Support Grants to Lake Associations

Dear Friends of the Lake;

The board of directors of the Forest Lake Lake Association (FLLA) would like you to support the following legislative bill currently being considered in the Minnesota Senate. The information below is from Minnesota Lakes and Rivers an organization that the FLLA belongs to.

AIS continues to be a significant issue for Forest Lake. It is the largest issue that the lake association will be spending on in future years. The control of AIS will remain a challenge. There are other species of AIS that we do have in Forest Lake which are worse than what we currently have. These other species could easily get into our lake and the cost to control them could be significant.

We need state funding to help Lake Associations like FLLA to combat AIS. Forest Lake, like many other lakes in Minnesota, is at war with AIS and we need to continue to work hard to protect our lake now and for future generations. This all cost money. This bill, if passed, would provide an opportunity for the FLLA to obtain funding to fight AIS.

Please consider sending your support for this bill. Click on the "Take Action" button below. It really only takes about 2 minutes to fill out the form and send an e-mail.

Thank you

Forest Lake Lake Association Board of Directors

Jerry Grundtner, President

Dear Friend, For many years the MN DNR made about $800,000 in grants to lake associations to help them manage aquatic invasive species. But in 2016 they cut the grants in half, to $400,000. The next year they ended them altogether. SF 1062, authored by Senator Rich Draheim, and joined by Senators Rudd, Ingebrigtsen, Jensen, and Eichorn would, if passed into law, provide $1 million of General Fund money in 2020 and 2021 for matching grants to lake associations for controlling aquatic invasive species. No more than 10% of the funding may go to a single lake association.  Click the Blue "Take Action" button below to send your Senator an email asking them to support this legislation. While AIS is a statewide problem, for too long the costs have been local. Lake Associations deserve support in the work they do to protect the public good of healthy lake ecosystems.

2019 Lake Programs and Improvement Plans

Dear Friends of the Lake;

Here is a list of our upcoming 2019 Programs and Lake Improvement Plans.

1. Your 2019 Membership: A Key Driver of Lake Improvement    

Your $50 annual contribution is the best investment you can make in protecting & improving both your lake and   lake property value. As membership has grown from 7 members in 2008 to over 350 paid members today, so has our ability increased to represent the needs of the lake through collaboration with key funding partners such as the Comfort Lake Forest Lake Watershed District( CLFLWD), the City of Forest Lake , Department of Natural Resources(DNR) and Washington County.

2. Forest Lake Lake Improvement Programs

   A. Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Management

• Watercraft inspections ($53,000 budget). 2650 hours of watercraft inspections at the three boat launches to help prevent other AIS from entering the lake.
• Management of AIS ($125,000 budget). Treatment to control Eurasian Water Milfoil, Curly Leaf Pondweed, and eradicate Flowering Rush (99% eradicated).
• Implement Rapid Response Program ($3,000 budget). Develop plan to prevent Starry Stonewort and Spiny Flea AIS from entering Forest Lake.
• Zebra Mussel ($0) Continue to monitor.          

   B. Water Quality (clarity) Improvement (treating storm water runoff to remove phosphorus(P))

• City street sweeping program ($45,000). Complete the optimized program developed. Implement the actual street sweeping. 168 pounds /year of P removed
• Finalize the Shields Lake storm water harvest and irrigation reuse system (Forest Hills GolfClub). Project was started in fall of 2018. 256 pounds/year of P will be removed from Forest Lake and an average of 26 million gallons of well water/yr will be saved by the Forest Hills Golf Club. Program cost: $1,030,000 supported by a $824,000 state Clean Water Fund grant.
• Define and apply for grant funding for major P reducing projects ($165,000). This involves initial planning and implementation for the three high P contributing sub-watersheds to Forest lake: Judicial ditch #6 (739 pounds P), Hayward Ave (213 pounds P), Castlewood Golf Course(131 pounds).
• New diagnostic study to identify the next P reducing projects on Forest Lake.($30,000)
• Water quality monitoring of all three lakes (4 FLLA volunteers)

3. FLLA Programs and Activities Scheduled for 2019

• Lake Update/Education... timely e-mails sent on lake issues, programs and lake education.($3000)
• Annual Lake Ice Clean-up ( March TBD)
• FLLA Annual Meeting( April 25,2019)
• -Potential Impact of Starry Stonewort (AIS) on the lake: Steve McComas, Blue Water Science .
• Review Of $1.0M Shields Lake/Forest Hills Golf Club Project: Mike Kinney,CLFLWD
• Options for Shoreline Vegetation Control: Rob Dodd, Specialist, DNR
• FLLA "free" Family Barbecue (June 20) $2500
• Weed Harvesting Program ( June - August) $5000
• Pontoon Boat Tie- Up Social Outing( July 13)

The FLLA appreciates your membership and support along with your dues contribution. The great work that is being done could not be accomplished without your support.

Just a reminder... if you change your email address, don't forget to tell us so we can keep you updated.

Forest Lake Lake Association Board of Directors

Jerry Grundtner, President