OFFICERS

President Diane Patrick

Secretary/ Treasurer

John Hotchkiss

First Vice President Sherri Young

Second

Vice President Dave Robertson

ADMINISTRATION

Board Secretary Esther Engle

Manager Mark Engle

DIRECTORS

Mary Baker

Avis Birkmeier

Virginia Calven

Rae Ann Cononi

Patricia Frazier

Alice Goldfarb

Sheelagh Knapp

Sarah Reilly

Robert Smith

We Have Winter !

Les Cheneaux is alive and well as we enjoy the beauty and benefits of winter weather. Here are the highlights of the season to help keep the membership informed on what’s happening in our be-loved Les Cheneaux!

WEEDS, WATER LEVELS and RECYCLING continue to be the dominate issues in 2013. These concerns are NOT on the backburner but on the foreground and have the attention of many, many ded-icated and concerned citizens working together to find and propose solutions to these issues. A major portion of this newsletter is dedicated to providing accurate and in-

formative updates by those involved. Please take the time to read them, be in-formed and when the time comes, take action. A huge THANK YOU to EVERYONE dedicated to spending end-less hours working toward solutions!

SNOWSFEST 2013 Our Chamber of Commerce once again outdid themselves and provided a great winter carnival week-end complete with snow sculptures, sleigh rides, kids games, snowmo-bile races, ice golf, a Frosty 5/10K Run, a pub crawl, pok-er run, and even added a new event of a nighttime Lantern Lighting. It was wonderful to see many summer residents

return back home for the festivities as the young and young at heart all enjoyed winter in the Les Cheneaux Islands.

UPCOMING WINTER EVENTS include a Perch and Pike Ice Fishing Derby held March 2-3, the Cabin Fever Reliever Auction, a combination so-cial event/fundraiser with a live and silent auction, spon-sored by the Lion’s Club on March 2, and the “BLIZZARD VINTAGE SNOWMOBILE RAC-ES” rescheduled for March 16 (weather permitting). Mark your calendar and join in. The more and merrier!

Hoping everyone is enjoying their winter season, wherever they may be, as the count-down to spring is only 28 days away and the return to Les Cheneaux is right around

President’s Letter Diane Patrick

1158 S. Park Ave., Cedarville, MI 49719 ~ lcia@lescheneaux.com ~ http://www.islandsassoc.org ~ 906-484-2558

Les Cheneaux Islands Association Winter Newsletter

Weather—Ice Report So far the winter weather in the Les Cheneaux area has been a series of very cold periods fol-lowed by quick warm ups. The result of these changing conditions results in a sloppy mess that re-freezes making icy, slippery roads and heavy snow cover. We have seen nearly –20 on the low side and +45 on the high side! Mother Nature must be confused by global warming talk, then hearing how we are headed for a return to an ice age! Speaking of ice, with all the topsy turvy weather, ice conditions have varied greatly since freeze up. We do currently have thick ice on protected bays. There are dangerous places, however, around points, areas with current, and pressure cracks sometimes hidden under snow. If you plan any travel on ice, be cautious and make sure your route is safe! In some areas, shallow wa-ter underneath, and weeds frozen in the ice make it very unsafe. LCIA Inspections A series of break-ins resulting in property theft occurred in November. A LCIA inspector discov-ered a break-in, made a report, local police responded and solved the crime with the culprits quickly apprehended. Police are patrolling nightly making their presence known. Inspectors have taken advantage of cold weather and good ice to get to all outlying properties recently. Sometimes due to unsafe ice, inspecting can be a tedious chore. Our inspectors are dedicated, traveling by snowmobile, on foot, on snowshoes, whatever it takes. Heavy snow and ice and wind have taken down many trees/branches.. Most dangerous or dam-

Manager’s Report Mark Engle

aging incidents have been noticed and reported. Recycling Update On Dec. 26, 2012, the Clark Twp. Recycling contract with Smith Sanitation expired and was not renewed. Smith Sanitation cited mis-use of the recycle trailers (used at times to dump garbage), fuel and driver expense, poor trailer condition, and difficulty unloading at the Chippewa County recycle site in Sault Ste. Ma-rie. A committee has been appointed by the Clark Twp. Supervisor. The committee has been meeting regularly in an effort to re-establish a recycle program in Clark Twp. The situation now requires those wishing to recycle to haul their own recyclables

to Sault Ste. Marie. Fish & Game Report Some good ice-fishing has been taking place in Hessel Bay, Musky Bay, Government Bay and some places in between. Perch and pike are being caught, and many fishermen report a good population of small fish can be seen through the ice. The Cedarville/Hessel area is a winter home to many deer. When driving on icy roads, you really have to be on the look-out! Wolf and coyote sightings are common during the winter months. Close encounters with four legged predators have hap-pened to many!

