More rain--more crap

[Guest]

Yesterday's almost continuous downpour has further tested the limits of the Clearwater River Watershed District. Water level at my place rose over 6 inches. However, the water quality is obviously imperiled. One thing I hope we've learned with this year's high water is that we MUST clean up the watershed district if these lakes are to have a future.

[fishfearme]

Clayton, is the lake still muddy? Is the lake still very high? Any no wake restrictions? Thanks for any info.

[Guest]

The lake is higher today than I've ever seen it, and I'm not sure it has yet crested, given the increase from yesterday to today.

I have kept off the water almost entirely, but lots of folks blast around to look at shoreline without concern for erosion. There is a voluntary no wake "rule" in effect, but seems to have no impact. I guess the "gate" at Pleasant Lake's outlet was opened a bit wider because of property owners' complaints there. Cedar, too, is flowing pretty heavily into Clearwater -- and, of course there is the whole chain of lakes upstream on the river. Water quality is very poor -- plenty of materials for biologists and chemists to examine, including (I'll bet) a good dose of e coli.

Obviously the lake is there to be fished, but I hope folks will give it a break and try another lake for the time being.

[Guest]

Clearwater chain still exceptionally high -- here it is August 23 and water levels exceed what we normally get with spring run off.

Voluntary no wake has been requested -- Yet, there's still skiing, tubing, and high speed powerboating. Let's try to give the ecosystem a break. On this, nature needs some help.

[tjz123]

The water levels on lakes Louisa and Marie are also still above normal.There is a huge algae bloom which is probably being caused by run-off. It would be nice if lakeshore owners would realize that lawn fertilization is not necessary. Yes, their lawns look greener but so does the lake. Guess they would rather go mow the lawn more often than spend their time fishing.....

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[Guest]

It's unbelieveable that this is Labor Day weekend and we have the highest water level of the year on the Clearwater chain. Last week's rain didn't help.

It does not help, either, to have boaters throwing wakes on shore. The offenders include all types from I/O powerboats to fishing boats to pontoon ooglers. No wake signs are ignored.

[jighed]

stop your whinning maybe its time to move off the lake if you own lake property thats the chance you take

[Navigator]

I don't think Clayton is whining, just pointing out the obvious. Clearwater lake, like other Annandale area lakes, is very high and this high water is causing problems not just for lakeshore owners, but for the water quality of the lake due to errosion. My statement is common sense and if you don't believe me check out the water quality of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers at flood stage!! Clearwater lake has a sizable river running through it and I don't have to tell you about how nasty looking it is right now.

Also, I am a local guide and I haven't fished Clearwater lake in the last month because of the high water, which really pains me to do so because it is a wonderful fishery. Here's hoping to a dry fall!! BUT, until then I will fish the Mississippi river, which by the way it on a TEAR right now anyways. I wanted to end this post on a positive note. Nav.
www.naviguides.com

[Guest]

Whine? Yes, I guess I'll whine. I'll speak up whenever and whereever I see stupid people damage the resource. The fact they break the law is incidental, I suppose.

Move? No, I'm currently the temporary holder of a piece of lakeshore, just one person in a chain of folks responsible for the integrity of that land (not "my" land). Move? That's a cowardly solution similar to the "love it or leave it" mentality. I prefer to try to improve it. If that means annoying offenders, so be it.

My obligation is to seek to leave my piece of lakeshore better than I got it, and to help the entire 160 square mile watershed be more ecologically sound than when I moved here. That may require considerable whining.

[JoJo]

Well Clayton, how bad is it today? Looks like you got hit hard again.

I'm starting to feel like I have webbed feet. We're fishing Koronis tomorrow and I'm not looking forward to it now.

I heard 6 inches in your area. Clearwater just can't take any more.

Jo

[Guest]

I'm concerned now that we might find ourselves facing an ice fishing danger. The water is so high I doubt it can approach a lower, normal level before it freezes over. Consequently, we're likely to have a lowering water level thru the river system UNDER the ice -- creating hazardous ice conditions.

As for now, most angler in this area that I know are giving the system a rest. I haven't been on Clearwater since July 4, and did so then only because my twin grandkids from Pennsylvania (8 yr olds) needed to catch some fish.

