WATERSHED NEWS
Stay connected and updated with the Glen Lake Association by following articles posted here throughout the year.
Sea Lamprey Update
In early June, a local area resident sighted an invasive parasitic sea lamprey swimming upstream from the Crystal River Dam. The dam is located just northwest of where Fisher Lake flows into the Crystal River. It is used to balance the water flow of the river with the...
Meet Our Interns: Part 1 – Sam Morawski
We are grateful for our eighth year with terrific summer interns that exuded enthusiasm, curiosity, and a willingness to help wherever we needed them. They assisted our staff on the water, under the water and in the lab, and they helped educate our community at the...
Guardian Tips for Fall: Yard & Pet Waste
Grass clippings, leaves, and animal waste all contain phosphorus. Follow these guidelines to keep excess nutrients from entering the lakes and rivers: Refrain from blowing debris into the water Never burn yard waste! Ashes and smoke particles concentrate nutrients...
Clint’s Recipe for Beer-Battered Perch
The GLA monthly creel report regularly shows that Glen Lake anglers’ most-caught fish is yellow perch. They are often caught in Little Glen or in the drop-offs around Big Glen. The best perch recipe starts with perch that you, your child, or your grandchild has caught...
Guardian Tip: Loss of Natural Shorelines and Stream Banks is the Number One Threat to Water Quality
Did you know that the loss of natural shorelines and stream banks is the number one threat to water quality? Fall is the perfect time to schedule a shoreline or streambank consultation with the Glen Lake Association. We will listen to your questions and concerns and...
Watershed Trivia: What do These Things Have in Common?
Watershed Trivia Question: What do pH, temperature, turbidity, electrical conductivity, phosphorus, chlorophyll a, and dissolved oxygen all have in common? Watershed Trivia Answer: These are all physical characteristics of Glen Lake, which are regularly monitored and...
It’s Not Styrofoam! Algal Blooms on Glen Lake
You may have noticed what appear to be large white objects floating in Little Glen Lake. This foam is a product of seasonal algal blooms that typically occur in August & September. The more we keep excess nutrients out of the lake, the fewer algal blooms and the...
Eurasian Watermilfoil Found Growing in Little Glen Lake
Back in September 2023, Glen Lake Association (GLA) Boat Wash Manager Victoria Velting found a few strands of Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) floating in the lake near the Day Forest Road boat launch. The discovery prompted the GLA to establish an EWM Task Force to...
Sustained Lack of Rain Causes Lake Level to Continue to Drop
Ongoing below average rainfall this summer has continued to cause both Glen Lake’s water level and Crystal River's flow rate to drop. We have had only three measurable rains since the first week of July. The last time the water level was this low in mid-September was...
SepticSmart Week 2024
This week, September 15-21, 2024, is designated SepticSmart Week for the state of Michigan because nearly 1.3 million septic systems across the state treat wastewater from homes and businesses. That's a significant part of Michigan's wastewater infrastructure. As an...
Attention Anglers! Keep Our Waters Great – Don’t Dump Your Bait
It seems like such an innocent thing to do: After a day of fishing, dump your leftover bait into the water before heading home. However, this seemingly harmless act is actually quite harmful. Bait dumping is one of the many ways invasive aquatic species and dangerous...
Thank you to Melissa Duke and David Tepoorten!
Thank you to Melissa Duke and David Tepoorten for opening their home on Little Glen to a breakfast gathering on August 24th! This was the GLA’s second official neighborhood gathering, where friends and neighbors had an opportunity to socialize and learn more about the...
Culvert Replacement Work Begins in Glen Arbor
In 2019, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB) initiated a project to replace three undersized stream crossing structures on the Crystal River and the Tucker Lake Outlet culvert along Leelanau County Road (CR) 675 (also known as Dunns Farm Road...
Lack of Rain Causes Lake Level to Continue to Drop
Have you noticed the lake seems lower than normal? Below average rainfall this summer has caused both Glen Lake’s water level and Crystal River's flow rate to drop precipitously. In fact, the last time that the lake level was this low was in 2016, and the last time it...