Three topics of significant islander interest are covered in this report. A brochure addressing all these topics will be published by month end. Report authors are: Bob Dunn (Cedarville Harbor), Ed Rusk and Bob Dunn (Lake Level) and Bob Smith ( Milfoil). The Cedarville Harbor and Lake Level projects are sponsored by the Les Cheneaux Island Waterways Restoration Committee, a subcom-mittee of the Watershed Council. The Milfoil Task Force is also a subcommittee of the Watershed Council. CEDARVILLE HARBOR --- Michigan Waterways has extended the timeline to raise matching grant funds for the Cedarville Har-bor dockage improvements until October 2015, one additional year. LAKE LEVEL--- As with previous reports, this one contains both good news and no-so-good news concerning our water level. The not-so-good news is that Lakes Huron and Michigan have dropped to record low levels with no short term relief in sight, unless precipitation significantly increases in the upcoming months. We all need to plan for a summer season of low water which will pro-vide many challenges for boaters and cottage owners. Contractors providing dredging services and dock building will be extremely busy this year and many have already booked these activities. Also, in the not-so-good news category is the fact that the International Joint Commission (IJC) is expected to formally announce their recommendations based on the Upper Greats Lakes Study. We anticipate the IJC will recommend an “Adaptive Strategy”. In short, this recommendation is that we all “adapt” to low lake levels and the IJC offers no specific strategy for dealing with the excess water flowing down the St. Clair River. While drought-like conditions in the Great Lakes Basin have been a major factor in the low water situation, we also know that excess water flowing out of Lake Huron, as a result of over-dredging, is a significant contributor. It will be a pleasant surprise if the IJC immediately recommends moving forward to restore the Great Lakes to 1960s pre-dredge lev-els There is good news to report. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Detroit District has concluded that it is authorized to place compensating structures in the St. Clair River. Although a positive for this issue, the Detroit District position still requires affir-mation at the Washington, D.C. headquarters. This authorization stems from the 1970’s when it was concluded that over-dredging justified the installation of compensating structures in the river. This work was never completed due to a climatic based rise in the water levels during that time. There is no current funding within the Corps plans, but having the authorization in place eliminates one hurdle and may allow the project to move through the governmental process at a faster rate. There is much work to be done before the structures become a funded project, which means more years of low water unless climate conditions improve. Also, on the positive news front, a not-for-profit organization name R.O.W. International (Restore Our Water) has been formed. This organization consists of a number of groups throughout the mid West and Canada, all working on the same objective to reduce the excess flow of the St. Clair River. The Les Cheneaux Waterways Restoration Committee has joined the R.O.W. Intl. coalition and has board representation. We now have a structure that will result in a unified effort among all the interested parties. Lastly, in the good news column, the current crisis condition (low water) has gained the attention of governmental officials, news organizations and citizens throughout the U.S. and Canada. To date, 2013 is proving to be a year of much discussion, debate and communication. Our low water level is no longer a back page story and we are hopeful this awareness, along with all the good work, will result in positive action. EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW---Readers who boated Les Cheneaux last summer are well aware of the explosive growth of a highly aggressive aquatic nuisance weed: Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), or milfoil hereafter. Our Watershed Council Task Force has developed a five-year milfoil management program that will begin early this sum-mer. Milfoil management is a long term process: Think twenty years.