This year, for me at least, has literally been a wash out. Thank goodness my house, boat house and garage are high and back from the shore, so I'm not facing damage to buildings that many others are--however, we still get the cruising eye-ballers who throw boat wakes up the shoreline and over neighbors yards, washing more crap and debris into the system.

Another mystery -- Pleasant, Sylvia, Maple, Granite, Cedar, etc., have been posted "no wake" by Wright County Sheriff, but not Clearwater. Our bay is a no wake area every year, but that seems to make little difference to many idiot boaters.

I also wonder what the high water did to our treatment program this spring to eradicate Eurasian milfoil. High water came very soon after the chemicals were applied.

[Fisher Dave]

Clayton,

If it makes you feel any better I have not been fishing clearwater because of the water levels. I can understand and respect that you dont want your yard torn apart by boat wakes. Its a great lake but there are others to fish.

As for the milfoil treatment I'm not a biologist and couldnt tell you what effect the water will have on the treament process used ... but I gaurantee all the Chemlawn® washing into the lake is feeding the algea and the milfoil alike. The treated area may drop, but untreated areas are going to flourish (sp?).

I hope the water drops so everyone is happy. Time will tell.

[Guest]

Fisher Dave --
I have never fertilized my lawn, and it is not my yard I am concerned about. I don't know how you read my posts to conclude that.

I have said earlier and say now that I am only a temporary caretaker of what is "my property." It was under someone else's care before I got it and will go to others after I'm gone. I want it better for the future than it is now.

High water coupled with high powered travel causes trouble for the whole system. It washes chemicals into the system, and also unknown contaminants from such things as feed lots, destroyed wetland, vast parking lots covered with auto drippings, roads, farms treated with herbicides and pesticides, and the list goes on.

For my part, I've been planting Norway pine, maples, mountain ash, burning bushes, lilac bushes, yews, blue spruce, aborvitae, and a bunch of other plants since we moved to my present home in 1998. I wish others would do similar plantings--especially close to the shore. The previous owner put in a sand beach that I'm in the process of returning to normal shoreline for my part of the lake.

Remember the old saying -- if you want a green lawn, then you'll have to put up with a green lake.

All Minnesota (and US natural bodies of water) should be nurtured and restored. We can't afford otherwise. To run open throttle from one fishing spot to another while the lake is at it's present level is a form of selfishness that makes me sick.

And not because of "my yard."

[hydro]

My sympathy goes out to you all as I have been there before. I am no longer a resident on Clearwater, but I was in 1983 when the Clearwater river watershed got over 20" of rain in a week, the lake flooded, the cattail bogs floated free, and plugged the outlet by the old bridge near Grass lake. Lake levels were at least 6' above normal for an extended period.

I havn't been to Clearwater since May and don't know how high the water is now, but in '83 we had water in two of our cabins, and I could drive a boat through our yard and across the point to the other side of the lake. The cattail plug kept the lake high most of the summer and it caused tremendous property damage.

During and after that summer, fishing paterns and spots changed permanently. Some better and some for the worse. Fact is, nothing ever stays the same in nature and we just have to adapt. Those of you who own property on the lake should not worry about the milfoil, since the well meaning "eradication" efforts have always been about as effective as swatting mosquitos outside at night. If you don't get them all they just keep on reproducing. This high muddy water, however, should have a negative effect on the milfoil since light penetration will be less where the plant is established.

So much for the "Chaos" theory on global warming. Good luck to all and I hope we have a more stable Fall.

Hydro

[Guest]

Clayton -
I like yer style, man. We're not the only species on this planet - we just act like we are. I took the family out on Buffalo in say...early September, and I remember the lake was practically fluorescent!!, and it smelled like sewage. I'm a bit of an extremist perhaps - I think lawns suck. I've hiked over, up, under and into lots of different terrain, and I've never seen a naturally occurring species of grass that looks like a lawn. I'm a loud-mouthed advocate of xeroscaping and will tell anyone who asks that lawns suck. Good for golf. That's about all. Lawns seem to be an advertisement for land or property - nice lawn = nice house= more $ . Lawns suck.
DISCLAIMER: This is America - beautiful, free, strong and free again - anyone who owns a piece of property should be able to do with it as they please - as long as it doesn't step on anyone else's rights, and is legal. I am proud of and ready to defend that right for all citizens of my nation.

??Does the lake have a right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness??
??Do the outdoor fee payers also have a right to the same thing on publically accessed waters??

Lawns suck.

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RobertC