TLWA Newsletter “Summer Working 40 Hours a Week

Making Waves: Spring 2021 SPECIAL GEOLOGY EDITION

President’s Forum by Fred Knoch

o sum learned how to wear masks as if In the body of this newsletter up the our lives depend upon it (they you can read of the programs year do!), we have learned to be which have gone forward even 2020,T I would satisfied with take-out restaurant with the restrictions imposed by say isolation meals, we have learned who of the virus. To highlight some of would be the us are “essential “ to society, we them, observe the following: the word. have learned who of us are at Fish Stick program has Starting out high risk (for death), and we successfully placed three in January have learned how to cope with additional sites thanks to the there was the necessary isolation. Now efforts of Gerry Oehmen and the little thought hope is on the horizon, science, Three Lakes Fish and Wildlife about changing lifestyles or the upon which the entire world is Continued on page 2 course of action for the dependent, has given us a path Waterfront Association. We had to normalcy, a vaccine! By the Contents definite goals based upon prior time this is read, I will have President’s Forum ...... 1 year’s experience and the received my second dose. By Fish Sticks ...... 3 necessary obligations required of spring I will be 95% protected Adopt Your Shoreline...... 4 us as an organization to study, from COVID-19. Most of us on Lake Captains...... 4 protect, and preserve the waters the TLWA board of directors Who Volunteers...... 5 of the Three Lakes Chain of qualify as being “high risk“, and Clean Boats Clean Water ...... 5 Lakes. Then the invisible enemy therefore will have received the Onterra Report ...... 6 insinuated itself into the very vaccine. Will this return us to DNR Q & A Corner ...... 8 Long Lake...... 8 fabric of the world, and Three normal activity? Not until at least Annual Meeting...... 9 Lakes has suffered just as the 80 % of the population is Website Update...... 9 world has suffered. We have, of immunized, so please consider Membership ...... 10 necessity, learned the art of to be vaccinated when you The Power of Maps...... 12 virtual interaction, we have become eligible! The Geology of the Chain...... 16 1 Prez continued from page 1 against the big three, E.W.M., as program directors with Improvement Association. The Pale Yellow Iris, and Purple specific areas of responsibility. At Rapid Response A.I.S. Dive Team Loosestrife. A new emphasis on the next level are the Lake was active on Virgin and Long restoration of habit as a means Captains, who organize the Lakes, harvesting many gallons to improve the ecology of the cadres of volunteers who have of E.W.M., an effort requiring a lakes is now being promoted. In “eyes on the lake“ in the Adopt great number of volunteer hours addition to the Fish Stick Your Shoreline program. They and commitment. The CB/CW program, the Association is serve to locate, identify, and program continued to monitor encouraging shore land owners control A.I.S. in their lakes. The the busiest boat landings with to restore their properties as a CB/CW program organizes interns complying with masking means of improving water interns and volunteers to inspect and social distancing, while the quality and returning both boats on the busiest landings for robotic observer on the Townline aquatic and terrestrial regions to A.I.S. and to educate the public landing continued its vigilance a more natural state. Ceci Kiefer, in the responsible enjoyment of unaffectedly. The Adopt Your a seasonal resident of Big Fork the lake system. The final level is Shoreline program continued Lake, has accepted the role of the most important, that is the with only a slight reduction of Shore Land Restoration Program general membership of the volunteer hours recorded. Director. Please read her article TLWA. Each member is asked by Onterra, L.L.C., the professional about the new program and the the Association to be responsible limnology firm contracted to exciting contest the Association for that over which they have study the Chain, continued with is promoting. This new emphasis control, their property. We ask their plan of working through will not diminish our every member to participate in the Chain from the Virgin Lake commitment to the battle the Adopt Your Shoreline end to the Long Lake end for the against A.I.S., but rather will program to identify A.I.S., and to second time in ten plus years. augment our mission. be sensitive to environmental This study allows the TLWA to In closing, I would like to hazards such as shore land follow environmental changes recognize the extraordinary erosion, impervious surface occurring to the lakes over time talents and commitments of the runoff, loss of native planting in in order to formulate plans of members of the TLWA. It starts the buffer zone, excessive tree action to help remediate adverse with the board of directors, who loss in the viewing corridor, and effects. are thirteen in number, diverse use of pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides on lawns. Every A fundamental shift in ideology in experience and expertise, member has the opportunity to is in progress regarding the goals sharing a common goal of contribute to environmentally of the TLWA. In the past our environmental responsibility sound practices which will efforts have been geared towards the microcosm of improve water quality and towards identification and nature we call the Three Lakes support property values. remediation of A.I.S. which Chain of Lakes. Not only does the threaten the ecology of our board direct the functioning of Enough preaching, I sometimes lakes. Campaigns were waged the Association, but many serve get carried away. One last observation, the bylaws of the tLWA t-shirts & hAts TLWA calls for fifteen members A reminder to all members and on the board of directors, which non-members alike. Three Lakes Waterfront leaves two vacancies. If you are Association T-shirts and hats are being interested I invite you to contact offered at the Northland Clothing Company one of us for an invitation to in downtown Three Lakes. attend a board meeting. We meet on the second Thursday of The shirts depict the Three Lakes Chain of each month in the evening, via Lakes and the logo of the TLWA. The shirts are Zoom. I am looking forward to available in long and short sleeve versions, the next season of liquid water, and are available in all colors as long as one which seems distant as we have wants grey. The $25 cost for either hat or shirt had about ten straight days of is a donation supporting the mission of the sub-zero temperatures. So I will TLWA. Go ahead, make Eagle River jealous! see you soon, On The Water! 2 Fish Sticks by Jerry Oehmen Fall of 2020