Manager’s Report Continued

DOCKS ~ WATER ~ WEEDS

From Bob Smith, Ed Rusk & Bob Dunn

The program has three immediate objectives: 1) Stop milfoil spread. 2) Destroy major growth areas 3) Monitor for new growth patches and eliminate them. Detailed public presentations explaining our milfoil management program are scheduled and dates are listed at the end of this article. Control measures using milfoil-eating weevils and a mechanical harvester were able to keep moderate infestations in check. With the recent growth surge, however, weevils were overwhelmed and the use of a mechanical harvester for such a large area is impract ical. Aerial surveys from 2012 show substantial milfoil beds cover at least 1500 acres within the islands. Our Watershed Council Task Force met in November with representatives of the DEQ aquatic invasive species experts, DNR Fisher-ies, Corps of Engineers and two lake management companies prior to planning a milfoil control program. The present milfoil man-agement plan was developed based upon those discussions and after reviewing methods used by dozens of lake management associa-tions from the East Coast to the West Coast. The Watershed Council approach will be to treat the heavy milfoil infestations using safe, effective herbicides at low doses that af-fect only the milfoil. These herbicides have been used safely for decades for this exact purpose and are approved for aquatic use by the EPA and the State of Michigan. Re-growth or new growth of milfoil will be monitored and will be controlled using alternate control methods such as the milfoil-control fungus, weevils, mechanical or low dose herbicides. Conducting a milfoil treatment campaign plus evaluating alternate control methods taxes our small Watershed Council. In order to manage herbicide treatment as well as perform high quality evaluations of alternate control methods a second entity, Les Cheneaux Pure Water ( LCPW or Pure Water) was formed. The Watershed Council and Pure Water will work in tandem toward the objective of milfoil control and management. Pure Water will concentrate on application of herbicides and the Council will concentrate on developing effective alternate control methods for use in areas of moderate or new milfoil infestations. Pure Water will also be heav-ily involved with fund raising as well as addressing legal and contract issues. Program Communication to the Community.

Multiple presentations of the milfoil management program to the community are planned. The first two have been held in February with the Community Foundation and with the Clark Township Board. Meetings are scheduled for the Community Center on Sunday afternoon, 26 May, and for Thursday evening, 11 Jul.

For details of the milfoil management program and for actions property owners can take to help with milfoil control in their riparian area, please check: www.lescheneauxwatershed.org

Les Cheneaux Watershed Council

FROG FEST 2013

With all this gorgeous snow, which we didn't have last year, it’s hard to believe that in 5 months we will have great summer weather. The Watershed Frog Fest is scheduled for Saturday July 13 in front of Autore's. Some changes have been made for this year, but an exciting day is planned, with exhibits, games, reptiles, food, and a Walk/Run early in the day. Come learn the latest on WEED CONTROL, WATER RESTORATION, AND HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS! Lots of resources will be available.

If any of you would like to help or volunteer with the day please feel free to contact Mary Baker bbaker@lighthouse.net. Thank you.

Looking forward to a great summer and all of our friends returning.

Membership Dues Increase From John Hotchkiss, Secretary/Treasurer

The LCIA Board was informed last fall that a membership dues increase request was likely. It was noted that for the first time in years, expenses for the 2012-13 fiscal year were predicted to exceed revenues. The LCIA operates on an annual budget of approximately $50,000. More than half of that money goes to personnel costs, including all property inspections. The rest of the money goes to support projects and activities involving wa-ter safety and environmental issues. Due to generous dona-tions from our members, the association has been able to build up cash reserves of over $40,000. These additional monies have allowed us to maintain and continually improve our buoy system and be able to support various projects directed at im-proving the quality of life in the Les Cheneaux Islands. Having adequate cash reserves enables the association to partner with other agencies in facing some of the environmental challenges in the future. On July 1, 2006 dues were increased from $70 to $80, so it has been several years since we have increased mem-bership dues. The increase will most likely be about $10 per family and will be voted upon by the board in June.

1158 S. Park Avenue

Cedarville, MI 49719

WINTER NEWSLETTER

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Information on . . .

Lake Huron Water Level

Invasive Weeds

Les Cheneaux Events

The LCIA is planning to have a “ Blessing of the Fleet “ event on Sunday, June 30,

2013 at the Cedarville Marine dockage area. Cedarville Marine has been kind

enough to allow LCIA to use this area from approximately 12 noon until 4 PM.

We visualize this as a festival affair with a “Special Blessing” of the fishermen and recreational boaters. We

are living in one of the most beautiful creations on this earth and the “Blessing” should serve as a reminder of

safety and kindness to one another. We hope to have many colorfully decorated boats participate in a boat

parade followed by refreshments and fun at the township park downtown. Awards will be presented for the

best decorated boats. Additional information and updates will follow. Please check the newsletters, LCIA /

LCYC , local postings at the Cedar Pantry/Cedarville Foods and the newspaper.

We will be looking for many volunteers from local and seasonal residents. Your support will make this a very

special festival for the Les Cheneaux Islands area.

New LCIA Sponsored Event !!

Blessing of the Fleet

From Pattie Frazier, Event Chairperson