Lake Friendly Living
4 Steps to Make a Difference
Manage Runoff.
When thinking about your landscaping, be sure to consider where the water goes directly after leaving your lawn. Consider using rain gardens, berms or other natural depressions.
Preserve Vegetation.
Think about using buffers to limit erosion near shorelines and consider planting wildfowers, native grasses, shrubs and other appropriate plants.
Maintain Septic Tanks.
Be sure to do routine maintenance and checks on septic tanks. A good rule of thumb is to have them pumped every 3 years.
Prevent AIS.
Check boats, motors and trailers for Aquatic Invasive Species. If you have travelled elsewhere with your boat, be sure to completely decontaminate your boat/trailer.
Caring for Land and Waters
Curious about how to take care of the beauty of your lake? Want more information about creating a legacy of conservation? The Land and Waters Organization has compiled an amazing tool to learn about all the options for a variety of properties and life styles. Everything from shoreland conservation to garbage and septic disposal and the protection of endangered and threatened species.
DNR’s “Get out the Lead” Campaign
Did you know that one lead sinker can poison a loon?
A loon with lead poisoning behaves strangely. It may fly poorly, have crash landings or stagger onto the ground. The loon begins to gasp, tremble, and its wings droop as lead is carried through its blood stream. As the poisoning worsens, it eats very little and hides among aquatic vegetation, staying behind when other birds migrate. It becomes emaciated and often dies within two or three weeks after swallowing the lead jig or sinker. It takes only one lead sinker or jig to poison a loon.
You can help
Give nontoxic sinkers a try. The less lead we release into the environment, the better off our wildlife will be. Next time you clean out your tackle box and make a list of replacement tackle to purchase for the upcoming fishing season, be sure to include nontoxic fishing sinkers. Currently there are many non-toxic sinker alternatives on the market made out of bismuth, tin, stainless steel, tungsten, ceramic, recycled glass and natural granite. Because weights of the different materials vary, you'll have to experiment to find what works best for your type of fishing.
Make sure your docks and structures meet regulations!
If you are looking to add a new dock or make adaptations to the one you already have, it is a good idea to check the DNR Dock Regulations. You also may need to get a permit for floating docks, swim rafts or other water toys.