Public invited to Important Lake Association Meeting.

By Glenn Steinbach, TMLIA Secretary

Whether you own shore land on our area lakes, rivers and streams or use them only for recreation, would you like to see the blue-green algae reduced from those waters? Would you like to use public landings and beaches free of signs warning of toxic cyanobacteria? It can be done! The Tainter/Menomin Lake Improvement Association (TMLIA) would like to show the public at an open meeting how they think it can be accomplished. The Association will be hosting this important meeting on Tuesday, February 10 at the Tainter Town Hall beginning at 7:00 PM.

Your Lake Association is undergoing a crucial restructuring process. Part of this process includes the formation of a strategic planning committee which is setting long range guidelines for the Association. The vision is to make our area water quality clean and safe by the year 2018. This committee is being directed by chairperson Dick Lamers and Association president Robyn Morin. The committee has met numerous times during the past three months in groups ranging in size from six to 16 Association members and non-members.

"The strategic plan contains the details or tactics the committee believes will be needed to start our journey and successfully meet our Vision and Mission by 2018," said Lamers. He presented the strategic plans vision and mission statements to the Association Board of Directors at the January 13 monthly meeting. Following discussion and minor changes both were unanimously adopted by the Board.

The next major step for the committee is the February 10 meeting when it will present the strategic plan that includes the numerous goals, objectives, strategies and tactics needed to make area waters clean and safe. "Comments are welcome and individual participation will be critical to moving forward. Please join us and know that everyone is welcome," added Lamers. " I want to thank everyone who participated in the development of this strategic plan. It is our water, our future and the future of our children. By working together we can make a difference."

The Association's strategic plan will address water quality issues throughout the Red Cedar River Basin. The success of the plan could have a far larger positive affect than people may realize. High nutrient and pollutant levels from upstream travel downstream to our area lakes where they collect in those inpoundments until water conditions are right for the green algae (also known as cyanobacteria) to bloom. Explosions of algae blooms can turn water to pea-soup consistencey, form floating matts that can create strong odors and turn blue-green in color and deplete oxygen levels as well. High algae blooms have been know to cause fish kills or become toxic to animals and humans. As the water continues downstream the load increases at the confluence of the Red Cedar River and the Chippewa River. The nutrient load continues to mass in the Mississippi River until it ultimately empties into the Gulf of Mexio. Once there the high nutrient loads and pollutants create what is known as the "dead zone" (1).

The "dead zone" is only one example. Green algae clogged waters now appear throught our state. Castle Rock Petenwell Lakes on the Wisconsin River is one of the most recent and is similar in nature as is Lake Chetek which is a part of the Red Cedar Basin. The problem exsists throughout the United States. Two prime examples are; the "Klamath River" (2) and the "Chesapeake Bay" (3), (4), (5). Green algae problems and dead zones are present around the globe (e.g: Black Sea). Formerly competitive groups are now coming together to clean up the Klamath River. Twenty-five years of clean up efforts on the Chesapeake Bay have failed because competitive groups will not join forces in a common cause and government funding promises have fallen short.

Stakeholders of the Red Cedar River Basin can fight or put differences aside to join in a common cause. The first step may be attending the TMLIA meeting on February 10.
How to connect with the TMLIA

As part of it's restructuring process the Tainter/Menomin Lake Improvement Association's web site is under construction and redevelopment. The Association wants to connect with groups and citizens of like interests and concerns. Interested citizens can share comments and connect with the TMLIA through a new blogspot (www.tmlia.blogspot.com) created by Board member Lissa Marsolek owner of (http://www.photosbylissa.blogspot.com/). Dick Lamers (dlamersllc@charter.net) , Robyn Morin (RobynMorin@edinarealty.com) and Glenn Steinbach (gsteinbach@centurytel.net) may be contacted for further information.

(1)National Geographic, June 2008, page 36; (2) National Geographic, December 2008, page 134; (3) National Geographic, June 2005, page 22; (4) Washington Post, December 27, 2008, A08, David F. Fehrentholdt; (5) washingtonpost.com, search Chesapeake Bay.