About the CLWA

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 (three without the hens) and a total of 90 ducklings, 98 birds in all. Reports of merganser brood sightings began late in May, earlier than in previous years. Once again the Crystal Lake community showed their active support by reporting sightings on the CLWA website.

The mergansers were relocated to several sites approved by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, where the environment had been assessed as suitable for this species and where the snail host for producing swimmer’s itch was not present.

You can continue to report any cases of swimmer’s itch HERE. After being closed last summer, the Congregational Summer Assembly waterfront staff is once again keeping records of swimmer’s itch occurrences there. Reports on this valuable data will appear here at the conclusion of the summer.

The CLWA brochure, “Combating Swimmer’s Itch on Crystal Lake,” provides more information on swimmer’s itch and how you can avoid its effects.