IMPORTANT LAKE SURVEY INFORMATION
In the week immediately following the Labor Day holiday, Advanced Ecological Management (AEM) will be conducting an aquatic survey of Horsehead and the John Brown Lakes. The primary objectives of the survey are to evaluate the current status of the aquatic community, gather data about our existing fish population and habitat and then use this data to develop a plan for the continued health of our fish population. This effort is the first survey undertaken on the lakes since 2014.
For the most part, the survey will be paid for by the 62% of lake residents who are dues paying members of the Horsehead Lake Association. The majority of the funds came from those association members who contributed very generously to the Lake Management fund, a generous donation in the form of proceeds from the August Poker Run, and the balance from HLA general fund.
The survey will be conducted in accordance to the protocol suggested by Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Weather permitting, the survey schedule looks like this. One night of electrofishing will take place on Tuesday, September 8. This will be followed by three nights of net deployment consisting of four fyke nets and one gill net each night.
Electrofishing temporarily stuns the fish which are then collected and placed in aerated tanks for data collection. Fyke nets are funnel shaped and the fish swim from the large end to the narrow end of the net where they are captured and placed in tanks. As the name suggests, gill nets actually capture the fish by their gill covers. Electrofishing and fyke nets result in very low fish mortality, gill net mortality is somewhat higher.
The nets will be marked by blue buoys. If you are out boating during the survey, please steer clear of and do not drive between the blue buoys. The nets are expensive to repair and not kind to propellers.
Milfoil Update 8-3-26
Sometime this week, Michigan Lakefront Solutions will be treating for Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) and Starry Stonewort (SS) in the locations shown on the attached map. The good news is that there are only about 10 acres of EWM bringing us to a total of just 23 acres for the year. The bad news is SS continues to spread, up to about 6 acres now. The worst infestation of SS is in the bay near the boat launch, and we are unable to treat that area until August 15 because of the late loon nest (see area marked in purple on map) . Purple loosestrife is beginning to emerge in random spots around the lake. There will be a separate treatment for purple loosestrife once the immature plants have bloomed.
-From Terry Bakewell
Love our Loons, Give them Room!
You’ve probably noticed several families of loons on our lake… please be respectful and keep a distance… STAY AWAY from nests, parents, and their young. Young loons CANNOT dive or swim fast enough to avoid you. The Michigan Loon Preservation Association has some great information and resources at https://www.michiganloons.org/
2026 Eurasian Watermilfoil Treatment
Surveys for invasive species on Horsehead and the John Brown Lakes were conducted on 6/5 & 6/12 by Michigan Lakefront Solutions. At this time, treatment is required for only 11.75 acres of Eurasian Water Milfoil and .25 acres of Starry Stonewort. This represents the smallest treatment area since the program was started in the early 2000’s. Treatment is scheduled for June 23.
2026 BOAT SHRINK WRAP RECYCLING PROGRAM
2025 CLMP LAKE QUALITY MONITOR REPORT
To view the CLMP report for Horsehead Lake for 2025, please click here: 2025 HHL CLMP Report
2025 PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE SEASON
It seems like just yesterday, but it was actually 2017 when HHL resident Deb Cox approached the association board and suggested that it was time to do something about the aggressive invasive plant that was beginning to dominate the lake shore, Purple Loosestrife. Well, it’s that time of the year again. PL is especially problematic because each clump of plants can produce up to a million seeds. The seeds are smaller than a grain of sand and can be distributed by the wind, water or carried on boats.
The most effective treatment for Purple Loosestrife is when it is flowering, and the purple spikes have begun to show up around the lakes. Michigan Lakefront Solutions will treat sometime in the next couple weeks.
If you have PL rooted on the ground on your property, we need to have a permission slip on file. If the PL is rooted in the water permission is not needed. If you already have a permission slip on file from previous years, you don’t need to file another. If you have PL on your property and you aren’t sure if you have filed a permission slip, the easiest thing to do is send a new slip to TBakewell@horseheadlake.org and I will cross reference with MLS.
Click here: Permission Slip
Purple Loosetrife
2025 LAKE TREATMENT SURVEY
From Terry Bakewell…
Yesterday I rode along as Michigan Lakefront Solutions (MLS) surveyed the Horsehead and John Brown Lakes. The purpose of the survey was threefold. First, we wanted to evaluate the results of the Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) treatment that was conducted on June 24. Second, we wanted to check on all of the known Starry colonies as this is the time of year when Starry Stonewort emerges. Finally, we wanted to see what we could learn about the massive algae bloom that is affecting our lake system. We were on the lake for about three hours.
In all of the areas that were treated on 6/24, the EWM is gone. We did spot a few places where EWM has emerged since that treatment that will need to be addressed. There were also a couple of new spots on Little John Brown.
Unfortunately, the Starry Stonewort infestation near the township boat launch is thriving. When MLS personnel threw out the sampling rake, it came back with a thick clump of Starry. We evaluated the sample thoroughly and did not find any of the bulbils that act as ‘seeds’ of Starry. It is beneficial to treat the Starry before the bulbils form. We also found random patches of Starry near the Young Subdivision boat launch and along the north shore of the Lynwood Lane peninsula.
The algae bloom we are experiencing is a type of planktonic algae. It is free floating and distributed throughout the water column from the surface to as deep as sunlight can penetrate. There are many species of planktonic algae and it can also consist of a mixture of species. Without laboratory analysis it is difficult to identify exactly which species we have. All of the unusual weather conditions we have experienced this year – lack of precipitation resulting in lower water levels, abundant sunlight, high water temperature (it was 84 F yesterday) and presense of nutrients are contributing factors. Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done about it except to wait it out.
The newly emerged EWM and the Starry Stonewort will be treated as soon as we can get it scheduled, hopefully next week. Remember, Starry Stonewort is not a plant, but a macro-algae, hence, it doesn’t have a vascular system and systemic type herbicides won’t work. The only effective treatment the scientific community has come up with so far is application of chelated copper, which will suppress, but not kill the Starry. Unfortunately, native Chara is also a macro-algae closely related to Starry and the treatment will also knock down the Chara. Fortunately, Chara is abundant in our lake system and should rebound quickly.
2023 CLMP LAKE DATA / TREND REPORT
This is the latest Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program report showing trends for Horsehead Lake. Please click on this link to view in PDF format: CLMP-Horsehead Lake 2023
Interesting article on inland lakes and wake boats:
https://www.mlive.com/news/2022/09/michigan-dnr-eyes-inland-lake-restrictions-on-wakesurfing-boats.html
Horsehead Lake Temperature and Clarity Report 8-11-22
Here is the latest report in pdf format: Temperature_DO REVISED 8 11 22
The 2021 Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program report is available, and contains data on various water quality components of the lake. To read the full report, please click on the link below.
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A Message from our Loon Ranger:
Please keep an eye out for the loons on Horsehead Lake… The best thing we can do to help facilitate loon nesting is to stay away from the nest sites. Even kayaking near the nest can frighten off the pair. If you see them, please stay away.
The HLA is member of the MICHIGAN LAKES AND STREAMS ASSOCIATION.