How the North Lake Protection Association has been combating invasive species and maintaining water quality for decades

Photo: NLPA member, Charlie Taylor, with data collecting gear at North Lake. Photo by Melissa Marcum

By Melissa Marcum

A group of North Lake residents have been working together for years to keep their lake beautiful and eliminate invasive species.

North Lake is located in Washtenaw County with Chelsea, Gregory, and Pinkney being its closest neighboring towns. The lake is approximately 227 square acres and 58 feet deep at the lake’s deepest point. (www.lake-link.com) North Lake offers a diverse fishing experience with its range of fish species, size, and depth. It’s a great spot for anglers looking to catch Black Crappie, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rock Bass, Yellow Perch, and Sunfish. But were you aware that there are around 11 volunteer members of a group that protects and monitors the lake’s well-being?

The heroes of North Lake are a part of the North Lake Protection Association (NLPA). Each neighborhood from North Lake is represented within the group. The representatives would meet with their neighborhood to hear concerns to bring back to the association. A yearly newsletter started some time ago. This group has been around since the 1970s.

According to their website, the NLPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to safeguarding the ecological, recreational, and aesthetic integrity of North Lake. Membership is automatically granted to property owners with lakefront or lakefront access in their land titles, currently incorporating approximately 250 households. NLPA’s goal is to proactively control North Lake’s adverse impacts through testing, diagnosis, and treatment.

Resident Charlie Taylor, a former neuroscientist with a 25-year career looking for new medicines for Parke-Davis and Pfizer, is a very active NLPA member. Taylor explained, ¨NLPA was created to conquer an invasive species issue in North Lake, starting with the Eurasian Milfoil. This plant made it difficult for residents to move their boats in and out of the lake for recreation.”

Taylor and the volunteers harvested the milfoil, but more was needed to get the job done. The group made maps and plotted where the milfoil tended to be most troublesome. He stated that, ¨… it was the shallow parts at the west end of the lake had the most of this invasive plant.¨ After harvesting did not go as planned, Taylor added they used herbicides to help control the milfoil. Another tactic that was tried by the NLPA was placing beetles in problematic areas. The group thought this tactic worked great but more had to be done.

Dan Kruse grew up on North Lake and is a crucial member of the NLPA. Kruse shared that around 2012, the county became involved. Kruse explained that other lakes in the area are also involved with their counties to help keep lakes healthy and clear of unwanted plants. Taylor added that a volunteer donation did not create enough revenue to pay for what was needed. So, a Tax Assessment Zone was formed. That Tax Assessment Zone is still active today.

The tax generated enough money to have county supervisors involved, along with hiring contractors to apply herbicides to North Lake. The treatment happens up to 3 times a year, posting signs around the lake to notify residents.  Taylor explained that most herbicides act as a plant hormone that makes the plant grow too much, and they die. The problem is not 100% solved but it is controlled and much better than it was 25 years ago.                                                                                                                                                                                          Many of the original members of this volunteer group are still a part of it now. Taylor added, ¨The group still maps, plots, and collects data with their gear and gadgets.¨ They do not just work with plants, but water quality.

One device that is used is the Secchi Disk. He handed me the device and explained it. A Secchi Disk is a circular device that is dropped down into the water until there’s a place where you can see it. Once it disappears, you record that depth length. It is a measurement of visibility. This is done weekly by the association. They graph the numbers throughout the summer months. The volunteers also analyze water samples for the levels of chlorophyll and the lake’s temperature. One thing that the NLPA does not monitor is the fish.

Overall, the history of the NLPA showcases a dedicated effort to manage and improve the lake’s quality. The team of Taylor, Kruse, and the other members’ love and dedication to the North Lake Protection Association easily shows. The collaboration between community members, experts, and government bodies highlights the commitment to preserving North Lake’s ecological health. Teamwork does make the dream work at North Lake.

For more information, visit www.northlaker.org.