Serpent Lake Association News
MASWCD/MPCA Community Partnership Awards!
Congratulations to Summer Place residents and the City of Deerwood! They are the recipients of the 2016 MASWCD/MPCA Community Partnership Award for the Summer Place/Deerwood Storm Water Project. The award will be presented at the MASWCD Annual Convention in December. Well done!
Zebra Mussel Inspection
We want to remind lake property owners to carefully inspect docks and boatlifts once they are out of the water. Several recent zebra mussel confirmations have been made because of vigilant lake property owners, lake service providers, and watercraft inspector across the state [not in Serpent Lake]. Minnesota law requires docks and boat lifts to be out of the water for at least 21 days before putting them in another body of water. This requirement is an important tool for preventing the spread of zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species.
Zebra mussels are an invasive [non-native] species that can compete with native species for food and habitat, cut the feet of swimmers, reduce the performance of boat motors, and cause expensive damage to water intake pipes. Less than two percent of Minnesota’s 11,842 lakes are listed as infected with zebra mussels. Along with requiring docks and lifts to be out of the water for 21 days before putting them into another body of water, Minnesota law requires boaters and angler to:
- Clean their watercraft of aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
- Drain all water by removing drain plugs and keeping them out during transport.
- Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.
Some invasive species are small and difficult to see at the access. To further reduce risk of transport, take one or more of the following precautions before moving to another body of water, especially after leaving infested waters:
- Spray with high-pressure water.
- Rinse with very hot water [120 degrees Fahrenheit for at least two minutes or 140 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 10 seconds.
- Dry for at least 5 days
More information is available at www.mndnr.gov/AIS for those who are interested in learning more.
New Directories
New SLA directories were printed in May of this year. These directories list Serpent Lake homeowners, and include listings of people by zone. It is a valuable tool to help learn who your neighbors are around the lake. Directories are provided FREE to SLA members, and were delivered by Zone Leaders to everyone who had paid up their membership by the end of May. If you have not yet received a directory, please join the Serpent Lake Association for 2016-2017. Membership is only $25 and runs from June 1 – May 31 each year. Additional directories are available to members for $5 per copy. If you have any questions, please contact Ellen Uglem [[email protected]].