Ken Emmeck is our water quality volunteer. A few times a year he grabs samples and then takes the time to promptly run them over in a cooler to an area collection point. It does require a certain amount of commitment, so thanks!
Below is a link to RMB Environmental Laboratories database, who processes and analyzes our samples. If you follow the link below you will be directed to their data base page. Select Hubbard County and Eleventh Crow Wing Lake to see the latest data and trending analysis.
Chlorophyll is improving with 80% confidence as is Secchi Disk with 90% confidence. Total phosphorus is in a better than expected range when compared to similar area lakes. So keep it up folks. Limiting or being careful with fertilizers, maintaining and cleaning out septic systems on schedule, and keeping a buffer strip near the lakeshore are all things that we can do to help the water quality of our great gem of a lake.
At the spring meeting we also discussed the “restore the shore” program that Hubbard County COLA has. If you do some homework and can plan on placing tree orders early, you can score quite a few small trees for a very nominal cost. There usually is an order deadline and a pickup deadline. See link below for more information. These trees could be planted near the shore, or anywhere on your property for that matter.