2024 Annual Meeting Highlights
Thank you to everyone who attended the GLA’s 2024 Annual Meeting! We hope you enjoyed celebrating our award recipients, receiving an update on the health of the watershed, and socializing with other members. GLA President, Stan Kryder, kicked off the meeting by...
Invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Found in Leelanau County
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has confirmed a new infestation of the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) on a private property in Leelanau Township. The Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network identified the infestation,...
Register Now! Free “Septic Systems 101” Webinar
Proper use and routine maintenance of septic systems are vitally important to watershed health. It is especially important that people who live or rent out their home within the watershed’s boundary regularly inspect and maintain their systems in order to protect the...
Swimmer’s Itch Prevention
50 years of trial and error, plus the latest research have shown our best and most cost-effective defense against Swimmer’s Itch is prevention, not control. What can you do to prevent the itch? Cover your skin with full-body swimwear, such as a “rash guard” suit...
Invasive Species Update: Sea Lamprey
Thanks to the eyewitness account of a local riparian, an invasive parasitic Sea Lamprey was recently identified swimming upstream from the Crystal River Dam. This observation is highly unusual because historically, the dam has prevented lamprey migration from the...
Guardian Tip: Shoreline Consultations
The health of the Glen Lake / Crystal River Watershed heavily depends on the condition of our shorelines and stream banks. You can contribute to the protection of the watershed by maintaining your natural shoreline or stream bank. The Glen Lake Association offers...
Last Discovery Boat Tour on July 26
You won't want to miss the last Discovery Boat ride on July 26! Plan a memorable time with family, friends, or neighbors by booking a Discovery Boat tour. Tours are family-friendly (ages 8 and up), fun, and educational! As you cruise along the water in a pontoon...
Discovery Boat Tours – Now Booking
Plan a memorable time with family, friends, or neighbors by booking a Discovery Boat tour. Tours are family-friendly (ages 8 and up), fun, and educational! As you cruise along the water in a pontoon boat, our watershed biologist will teach you how area lakes and...
Eurasian Watermilfoil Update
Eurasian watermilfoil (“EWM”) is an invasive aquatic plant which grows and spreads quickly and can have devastating impacts on lake ecology and recreational activities. Last October, GLA boat wash staff identified two fragments of EWM on watercraft trailers exiting...
Koi Fish Eradication Update
The GLA is just as committed to eradicating invasive animal species from the watershed as it is invasive plant species, and the Koi fish is no exception. Unfortunately, a number of Koi have been spotted in Little Glen Lake in recent years. The word "koi" comes from...
Notice of 2024 GLA Annual Member Meeting
The Glen Lake Association is proud to boast more than 75 years of preserving and protecting the Glen Lake/Crystal River Watershed. Our Annual Meeting serves as a platform to showcase our accomplishments, address business matters, and reconnect friends and neighbors...
Guardian Tip: Upcoming Hazardous Waste Collection Dates
Oil, gasoline, antifreeze, and old paint are just a few examples of household hazardous waste products (“HHW”) which may be found in just about every home or garage within the Glen Lake area. Throwing out these items with regular household garbage (or worse, pouring...
Wishing Tricia Denton All the Best
You may have met Tricia at a table outside the Glen Arbor Farmers’ Market, where she has raised awareness of the GLA’s mission and encouraged everyone to become a member. Maybe you received a consultation at your waterfront property, where Tricia offered strategies to...
Guardian Tips: Michigan Boating Laws & Guidelines
We all share the water! Have fun in our watershed, but remember these state regulations for boating: Maintain at least 100 feet from shore or structure when boating. With the exception of the dock at Old Settlers Park, docks, rafts, and swim platforms are privately...
Important Announcement: Activity on Little Glen Lake in May
The GLA embraces a policy of “early detection, early response” when it comes to any type of invasive species. We are committed to eradicating both plant and animal-based invasive species when possible, and the Japanese Koi is no exception. Commonly used in landscaped...
Important Announcement: Little Glen Nighttime Activity Coming in May
If you see unusual activity on Little Glen in early May, please do not be alarmed. The GLA has partnered with a team from Thundering Aspens Sportsman Club of Mesick, Michigan, to eradicate invasive Japanese Koi. A team will be working on the water at night, using...
