Check out our New Page: Ice Data

Due to high interest in when the lake freezes over in the winter and when the ice finally goes out in the spring, we have created a new page on the website.   This page will be updated as we get more information; right now we have about 20 years worth of data.  It would be wonderful if people found old diaries that recorded ice-in or ice-out data from before 1989.  Meanwhile check out the new page.

The pictures below, taken by Sharon Natzel, show hoarfrost (frost flowers) on the lake in the light from the sun setting before snow covered it.  Click on a photo to see it larger.

Opportunities for Input

The LLAA Communications Team would like you to know of two opportunities to provide your input on Lake-related topics.

1.  The Minnesota Environmental Quality Board recently held citizen forums around the state seeking input for the Minnesota Environmental Congress.  This link allows you to provide input until 1/15/2013:  http://mn.gov/environmentalcongress/voice.html

To learn more about the Minnesota Environmental Congress go to: http://mn.gov/EnvironmentalCongress/about.html

2.  The communications team recently received a copy of the Conservation Minnesota Winter 2012 Update.  In it there is a survey that is part of an article titled, "Your Priorities are Our Mission."  They would like those who care deeply for Minnesota's great outdoors to take the survey and are encouraging us to spread the word.  The following is a link to that survey:  http://my.conservationminnesota.org/site/PageServer?pagename=IssueSurvey

You can read their Winter newsletter articles online at:  www.ConservationMinnesota.org/tag/newsletter

Long Lake Friends Celebrating the Holiday Season

Nancy Baer took some great photos on Tuesday evening, December 11th, at Necce's Ristorante in Park Rapids where the Long Lake Ladies Luncheon group held their annual Christmas party.  The guests shared wine and appetizers during a social hour before dinner, then enjoyed a good meal while listening to live music by singer/guitar player,  Don Holmen.

The Long Lake Ladies Luncheon group is not an official part of the lake Association and it is not necessary to be a member of LLAA to join us for lunch.  We meet informally at various area restaurants once a month, share stories and sometimes exchange books.  To be notified about the upcoming luncheons, simply send your email address to Barb Roberts (brobertsmn@gmail.com.)  The ladies luncheons are mainly for the women of Long Lake to get to know each other and the annual Christmas party was established to bring husbands, significant others or guests along for a special dinner gathering.

Some phones and tablets do not support Flash.  This is a link to the photos in this slideshow for those without Flash:  LongLakeLiving.org_Picasa Web Album_Holiday Party 2012

Swans

In the past few weeks we've seen (and heard) huge numbers of geese congregating on the lake, with smaller numbers of ducks and swans mingling with the group.  Periodically throughout the day they would disappear for awhile, to places unknown, to eat.  Sharon Natzel captured this photo of swans dining in a harvested corn field by County Road 20.  The ones with the darker necks are the juveniles.  A cold snap has capped the lake in it's cover of winter ice - at least in the area we observe - and so it appears that they moved on yesterday (supposedly South) until next spring.

Swans in field by Sharon Naztel

Fickle Weather

December Ice Melt by Barb Roberts

At noon today (12/3/12) Barb Roberts sent us this photo to post, along with this observation:  "Our bay at the north end was all ice and now it's going out.  I took a picture this morning.  Not often do we see ice going out in December, but with 45 degree temperature I guess it should be expected!  The snow is all gone too!  Tomorrow will be a different story with highs in the 20's.  I see now it's raining!"

Watercraft Inspections 2012

Here are some highlights from the Hubbard SWCD statistics for the Long Lake AIS Watercraft Inspection Program at the two primary accesses during the Summer Season of 2012. The total number of boats inspected was 1310 representing 19 different states.  These inspections are really meant to be training opportunities for boaters.  We touched over 1300 boaters and trained them on best practices to prevent the spread of AIS.  For example, the individuals were coached to use a sponge where water in the boat was evident and then to later bleach the sponge.  This will prevent zebra mussel veligers in standing water from entering the lake.  Hopefully, the educational inspection process helped these boaters and their guests to understand even better the MN Aquatic Invasive Species Laws and why they are so important for our healthy Long Lake.  

Long - North Access:

• Vehicles from 9 different States used the Long - North access
• For the notation "Check Drain Plug, Water in Boat = Yes", there were 3 MN on Exit and 2 MN on Enter
• For the notation "Drain Plug Out When Arrived = No", there were 2 MN
• 517 boats on Long N in total were examined in 461 hours.  17 had attached vegetation:  7 on Entering (non-AIS) and 10 on Exiting

Long - South Access:

• Vehicles from 19 different States used the Long - South access
• For the notation "Check Drain Plug, Water in Boat = Yes", there were 3 MN on Exit and 5 MN, 1 AZ, 1 IL on Enter
• For the notation "Drain Plug Out When Arrived = No", there were 18 MN, 1 WI, 1 IL
• 793 boats on Long S in total were examined in 477 hours.  8 had attached vegetation:  2 on Entering (non-AIS) and 6 on Exiting

Submitted by LLAA President, Jeff Bjorkman and LLAA Secretary, Sharon Natzel