task Force Minutes
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OTC Board Of Commissioner Minutes
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Featured Posts - May 2023
to learn about new and featured posts
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OTC COLA Board of Directors
David Helgerson ∙ Jeff Stabnow ∙ Jeff Vansteenburg
Roger Neitzke ∙ Ronald Christensen ∙ Scott Gaudette ∙ Sylvia Soeth
OTC COLA Members
Bass Lake Underwood Association ∙ Berger Lake Association ∙ Big McDonald LID ∙ Boedigheimer Lake Association ∙ Clitherall Lake Association ∙ Dead Lake Association ∙ Devils Lake Association ∙ Eagle Lake Lakeshore Association ∙ East Battle Lake WS Association ∙ Elbow Lake Association ∙ Franklin Lake Association ∙ Hoffman Lake Association ∙ Jewett Lake Association ∙ Lake Lida Property Owners Association ∙ Lake Lizzie Lakeshore Association ∙ Lake Seven Association ∙ Lake Six Association ∙ Leaf Lakes Association ∙ Little McDonald Kerbs and Paul Lakes LID ∙ Long Lake at Vergas Association ∙ Loon Lake Association ∙ Marion Lake Association ∙ McDonald Lake Improvement Association ∙ North Long Lake Association ∙ North Turtle Lake Association ∙ Otter Tail Lakes Property Owners Association ∙ Pebble Lake Lakeshore Association ∙ Pelican Lake Property Owners Association ∙ Pickerel Lake Improvement Association ∙ Pine Lakes LID ∙ Prairie Lake Lakeshore Association ∙ Round Lake 56-214 ∙ Rush Lake Association ∙ Silent Lakes Association ∙ Silver Lake Property Owners Association ∙ South Turtle Lake Improvement District ∙ Spitzer Lake Property Owners Association ∙ Stalker Lake Association ∙ Star Lake Property Owners Association ∙ Stuart Lake Association ∙ Swan Lake Association ∙ Sybil Lake Association ∙ Tamarac Lake Association ∙ Ten Mile Preservation Association ∙ Trowbridge-Leek Lake Association ∙ Wall Lake Association ∙ West Battle Lake Association ∙ West McDonald Lake Association
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