The Crystal Lake Watershed Association
Merganser and Swimmer’s Itch reporting
MERGANSER TRAPPING IS RESUMING IN 2024. REPORT SIGHTINGS OF BROODS or SWIMMER’S ITCH CASES HERE.
The CLWA is trapping and relocating broods of merganser ducks, not individual adult birds. Please report your sighting using the “button” below in order to inform the trapping team.
For more on swimmer’s itch and how to avoid it, see the CLWA brochure HERE.
CLWA News Overview
Are you protecting water quality with your vote?
The CLWA encourages you to vote, and to seriously consider water quality and the environment …
Eurasian Watermilfoil control: 2024 update
Under contract to the CLWA, Clear Water Lake Management, with drone assistance from …
Spring 2024 “Crystal Whitecaps” newsletter now online.
Spring 2024 “Crystal Whitecaps” newsletter now online. …
CLWA Annual Meeting held on July 20
About 120 members and friends gathered on Saturday, July 20, for the CLWA’s 2024 Annual Members Meeting. This record-breaking crowd heard …
Water quality testing results for 2023 now available
As part of the Michigan Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program, the CLWA sponsors comprehensive scientific testing …
Zoning for lake health
There’s lots of building going on around Crystal Lake. Zoning and other local and state regulations are in place to help protect …
“Stewardship for a Healthy Watershed” booklet available
As the days lengthen and blue water emerges from the ice, many of you are making plans for your yards and gardens. The CLWA is proud to make available …
Merganser trapping completed for 2021
CLWA’s merganser trapping team completed the removal of all broods from Crystal Lake by July 21st. The final count was 11 broods …
CLWA Annual Meeting held on July 24
CLWA members met on Saturday, July 24, at the Mills Community House in Benzonia and virtually via Zoom for the 2021 Annual Members Meeting. President Dave Wynne presented …
CLWA completes treatment of invasive Eurasian Watermilfoil
The CLWA began its long-delayed treatment of EWM in Crystal Lake on June 30 under the terms of the authorization provided by the Michigan Department of Environment …
CLWA suspends Eurasian Watermilfoil treatment for 2020
On July 28 the CLWA executive committee made the difficult decision to cancel its plans to begin control of the invasive Eurasian Watermilfoil in Crystal Lake …
CLWA annual members meeting held on July 18 — WATCH THE FULL VIDEO
CLWA members met via Zoom on July 18 for the 2020 Annual Members Meeting. President Dave Wynne presented a comprehensive report on current programs and Treasurer Ron Ahrns detailed the allocation …
Merganser brood relocation completed for 2020 — WATCH VIDEO
CLWA’s team has now finished trapping and relocating all the merganser broods that nested on Crystal Lake this summer. Over a month’s time, completing work on July 8, they captured 10 broods …
CLWA plans treatment of invasive Eurasian Watermilfoil
The CLWA’s comprehensive three-year (2016-2018) survey of the aquatic plants in Crystal Lake revealed a generally healthy lake, and identified Eurasian watermilfoil (“EWM”, Myriophyllum spicatum) as the only invasive plant species currently …
Water quality testing results for 2019 now available
As part of the Michigan Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program, the CLWA sponsors comprehensive scientific testing of Crystal Lake’s water. Monitoring provides advance warning, so that early action can be taken to protect Crystal Lake. The latest results …
Swimmer’s Itch Data from Congregational Assembly Beach 2019
The Congregational Summer Assembly beach, on the southwest corner of Crystal Lake, has been producing the most complete and accurate data on the occurrence of swimmer’s itch since 2013. The latest statistics, from the 2019 season …
Aerial shoreline survey completed
Zero Gravity Aerial of Traverse City completed a total shoreline survey of Crystal Lake during the summer of 2019. An initial high flyover looked at shoals to identify obvious changes like aquatic plant beds or human disturbance. Then the drone took …
Merganser trapping completed for 2019
CLWA’s merganser trapping team completed the removal of all broods from Crystal Lake by the end of July. The final count was 10 broods (one without the hen) and a total of 68 ducklings, 77 birds in all. This compares to 16 broods …
CLWA annual members meeting held on July 20
A large crowd of over 100 attended the 2019 CLWA annual members meeting on July 20. President Dave Wynne reviewed current programs and Treasurer Ron Ahrns described allocation of financial resources. The Crystal Circle Award was presented to Ted Fisher …
New Michigan Boating Law to prevent introduction of invasive species
A new Michigan Boating Law that aims to prevent the introduction of invasive aquatic plants and animals goes into effect on March 21, 2019. An amendment to the state Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act 451 of 1994, the new law …
Protecting Crystal Lake Now for Generations to Come.
P.O. Box 89 • Beulah, MI 49617
info@crystallakewatershed.org
231.882.4001 Tel
The Crystal Lake Watershed Association (CLWA), is a non-profit (501c3) organization.
Photography: Jay Burt and Rick Cosaro
Site by: Rick Cosaro