Invasive Coltsfoot: Be On the Lookout
We need your help! Unusually warm early-season temperatures mean now is the time to spot the blooms. Coltsfoot was first identified along the shores of Big Glen in 2008 and is believed to have hitchhiked here with other landscape material. Coltsfoot is comparable to...
Help Us Keep It Blue
The Glen Lake / Crystal River Watershed is a special place with uniquely blue waters that we as the Glen Lake Association work hard to protect and preserve, drop by drop. That’s why we’re putting out the call to everyone who lives, works, and plays in our waters to...
Staff Spotlight: Assistant Scientist, Joe Blondia
Joe, who received his Biology degree from Grand Valley State University and completed post-graduate studies in Environmental Science at the University of Montana, is one of six highly qualified part-time staff employed by the GLA. He assists with water quality...
Guardian Tips: Boat Cover Recycling and Hazardous Waste Collection
Registration is now open for the 2024 Recycle Run, a special recycling program for boat covers that can't be disposed of through regular recycling collection. Prepare for the boating season by purchasing a Recycle Run bag from the Dr. Shrink website, which helps keep...
Yellow Iris: Help Stop The Spread
Yellow Iris has spread in the watershed over the past several seasons, and we need riparians' help in eradicating this plant. Although they appear lovely, problems arise when the seed pods mature, arch over the water, split open, and disperse. Seeds can travel far and...
2023 Annual Report – It’s All About the Water!
Our 2023 GLA Annual Report is now available online! Click the link below to access.Photo by Rob Karner
Staff Spotlight: Watershed Biologist, Rob Karner
Watershed Biologist Rob Karner has worked for the Glen Lake Association since 1977. His science-based initiatives have made the GLA a leader among Midwest lake associations. He is a key member of the expert team tasked with monitoring for and eradicating invasive...
Watershed Trivia: Name this Bird!
Watershed Trivia Question: What is the name of this bird? Watershed Trivia Answer: It is a red-breasted nuthatch. The red-breasted nuthatch is a small songbird that can be found in the Netroparks, including at Glen Lake. Location Red-breasted Nuthatches are mainly...
Volunteer Spotlight: GLA Membership Chair, Woody McCally
Woody’s family has been coming to Glen Lake since the 1930s. He has vacationed here every year of his life at the family property on Dunn’s Farm Road. All the good times he’s experienced with family and friends on such a special lake have established a deep connection...
Invasive Species Watch: Hemlock Wooly Adelgid
Eastern hemlock trees are some of the largest and most common trees in Northern Michigan and the northeastern states. They play an ecologically vital role in our environment as well as providing habitat for many species. Unfortunately, these beautiful trees are under...
Volunteer Spotlight: GLA President, Stan Kryder
Stan has been to Glen Lake every year since he was born. His family began coming to Glen Lake in 1957, originally vacationing at the old Maple Croft Resort in Burdickville, where they eventually purchased their own place. Stan has served on the GLA board since 2018 as...
Eurasian Watermilfoil Update
As we reported in October of this year, GLA boat wash staff identified two fragments of Eurasian watermilfoil (“EWM” or Myriophyllum spicatum L.) on watercraft trailers exiting Little Glen Lake. This occurred at the DNR boat launch on Day Forest Road. We know from...
Guardian Opportunity: Introduction to Lakes Online Course
What every Glen Lake Guardian needs to know, available in this convenient, self-paced, online "Introduction to the Lakes" course from Michigan State University Extension. Take your GLG commitment to the next level and enroll today. The introductory six-week online...
Join Me in Preserving Glen Lake This Holiday Season
Dear Members and Friends of the Glen Lake Association: In this year-end appeal, I want to bring attention to a pressing matter that is separate from and in addition to our annual membership dues for 2024, now due by January 31, 2024—I am writing to elicit your...
Happy Giving Tuesday from Glen Lake Association
Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving that encourages people to contribute their time, a donation, or their voice to help build a better world. This year, we hope you’ll help “build a better watershed” by supporting the GLA. Give to the GLA today to protect,...
