FISH STICKS AND ICE dec 2014

WATERWORKS by Gordon Prickett  for the 12/3/2014 Aitkin Independent Age

TREES AND LAKES

There are some new terms that lake people are learning with the help of DNR Fisheries.  When a tree on the shoreline falls into the lake it offers a new opportunity. By leaving it in place the fallen tree provides shade and a place where a web of aquatic life can thrive.

This “Woody Habitat” is sometimes called “Woody Debris” or “Fish Sticks.” It becomes a place where a number of fish species are attracted. So the message from fish biologists is let these trees remain in the shallows. Their existing roots will hold the soil in place on shore. And you are building up your fish population. The trees and branches we leave in the water serve as a dock for turtles and kingfishers.

WALKING ON ICE

The early onset of cold weather saw the lakes freezing early. By mid November most of the Aitkin Area lakes were iced over. Without snow cover you could walk out and see the depth of cracks in the ice and look under the surface. When sunlight and temperature changes expanded or contracted the ice cover the lake began booming like a huge kettle drum. The sounds of the lake echoing around and around is one our winter pleasures.

Every year we hear warnings about the necessary thicknesses of ice for walking and skating, for driving ATVs or trucks. I like to wait until I can be certain that ice near shore is solid. With cracks and upwelling and pools of sludge, the idea of “safe ice” can be an oxymoron for snowmobiles after dark.

TITLE - LEARNING AT THE LAKE - A WATERWORKS Column for the Aitkin Independent Age, June 5, 2013. Before settlement a hundred and fifty years ago our lake country was pristine, the pines and hardwoods had not yet been clear cut. Shorelines of the lakes and rivers were natural. Bands of the Dakota and Ojibwe people had lived many years in the region without impacting the wildlife and forests. Today our children are being given an environmental education, and older folks can learn how to make a smaller footprint beside our beautiful waters. On Saturday, June 15th, at Rippleside School in Aitkin, from 9 am to 2 pm, the 17th Annual Aitkin County Rivers and Lakes Fair will be celebrated. We will learn about beaver, the floods of 2012, aquatic life, and bats, to name just some of the topics. Stop by our ACLARA booth for an exhibit about the 20 lake associations that make up our coalition. If you live by a lake without an active association we have outreach workers to lend a hand. When new folks buy lake property or families inherit the cabin in which they have grown up, there is a lot learn about: individual sewage treatment systems, water wells, fire regulations, seasonal road restrictions, limits on impervious surfaces, private road funds for grading and snow plowing, and watercraft and dock regulations. At least four state and county agencies have something to tell you about your life at the lake. A good place to look for answers is our Rivers and Lakes Fair. The many booths in the Rippleside gym will inform you about what is new up here. There are classroom programs and hands-on activities for all ages. FISH STICKS The DNR Fisheries Division wants you to leave the trees that fall into the water at the shoreline. No need to clear away branches or trunks. In fact, these trees enhance the fish habitat along the shore. Shelter and shade provided by this downed timber makes a place where the population can grow. Once again we can regain some of the natural aspect of our lakes.