The Cranberry
Connection
Highlights from Our Annual Meeting

30 folks attended.

Treasurer’s report was given. Income and expenses were
explained in detail. Balance in treasury as of January 1, 2016 was
$42,022 . Net income $2,757. Expenses $941. Balance in
treasury as of June 30, 2016 was $43,838.

Membership report was given. As of August 5, 2016 there were154
members of Cranberry Lake Association which represents 57% of
riparians.

Bill Lochte, ERCLA President, discussed key issues confronting
ERCLA and a strategic planning session which was held with Chain
lake leaders. Leaders at the session concluded that consolidating
and simplifying the structure of ERCLA and individual lake
associations is necessary to ensure continued success efforts to
protect and preserve the Eagle River Chain of Lakes. An open
forum followed. A show of hands indicated all were in favor of
proceeding in the new direction.

Election of board of directors took place.

The 2016 EWM management plan was presented.

Cranberry Lake volunteers surveyed the lake for yellow iris, purple
loosestrife and yellow loosestrife - other wetland invasive plants.

Lake management plan goals were summarized.

A grant funded shoreline restoration project on Cranberry Lake was
shown.

Cranberry Lake gear is being sold at a 50% discount.

Open forum questions and comments.

Next meeting August 5, 2017
Winter
2017
Our Board of Directors
Missing from the picture is our president, Dick Brock, who
was unable to attend the annual meeting due to illness.
Per our bylaws, the board of directors elects officers.
Officers elected in 2016 are Chuck Berg, Treasurer and
Carole Linn, Secretary.
Dick Brock is president, and Bill Landvatter is VP.
Special thanks to Sue Saxhaug for her many years
serving as our Treasurer. Sue helped in so many
ways other than treasurer. Her talents were
responsible for making Cranberry Lake Association
the strong organization it is today. We are so
grateful, Sue!
A big high-five to Jim and Terrie Hanrahan , Chrysa
Murphy, and Steve and Carole Linn for the time they
spent surveying Cranberry Lake for shoreland
invasive plants and Eurasian water milfoil.
And thanks to everyone else who has given their
time and talent to Cranberry Lake!
The Cranberry Connection
A Time for Change
Those of you who attended our annual
meeting heard Bill Lochte, ERCLA
President, discuss the challenges ERCLA
and our individual lake associations face.
Those challenges are long-term leadership
and oversight, riparian commitment (both
time and money), and misunderstanding
the roles and value of ERCLA, individual
lake associations, and the Commission.
With those challenges in mind, a choice
needed to be made - dissolve or evolve.
After long and careful consideration, it
became apparent the way forward is to
simplify and unify. The solution is to
combine the assets of ERCLA and all
nine individual lake associations into
ONE entity.
The benefits of consolidation are many
and include:

Clear identity

Unified message and presence

Pooling of leadership

Simplified dues structure

Continued participation of our local
municipalities

Elimination of duplicate activities

Pooled financial assets and shared
costs
During the summer of 2016, this vision
was presented at all lake association
meetings, and stakeholder input was
obtained.
The response to the proposed
consolidation has been very positive, with
all lake associations in favor.
A transition team has been formed to
implement the consolidation.
During the upcoming year the operating
structure and responsibilities will be
finalized, a vote to proceed will be
obtained by all parties, lake
representatives will be recruited, legal
requirements will be completed, treasuries
will be merged, and qualified staff will be
recruited and hired as needed.
ERCLA will keep all our lake associations
informed of the progress throughout the
process.
Trophic State
What the heck is it, and why do we care about it??
In a nutshell, trophic state is a waterbody’s ability to support plants, fish and wildlife.
Scientists developed a system of classifying waterbodies into one of three categories
called “trophic states” based on their level of biological activity.
Trophic states describe the lake’s ability to produce plant matter. As nutrients, primarily
phosphorus, accumulate in a lake, its productivity increases and the lake progresses
through three trophic states: oligotrophic, mesotrophic, and finally eutrophic.
Oligotrophic lakes are the least productive and are deep, have cold water, and few
plants. Eutrophic lakes are the most productive and are usually shallow, have warm
water, and high plant growth. Mesotrophic lakes fall between these two categories.
Every lake naturally progresses through these states, and under natural conditions the
progress can take tens of thousands of years. We care about trophic state because
human activity can accelerate this natural aging process.
How do lake managers determine trophic state? They determine it by measuring the
level of nutrients (phosphorus) and chlorophyll and by measuring water clarity using a
Secchi disk. Cranberry Lake has been monitoring these levels for many years.
In general, the primary focus of lake managers is halting or slowing down the
eutrophication process. Often eutrophication can be accelerated by human activity,
and by moderating this activity, eutrophication can be slowed down. Reducing
phosphorus runoff and erosion will help protect the lake and slow its eutrophic
progression.
The studies conducted as part of our lake management plan indicated Cranberry Lake,
is eutrophic. This is our wake-up call to act now to help slow down this process.
The Cranberry Connection
First Year of NO Milfoil Treatment
From 2008 through 2015 the Commission has managed the Eurasian
water milfoil infestation on the ER Chain with yearly herbicide
treatments. Overall the management strategy has been immensely
successful by decreasing the milfoil on the Chain from nearly 300 acres
in 2007 to 12 acres in 2015.
Because the acreage was so small and of scattered or highly scattered
density, herbicide treatment was not warranted on the Eagle River
Chain in 2016.
The remnant areas of milfoil are too small to effectively control using
herbicide. The present milfoil populations are below the level that
cause ecologic impacts or reduce use of the ecosystem.
As you know, areas of high water flow provide challenges in terms of
herbicide control of milfoil. In these areas the herbicide is not in contact
with the plant long enough to result in plant mortality. The Cranberry
Channel to Burnt Rollways dam is such an area.
With the herbicide treatment in 2015, water flow from the dam was
reduced during the treatment period and herbicide concentration
monitoring was performed after herbicide application. The results were
most encouraging as you can see on the 2015 post treatment map.
Not wanting to simply sit back and wait for the milfoil to reach levels that
are again applicable for herbicide treatment, the Commission instituted
a pilot professional milfoil hand-harvesting program on Voyageur Lake
in 2016. The program showed reduction of EWM at some sites and
maintenance of low EWM populations at other sites.
Because EWM has been greatly reduced, we are at the stage where
we need to balance a level of milfoil tolerance while not allowing milfoil
to return to pre-treatment levels. The September 2016 EWM survey
revealed under 20 acres Chainwide. At this time, no herbicide
treatment is planned for 2017. The professional hand-harvesting will
continue in 2017. We will continue to monitor EWM presence and be
ready to institute appropriate control if indicated. We remain ever
vigilant.
The Cranberry Connection
Shoreline Restoration on Cranberry Lake by Carole Linn
Shoreline restoration is a key
component of our lake management
plan, and I am pleased to report that
Cranberry Lake has completed such a
project. It occurred on our property
during the summer of 2015.
We have lived on the northeast shore
of Cranberry Lake since 1978, and
over the years, our shoreline has
eroded due to wind and wave action.
Cranberry Lake is nearly a mile long
from southwest to northeast. We get
some serious winds and pounding
waves from the southwest.
We lost approximately 8 feet of
shoreline. The erosion was so great it
required adding an extension from our
permanent dock to reach the shore!
prior to the rock riprap. We
maintained as much existing
vegetation as possible.
Planting zones, extending 6 feet up
the shoreline on either side of the dock
were planted above the riprap with
native vegetation. Existing vegetation
was supplemented with No Mow grass
seed. We follow No Mow practices in
the area of restoration.
Some of the native plantings include
sedges, milkweed, aster, wild
strawberry, and blue flag iris. We look
forward to monarch butterflies visiting
the milkweed!
ERCLA has applied for a grant for
Phase 4, the final phase, of the lake
management plan. Through Phase
2, the chainwide lake management
goals include:
1. Maintain current water quality
conditions
2. Lessen the impact of shoreline
development on the Chain
3. Actively manage existing and
reduce the likelihood of further
AIS establishment in the Chain
4. Continue and expand
awareness of lake management
and stewardship matters to
riparians and the general public
This picture shows the extension.
geotextile non-woven mat
native shoreline plants above rock
Knowing that grant funding is
available for shoreline restoration, we
contacted Vilas County Land and
Water Conservation department to
explore our options.
Quita Sheehan, Vilas County Lake
Conservation Specialist, guided us
through the process.
We applied for, and received, a
WDNR Soil and Water Resource
Management DATCP Cost-Share
Grant which covered 50% of the
restoration cost.
145 ft. of rock riprap
There are many conditions and
stipulations in the grant. Quita
explained and coordinated all aspects
of the process. She was there every
step of the way, and made the
process easy.
In order to stop the erosion, we
needed to place 145 feet of rock
riprap at the toe of the bank. Nonwoven geotextile fabric was placed
rock 3 ft. high and 2 ft. thick
native shoreline plants above rock
The Cranberry Connection
Join or renew your membership to CLA now
Clip and mail to address indicated
New or Renewal Membership through 12-31-2017
Name _______________________________________
Make check payable to:
Mailing Address _______________________________
Cranberry Lake Association, Inc.
C/O Carole Linn, Secretary
1427 Snowshoe Ln
Eagle River, WI 54521
____________________________________________
Email________________________________________
Lake Address __________________________________________
Dues $35
Donation $_______
Total Payment Enclosed $_______
Not sure if you paid your dues?
Dues and Donations are tax deductible
Are you a new member?
□ Yes
□
Check the membership page on our website.
Thank You!
No
If yes, who referred you? ___________________________
Duplicate payments will be applied as a donation
SNL
CLA Membership Over the Years
In 2016, we had 159 members. That’s the highest
membership we’ve ever had thanks to all of you who
joined or renewed your membership in CLA!!
120
Yes, we’re moving forward in uniting with ERCLA to
form one Eagle River Chain organization. But until
then, we remain our own lake association. So it’s
really important to continue to support Cranberry
Lake Association until that time. And ERCLA, too!
100
Once united, there will be only one dues payment.
180
Number of Members
160
140
80
60
Members
40
Percent
20
Don’t delay, clip the membership form and join or
renew today.
We thank you for your support!
0
Membership Years
Be sure to visit our website
Lots of good stuff there!!
www.cranberrylakeassociation.org
Cranberry Lake has it’s own
weather station including a
webcam?
Go to our website and scroll to the
lower right of the home page. Click on the Weather
Underground link. You will be connected to the
Cranberry Lake Personal Weather Station where you
can view Cranberry Lake weather. Click on the
Webcam tab to get a look at the weather on the lake.
cranberrylakeassociation.org
Cranberry Lake Association, Inc.
1427 Snowshoe Ln
Eagle River, WI 54521
Show Your Pride
Get Your CLA Gear
We’ve got tees, caps, pennants and embroidered sweatshirts in lots of different
styles and colors
See our website for info and to order
cranberrylakeassociation.org
or call Michele at 715-479-8976
50%
OFF