The Lake Association is dedicated to help preserve the natural resources of Lee Lake so our lake community can continue to enjoy the natural beauty of Lee Lake for generations to come.
Our Mission Statement
The Lee Lake Association is a group of volunteers that pledges to work together to protect and enhance the quality of the water, the aquatic environment, the fishery and the wildlife of Lee Lake and its surrounding watershed. We are committed to preserving the health of our lake for present and future generations.
We pledge to keep our neighbors informed of developments that will impact our lake community. To promote activities within our lake community that will offer the opportunity for all neighbors to get involved.
RLS has completed the lake management plan needed for creating a Township PA Act 188. Please take the time to download and read the management plan. This will be discussed at the regular March Lake Association meeting.
The lake association has had three companies assess the aquatic vegetation in the lake. The surveys were done in 2010, 2011, 2013, and the current 2016 survey. Please click on the links below to view and compare the survey results.
2010 Survey Results
2011 Survey Results
2013 Survey Results
2016 Survey Results
MichiganLakeInfo.com was created as a resource for those interested in Michigan’s inland lakes. The site provides information about issues and initiatives affecting Michigan lakes. On this site you can find information on:
Lake Water Quality
Watershed Management
Aquatic Plants
Lake Levels
Lake Improvement Boards and more...
Much of this information can be readily downloaded. Please visit and remember to check periodically for new postings. All content courtesy of MichiganLakeInfo.com
There are many things lake residents and boaters alike can do to help preserve our natural resources. Some steps are really simple while other may take a little planning. Educating ourselves how we can help is the key.
1. Don’t use lawn fertilizer that contains phosphorus. If you use a professional lawn care service, insist upon a fertilizer that does not contain phosphorus.
2. Use the minimum amount of fertilizer recommended on the label — more is not necessarily better!
3. Water the lawn sparingly to avoid washing nutrients and sediments into the lake.
4. Don’t feed ducks and geese near the lake. Waterfowl droppings are high in nutrients and may cause swimmer’s itch.
5. Don’t burn leaves and grass clippings near the shoreline. Nutrients concentrate in the ash and can easily wash into the lake.
6. Don’t mow to the water’s edge. Instead, allow a strip of natural vegetation (i.e., a greenbelt) to become established along your waterfront. (www.shoreline.msu.edu) A greenbelt will trap pollutants and discourage nuisance geese from frequenting your property.
7. Where possible, promote infiltration of stormwater into the ground. Build a rain garden to capture runoff from driveways and downspouts. (www.raingardens.org)
8. Don’t dump anything in area wetlands. Wetlands are natural purifiers.
9 If you have a septic system, have your septic tank pumped every 2 to 3 years.
10. Don’t be complacent — your collective actions will make or break the lake!
Content courtesy of MichiganLakeInfo.com
Early detection of and rapid response to invasive species is a major objective of the BCK CISMA. The BCK CISMA has also received funding to hire a "Strike Team" to begin surveys and respond to populations of high priority invasive species.
Christina Laugher a Invasive Species Biologist from Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Jim O’Brien the Park Manager MDNR - Parks and Recreation Division attended the last lake association meeting. Christina and Jim gave a presentation on invasive weeds. If you missed the meeting you can view a PDF version or watch the video below.
Invasive Weeds PDFInvasive Weeds PDFMichigan's Invasive Species Program has developed a new comprehensive website providing information about existing and potential invasive species threatening our natural resources. The website, a collaborative effort of the Michigan Departments of Natural Resources, Environmental Quality, and Agriculture & Rural Development, includes a catalog containing identifying photos and reporting information. Please click the link below to view the website.
Michigan's Invasive Species WebsiteThe Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative was established to facilitate communication among stakeholders across the region and serve as a resource center for information on Phragmites biology, management, and research. As Phragmites research progresses we continue to update the website and provide new resources. We invite you to participate in the Collaborative by joining webinars, reading and commenting on blog posts, joining our listserv or contacting us. Please click the link below more about Phragmites.
Great Lakes PhragmitesPresented by Lynn Short of Humber College. In this webinar Lynn describes manual treatment tactics for Phragmites and shares ‘the spading method’ as the most effective. She describes the design and preliminary results of a study to objectively evaluate the effectiveness of this method.
Video WebinarGuest speaker: Dr. Brian Sorrell of Aarhus University. This webinar focuses on the special adaptations that allow Phragmites survival in deep water, and how it responds to changes in water level. For Phragmites, staying alive means staying in contact with the air, with shoots acting as snorkels to transport oxygen down to the underground rhizomes. More frequent floods and fluctuations in water level are expected with climate change, so how will Phragmites cope with these changes? The speaker will explain the special, highly efficient gas transport in Phragmites stems and how recent discoveries about its gas transport are providing insight to its ability to survive different water regimes and water depths. Use the links below to view either the video webinar or open the webinar in PDF form.
Video WebinarPDF WebinarNon-native invasive Phragmites affect waterfront owner property values and related local ecosystems. Posted on November 9, 2015 by Beth Clawson, Michigan State University Extension and Emily Cord Duthinh, Michigan Lake and Stream Leaders Institute.
Invasive plants harm property values and ecosystems by damaging infrastructure and limiting access to water and recreation. A few invasive plants in particular have an extensive root system and multiplying rhizomes which can damage buildings, roads, and other structures as they spread. Roots and rhizomes have been known to grow through asphalt in roads and damage wooden structures such as docks, boardwalks, and safety paths.
The first photo shows Phragmites growing through and damaging asphalt on the side of a road as it spreads from the nearby ditch. This requires constant cutting and costly patching of broken up roadways increasing the cost of road maintenance. Invasive plants can affect your ability to enjoy natural areas, parks, campgrounds and the like, reducing the value of your enjoyment of those locations. Phragmites spread is growing through and damaging a wooden safety path in a local park in the second photo. This hinders walkability and discourages repeat visits from tourists.
Aquatic invasive species plant incursions limit access to water and recreation. Buyers pay a premium for lakefront homes because these properties have beautiful views and offer access to water for swimming, boating, fishing, and other recreation. When invasive plants grow in the water or on the beach, they hinder recreation activities, block views, obstruct lake access, and damage walkways, landscaping and docks. Ultimately creating costly fixes and, if left unmanaged, potentially lowering the property values.
Before and after photos of a boat house on a canal access on Lake Sinclair. On Deer Lake, before treatment, the Phragmites infestation obscured not only the desired views of the lake it also started blocking open access to a boat launch and a public swimming beach. The lakes became inaccessible for recreational uses lowering lakefront property values.
This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu.
LEE LAKE