Uncategorized

A highlight of the 2024 GLQO Annual Meeting was a presentation by Erica Bays, from Michigan Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy on the work they are doing to monitor PFAS levels around Gull Lake. She provided a number of very detailed maps and charts that demonstrated where PFAS levels are above detection limits in and around the area to the south and east of Gull Lake; most of this associated with contamination from the plastics plant.  The source of PFAS contamination in the Idlewild neighborhood is not clear but given the…continue reading →

Some folks have recently been asking about any rules/laws/ordinances around excessive noise on our lakes. Ross Township Supervisor Christina Hutchings recently shared with the GLQO the updated Ross Township Anti-Noise Ordinance, which was updated and put into effect last month. Of particular note: With respect to on-the-water activities Section II(B) mentions (note: these are paraphrased - see the Ordinance itself for the complete list and exact wording): In general: "...unreasonable or unnecessarily loud noise or disturbance, injurious ot the health, peace or quiet of hte residents and property owners of the Township. Playing…continue reading →

The Gull Lake Quality Organization (GLQO) is thrilled to announce our upcoming "Natural Shoreline Workshop," a Lunch & Learn event scheduled for July 11, 2024. This workshop, prompted by popular demand from our members, aims to delve deeper into shoreline landscaping options—building on the knowledge shared by our speakers at the 2023 and 2022 Fall Fling events. The workshop will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Kellogg Biological Station's Carriage House. This comprehensive program is designed for lakefront property owners who are interested in enhancing their shoreline while preserving…continue reading →

On 10 April, the Federal Government, for the first time, set limits on PFAS for drinking water: - 4 parts per trillion for PFAS and PFOS - 10 parts per trillion for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA These limits apply to public drinking water systems, and will be phased in, with monitoring capabilities to be put in place by 2027, and compliance being required by 2029. Key points to note: - Private water sources, such as private wells, are not required to meet these standards - While these limits are stricter than the State…continue reading →

A reminder! If you renew or join the GLQO for 2024 by the end of this month (February), you can receive a discounted subscription to the Michigan Riparian ($14 vs. $25 for regular membership). Hurry, only 13 days left!!The membership renewal form can be found here, and you can also join online here. Dues and donations from GLQO members help us continue our work to protect the waters of Gull Lake and the surrounding watershed .. Keeping it Clean is our motto!continue reading →

After previewing a draft of the report last Fall, the Michigan DNR Fisheries Division has just published its final report on Wake Boats, and it's even more comprehensive in this final form. The basic recommendations of the report are as follows: Boats operating in wake-surfing mode or wake-boarding mode, during which boat speed, wave shapers, and/or ballast are used to increase wave height, are recommended to operate at least 500 feet from docks or the shoreline, regardless of water depth. Boats operating in wake-surfing or wake-boarding modes are recommended to operate in water…continue reading →

Important news for Gull Lake anglers. Newly released guidelines from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recommend limiting the consumption of smelt from Gull Lake to 2 serving per month. The new smelt guidelines are based on elevated levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) found in rainbow smelt from Gull (and 5 other Michigan lakes). PFOS is in the family of chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These long-lived chemicals can build up in fish and in the people who eat these fish. The new Michigan Eat Safe Fish…continue reading →

By Gary Mittelbach A recent article in MLive shows just how much it can cost to control invasive plants once they invade and take hold in a lake https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/2023/03/portage-readies-to-begin-five-year-effort-to-clear-austin-lake-of-invasive-plants.html . Residents of Austin Lake in Portage (MI) are going to spend $117,445 in 2023 and up to $450,000 over the next five years in efforts to reduce the abundance of invasive plant species (including Eurasian Milfoil and Starry Stonewort) and other nuisance weeds in their lake. The volunteer organization the Austin Lake Riparians worked with the Portage City Council to form a special lake…continue reading →

Thanks to GLQO Secretary Gary Mittelbach, we are putting our meeting minutes online for members and the public. You can go directly to the page that contains the links to recent minutes, or access it via our Resources for Lake Lovers Page.continue reading →

There was a great turnout for the GLQO Annual Meeting at the Kellogg Manor House at the Kellogg Biological Station on Tuesday, June 13.  It was a fun and informative meeting! A highlight was presentations by Brandon Armstrong and Geoff Rhodes from Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy about the work they are doing monitoring PFAS (and other chemicals) in surface waters and fish.  They included specific information about Gull Lake and answered questions from those attending. Please note that they are happy to answer additional questions; their contact information is…continue reading →