Crystal Lake & Watershed Association

The Crystal Lake & Watershed Association

is a nonprofit (501c3) organization of concerned citizens committed to protecting the beauty and water quality of Crystal Lake and its surrounding environment. It engages in monitoring, education, and advocacy on behalf of the broad community for whom Crystal Lake is a vital economic, recreational, and aesthetic resource.

Report a Merganser Brood HERE

CLWA News Highlights

Merganser brood relocation ready for 2020

Merganser broods will soon begin to appear again on Crystal Lake. The ducklings usually begin to leave their nests in early June, when their mothers bring them out onto the lake. This is the time, before they are able to fly, that they can be trapped. Once...

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 current...

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 resul...

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, have now been analyze...

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 detail...

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 and a total of 1...

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 for...

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 prohibits: the...

Final report on 2018 swimmer's itch control program

Swimmer's Itch Control LLC, who carried out CLWA's swimmer's itch program during the summer of 2018, has now submitted its final report. The conclusions strongly support the preliminary results observed during summer activities, and point...

Benzie area students join 26th annual Walkabout in the watershed

On October 9 the CLWA conducted its 26th annual experiential educational project for middle school students, the Crystal Lake Walkabout. Sixth grade classes from Benzie Central and Frankfort/Elberta public schools visited locations around Crystal Lake to l...

CLWA completes aquatic plant survey of Crystal Lake

In early August 2018 the CLWA completed the final phase of its comprehensive, three-year survey of the aquatic plants in Crystal Lake. Under the direction of board member Jim Hamp, and assisted by volunteers and the drone technology of Zero Gravity Aerial,...

CLWA annual members meeting held on July 21

A large crowd of about 120 attended the 2018 CLWA annual members meeting on July 21. President Dave Wynne surveyed current programs and Treasurer Ron Ahrns described allocation of financial resources. The Crystal Circle Award was presented to Edward Hoogte...

Final report on swimmer's itch control for summer 2017

CLWA contracted with Swimmer's Itch Solutions LLC to conduct swimmer's itch control activities on Crystal Lake during summer of 2017. It concentrated on trapping merganser broods and moving them to other waters where the swimmer's itch parasite...

Michigan Lake and Stream Associations names CLWA "Lake Association of the Year"

The CLWA received the Michigan Lake and Stream Associations' "Lake Association of the Year" award at the MLSA's 2017 annual conference, held at Crystal Mountain Resort on April 21-22.The citation recognized the CLWA for its "outstanding leader...

SICON LLC reports on 2016 swimmer's itch research program

During the summer of 2016, CLWA contracted with SICON LLC to implement a multi-faceted pilot program of swimmer's itch research and assessment on Crystal Lake. In September they submitted a report to the CLWA on their season's work, which includes ...

Approved Watershed Plan points the way to future protection of Crystal Lake

The never-ending work of protecting northwest Michigan’s water received a major boost in September 2016 with federal approval of the Betsie River/Crystal Lake Watershed Management Plan. The document calls for investing more than $17 million in projec...