About the CLWA

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 Including 8 hens and 81 ducklings. All were removed to other locations where the swimmer’s itch parasite they carry will not be a problem for swimmers and lake dwellers. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has approved these sites as suitable for this species.

As most Crystal Lakers now know, merganser ducks are the avian host for the parasite that causes swimmer’s itch. The removal of the birds breaks the cycle of infection, thus reducing the incidence of local swimmer’s itch. Over the past three years that CLWA has carried out this program, cases of swimmer’s itch have continuously decreased.

Much of the success of this program is due to the active response of the Crystal Lake community, who have assiduously reported merganser brood sightings in their area. The CLWA is grateful for your participation and asks for your continuing support, so that the progress being made against swimmer’s itch can be maintained into the future.

Final reports on CLWA’s swimmer’s itch research projects this year will be posted here when they are completed.