Days of Heavy Rain Have the Crystal River Bursting at her Banks
The lake level is up five inches, and the dam gates have been dropped to their lowest level in response to the October 24 rain event. See the video below to view the Crystal River bursting at her banks. Since 1945, the Glen Lake Association has maintained and operated...
Volunteer Spotlight: GLA Technical & Water Level Committee Chair, Rick Fink
The Fink Family cottage was built on the east shore of Big Glen Lake in 1940. Growing up, Rick spent nearly every summer there, so it’s no wonder the lake has always felt like home. In 1998, he and his wife, Janice, made it their permanent home. Rick believes that the...
Watershed Trivia: Crystal River Dam Adjustments
Watershed Trivia Question: Over the past 12 months, how many times have GLA Volunteers made adjustments to the Crystal River Dam to help manage lake level and river flow? Watershed Trivia Answer: Over the past year, our team of volunteers (called “captains”) visited...
All GLA Memberships will be Due for Renewal Every January 31 Starting in 2024
Effective for 2024, all GLA memberships will be due for renewal every January 31, in order to save administrative time and associated expenses. By synchronizing renewals going forward, we will simplify the notification and collection process so that staff time can be...
Eurasian Watermilfoil Update
The Glen Lake Association has been hard at work since the early September discovery of a few floating strands of Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM) in Little Glen. First, we hired Zero Gravity, LLC to conduct a drone flight over the entire deep basin of Little Glen. This...
Important Update on Invasive Species
On September 3, the Glen Lake Association identified two fragments of Eurasian watermilfoil (“EWM” or Myriophyllum spicatum L.) on watercraft trailers exiting Little Glen Lake. This occurred at the DNR boat launch on Day Forest Road. Although this is unwelcome news,...
Guardian Tip: Do Your Part – Be SepticSmart!
Proper use and routine maintenance of septic systems are vitally important to watershed protection. To protect the health of our lakes and streams, it is critically important that people who live within the watershed’s boundary regularly inspect and maintain their...
Reminder, this Saturday August 5th is our Annual Meeting
VOTE TODAY! Time extended to Vote Online or via Mail/Email Note: You must be logged in to your GLA Member Account to use Online Voting. Click here: MY ACCOUNT or access the MY ACCOUNT tab at the top of the GLA Website to log in. Then select MEMBER VOTING from the drop...
Watershed Trivia: Turtles
Watershed Trivia Question: With spring, come turtles on the move to lay their eggs...How many species of turtle are known to live in the Glen Lake Crystal River Watershed? Watershed Trivia Answer: Three - Common Snapping Turtle, Eastern Painted Turtle, and Blandings...
2022 Annual Report: It’s All About the Water!
Our 2022 GLA Annual Report is here (published in the spring of 2023) View the report online via the link below and watch for your hard copy in the mail. Be sure to check your address label on your hard copy for information on membership status... "Membership Lapsed" -...
Guardian Tip: Leave Your Leaves, Please!
Support pollinators and essential native plants this spring! Please refrain from cleaning up your gardens until the temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees. Many butterflies, bees and other pollinators are currently overwintering in the dead leaves and...
Watershed Trivia: Species of Planktonic Diatom in our Lakes
Watershed Trivia Question: Since monitoring began in 2004, how many species of planktonic diatom have been identified in Glen and Fisher Lakes? And has the diversity gone up or down over the years? Watershed Trivia Answer: Rob Karner reports 19 different diatoms (a...
Under the Microscope
At first glance, the waters of Glen and Fisher lakes appear as clear as distilled water. But magnified 450 times, a whole new world appears. Since 2014, each month from April to November, watershed biologist Rob Karner climbs on board the GLA Science boat, RV Sarah,...
Guardian Tips: Native Plants, Lake Water Irrigation and No Fertilizer Zones Slow the Lake Aging Process
Maintaining species diversity, especially amongst the smallest creatures in our lakes, is key to ecosystem health. So what can you do to prevent excessive nutrients, such as phosphorus, from entering our water? Help do your part to buffer against harmful algal blooms...
The Ice is Breaking Up!
With winter temperatures undergoing a roller coaster ride in January and February, a record number of days above freezing have caused ice cover on Glen Lake to be minimal at best. For example, ice covers Big Glen most years in the third week in January and comes off...
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