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Fact Sheets

Herbicides

Algal Blooms

Algae and Foam

Invasive Plants

Mechanical Harvesting

PFAS

Plant  (weed) Control

Road Salt

Wake Boats

Lake Depth

          Austin Lake Scans 2019

          Lake Depth 1979

Fish Stocking of the Lake

Michigan DNR Fish Stocking Database

Lakeside Construction

        Guide to Residential Lakefront Construction

How to make an existing seawall lake friendly

Lake property owner Miko Dargitz did a little research on how to make an existing  seawall more lake friendly.

       Softening Hard Seawalls

       Natural Shoreline Partnership article (see bottom of article)

Purple Loosestrife

In 2001, the City of Portage Environmental Advisory Board initiated a Purple Loosestrife Management Program to control the spread of this invasive non-native plant species.

The Environmental Advisory Board, in conjunction with MSU Extension Service, introduced a natural biological control into areas already infected with Purple Loosestrife -- a specific beetle species that feeds only on Purple Loosestrife plants.

In 2001 and 2002, beetles were released on the fringes of Mandigo Marsh and the shore of Lakeview Park. In 2003, the Environmental Advisory Board met with lake association representatives in a cooperative program to initiate purple loosestrife control in heavily infested areas of West, Gourdneck, Long and Austin Lake as well as Sugarloaf Drain.

Since 2001, with the exception of 2009, these beetles have been released in areas of Austin Lake (with two releases during 2016).

The Austin Lake representatives would like to hear from those lake residents with infestations of loosestrife plants who would permit an implanting of leaf-eating beetle plants. If you can help, please contact:

                                Tim Winslow TimWinslow77@gmail.com

Lakeside Lawn Fertilizer should be phosphorus free!

There are three major nutrients in a fertilizer:

• nitrogen, which makes grass plants grow and become greener

• phosphorus, which stimulates root and seedling development

• potassium, which promotes disease and drought resistance

The analysis of the contents of a bag of fertilizer is printed on the front of every bag, and shown as:

    29                  3                  15

NITROGEN PHOSPHOROUS POTASSIUM

The analysis of fertilizer doesn’t tell a user anything how it willperform. Two fertilizers with the same analysis can producedramatically different results – depending upon numerous factors, suchas application rate, amount of watering, fertilizer coating, etc.

A fertilizer for LAKESIDE LAWNS will have NO phosphorous in it, and the analysis will look like this:

     30                 0                  15

NITROGEN PHOSPHOROUS POTASSIUM

Where to obtain lakeside fertilizer:

Romence Garden

323-8310

30-0-15 50# bag covers 10,000 sq. ft.

Wedels Garden Center

345-1195

28-0-12 fertilizer 20# bag covers 5,000 sq. ft.

Farm N Garden

381-0596

30-0-15 fertilizer 50# bag covers 15,000 sq. ft.

15-0-15 fertilizer 50# bag w/crabgrass preventer covers 10,000 sq. ft.

Protecting the Lakeside Environment

• Avoid applying pesticides and herbicides at lakeside

• Use phosphorous-tree fertilizer on lake or streamside lawns

• Avoid weed and feed killers

• Don't blow or rake leaves into a lake or stream. This adds unneeded nutrients to the water.

• Pick up shoreline litter

• Fuel watercraft engines carefully, avoiding spills

• Do not drain pools or spas into streams or lakes

• Direct drain pipes and rainwater runoff away from the lake

• Plant steep banks with natural vegetation; terrace banks to prevent erosion and trapwater

• Prevent runoff into streams or lakes with natural landscape plantings in a buffer area or greenbelt