SPRING 2024 NEWSLETTER
- Long Lake Waters Association
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Long Lake Waters Association
Our mission is to provide collaborative leadership in improving and protecting the water quality of the Long Lake Creek Watershed for the enjoyment of present and future generations
SEVEN LAKES - THREE CITIES - ONE WATERSHED
Welcome to Spring in the Long Lake Creek Watershed!
With longer days upon us, spring has officially arrived with the Vernal Equinox on March 19th, 2024. The return of the sunshine has been a welcome relief from the cloudiest, and warmest, January on record, with temperatures ranging between 22.1 and 5.9 degrees above normal. For particulars, reference https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/climate/journal/january-2024-recap.html.
A Big Thank You!
Lakeside Wine + Spirits in Long Lake has been a steadfast supporter of LLWA and our efforts to maintain, protect, and enhance water quality within the LLC Watershed.
Many thanks to Lakeside Wine + Spirits for their recent generous gift to LLWA from their "Giving Back to the Community" campaign.
Save the Date:
September 12th LLWA Fall Event: Join us at the Hideaway in the Red Rooster for a community water event with information on current projects, refreshments and education from 5:00-7:00pm, 1832 Wayzata Boulevard, Long Lake, MN 55391.
Rain Barrels for Sale:
LLWA, in partnership with Harrisons Bay Association and Recycling Association of Minnesota, https://recycleminnesota.org/ is offering rain barrels for sale at cost to local residents available for purchase until April 30th.
Rain barrels capture water from roof tops and hold it for later use to water lawns, gardens or indoor plants. Capturing this water prevents it from flowing off your property and into the watershed, carrying pollutants such as phosphorus and nitrogen-rich stormwater runoff with it. It’s this nitrogen and phosphorus that contributes to algae growth in ponds, streams and lakes.
By using rain barrels and slowing down the runoff, you can help protect the seven lakes, wetlands and streams in the watershed. Click here to learn more about the dimensions and specifications of the rain barrel.
Click the link below to purchase a rain barrel:
Rain Barrel pick up is May 4th, 9:00am-12:00pm at the Mound Parking Garage, next to True Value at 5515 Shoreline Drive, Mound, MN 55364. A demonstration for set up will be available as well.
Thank you for being part of the effort to care for the Long Lake Creek Watershed.
Long Lake Creek Watershed Roadmap:
Since 2018, the Cities of Long Lake, Medina, Orono and LLWA and Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) have been working together toward a common goal of improving water quality in the Long Lake Creek Sub-watershed. The Long Lake Creek Roadmap, created from this partnership, outlines a strategy and a number of projects that will help restore the impaired lakes in the sub-watershed to meet state water quality standards.
County Road 6 Stormwater Pond Project:
One current project of the MCWD is retrofitting the stormwater pond on County Road 6 to help improve water quality downstream to Long Lake and thus water into Lake Minnetonka. The project will add a sand filtration bench to improve water treatment capacity to the pond. Use of this improved technology will increase the pond’s ability to treat water from the surrounding area before it reaches Long Lake and maximize the pond’s water storage.
What’s moving: Birds
With the early spring, watershed wildlife have made their presence known through sight and sound.
With the early spring, watershed wildlife have made their presence known through sight and sound.
The Sandhill Crane’s ancient call announces their return to the wetlands and rivers of the Upper Midwest. Among the oldest species of bird, their expanding populations in central and east-central Minnesota can be found mostly in undisturbed marshes where they feed on earthworms, insects, snails and grasses. To hear their primitive call and to spot their flash of red feather-topped heads in early spring is a sign of new beginnings and healthy habitats.
Buffleheads have also been spotted on Long Lake. The bufflehead is a small sea duck of the genus Bucephala, also called the goldeneyes. The smallest diver, and fastest flyer, it is named for its buffalo-like shaped head and noted for its attractive plumage, mating rituals and its frequent visits to Midwestern lakes when migrating.
Frogs
Another confirmation all is well in the watershed is the chorus of early frog and toad populations emerging from forest leaf-litter and grassland burrows.
There are 14 species and three families of frogs and toads in Minnesota with individual breeding calls unique to their group. The earliest male species announcing their return are Wood Frogs (below), Boreal Chorus Frogs and Spring Peepers. The Northern Leopard Frog (below) is the state amphibian of Minnesota and Vermont, and can be an important indicator of water quality in ponds when you see them. These anurans, or amphibians without tails, promote the health of our watershed and maintain wetland balance when they consume algae and plankton as tadpoles, moving these nutrients onto land as they mature. To hear the males croaking back and forth signals not only spring, but also territorial claims and changes in the weather.
Wood Frog Northern Leopard Frog
Photo Credit: Cassy Ordway
What's Growing:
Flowers:
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is making its fast and fleeting appearance underfoot in wooded areas and flood plains. A perennial and spring ephemeral, and member of the poppy family, bloodroot self-pollinates, has a reddish stalk about 8 inches high, and produces a single leaf that emerges when the flower wilts. The flower has white petals and gold stamens, only visible for a few days in March through May. Its red sap which bleeds if the plant is broken, has been used by Native Americans as medicine, thanks to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory Sanguinarine.
How to help:
Personal Steps:
We can help reduce phosphorus in our lakes by cleaning up grass clippings and pet waste, and controlling erosion on our property. These simple steps can have a big impact, by helping reduce algae blooms and promoting the biodiversity of aquatic and terrestrial native plants.
Volunteer!
Long Lake Waters Association is looking for watershed residents to volunteer for special projects and to be lake liaisons, especially on School, Holy Name, Dickey, Wolsfeld, Long Lake and Tanager.
What do you see?
Please let us know what you are seeing in the watershed, either conditions or problems you are concerned about, or positive feedback and community actions. You can reach out by email to longlakewaters@gmail.com, or share on our Facebook or Instagram feeds.
Help us grow!
Spread the word about LLWA, check out our website at https://www.longlakewaters.org/ follow us on Instagram or Facebook, share this newsletter with friends and neighbors.
Long Lake Waters Association
PO Box 195, Long Lake, MN 55356
A Minnesota 501(c)(3)
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