What a difference a year makes! Mother Nature was very kind to us this year for our Fish Stick program. On December 20, 2020 we were able to appreciate some great conditions for moving trees and just being in the outdoors. We had at least 6” of nice ice with a dusting of snow on the ice which gave us some needed traction. We were able Above: Jason and Charlie watch over to install three sites in the their young helpers, Dylan and Tommy; morning which completed our From Left to Right: Charlie Volk, Scott Below: Once cut, the trees are put in three approved sites. We were Swendson, Jim Bollmann, Chris Blicharz, place with everyone’s help; At left: Jason Pertile, Tom Wallschleger, Tommy says, “It’s not all work!” able to harvest three trees and Dylan Wallschleger, Tommy Wallschleger, move them across the ice to the (Not Pictured: Jerry Oehmen) first site on the south shore of Crystal Lake at the Jim Enger shoreline. Our next site was on Dog Lake. We placed another on the north shoreline at the Dave Wrobleski shoreline. Dave had some trees that he allowed us to harvest to complete this site. Last year we overlook their generosity so if gain approval from our Oneida had such poor conditions we you can, please give them a County fish biologist Zack Woiak were unable to install this site. It well-deserved “Thank You” if you that the site is a desirable was rewarding to finally get this get a chance. location. Zach has been very site installed and ready for the Fish Sticks would not be possible proactive by coming to visit each 2020-21 season. without the volunteers from the site and has been very helpful to Three Lakes Fish and Wildlife explain lake conditions to The third site was on the south property owners. This ensures shore of Medicine Lake at the Al Association. They are a great team who work together and that all parties are informed and Nau shoreline. This site has a happy with the site. steep shore line so lake access come fully prepared to get the on the ice was very welcome and job done. Everyone pitches in If you are interested in installation went very smoothly. and the entire task seems to volunteering your shoreline or The Fish Stick program is only move so quickly that I have a you would like to help with next possible because we have very difficult time taking descriptive year’s installations please generous volunteers. Three photos. contact Jerry Oehmen at: property owners were willing to The normal chain of events that [email protected] help improve the rough woody allows us to install fish sticks habitat. The sites help improve takes a full season. Once we the entire lake ecosystem in have a property owner many ways. Sometimes we volunteer, we need to proceed to 3 Adopt-Your-Shoreline by Ceci Kiefer

Shore Land Restoration

With the kickoff of the Your Shore – At the Your Shore-Your Lake roofs, driveways and lawns has Your Lake contest this year, TLWA workshop on February 27th, we increased the impact of runoff, marked a shift in focus from were joined by experts in the field including phosphorus and managing aquatic invasive species for a discussion of the issues and sediment, by five times. to shore land restoration for the solutions available to us. 80-90% There are many resources lakes in our area. However, the fight of all lake life is born, raised available to interested property against AIS isn’t over, and it and/or fed in the area where land owners to learn how to get continues as an ongoing program to and water meet according to Pat started. Property owners may monitor and treat it on our chain. Goggin, Lake Specialist for UW qualify for funding to assist with Extension Lakes Program. By assisting the winners with the larger scale restoration projects. restoration of their properties to a As more people have been drawn For a smaller scale project, simply more natural state, we hope to to the lakes over the last several leaving a buffer zone unmowed encourage other lakeshore owners years, the development of the along less used portions of the to follow suit. A healthy shoreline shoreline has increased shore will allow regrowth of native is a critical component of a dramatically. The smaller, simple species. We are lucky to be able to healthy lake. It benefits all of us cottage has been replaced by a enjoy the beauty of the Three who enjoy the lakes on the Chain much larger home with a lawn and Lakes Chain and are charged with while fishing, waterskiing or extra buildings for equipment and the responsibility to preserve it for simply enjoying the view. toys. The addition of all those the future!

LAKE CAPTAINS BIG Steve Laszewski 920-562-0321 [email protected] BIG FORK Kathy Olkowski 715-891-0367 [email protected] BIG STONE Rob Jahnke 602-460-5362 [email protected] CRYSTAL Mike Donovan 715-550-8282 [email protected] DEER Jay Teagle 630-460-5362 [email protected] DOG OPEN FOUR MILE Mike & Lori Gray 920-540-6027 [email protected] ISLAND Doug Scheffen 715-546-2732 [email protected] JULIA David Mitzner 715-546-2583 [email protected] LAUREL Mark Wallesverd 920-344-0698 [email protected] Charles Brady 651-408-2505 bradycharles@msn. com LITTLE FORK Mary O’Hara 715-546-8107 [email protected] LONG Gary White 920-251-7388 [email protected] MAPLE Ron Bennett 815-351-7573 [email protected] MEDICINE Bruce Renquist 715-546-2401 [email protected] MOCCASIN Ryan Lamon 715-546-3351 [email protected] PLANTING GROUND Norris Ross 715-546-2250 [email protected] RANGE LINE John Folaron 414-687-5900 [email protected] ROUND Gwen Hutchins 608-556-1234 [email protected] SPIRIT John Lake 715-546-2117 [email protected] THOROUGHFARE Paul Matthiae 715-546-3453 [email protected] TOWNLINE Lou Bruckmoser 715-546-3083 [email protected] VIRGIN Bob Borek 715-546-3457 [email protected] WHITEFISH Dave Wheeler 309-696-9855 [email protected]

4 WhO VOLuNTEERS

Ceci Kiefer and her husband Pat business has been sold they are have owned their cottage on Big still very involved with it and Fork Lake since 1991 and Ceci with local efforts to promote the has been a TLWA Shoreline use of natives in all aspects of monitor on the west shore of the landscape work. lake for the last several years. Her interest in invasive species One area that has become stems from an earlier time when especially important to them has she and Pat owned a greenhouse been with the issue of invasive outside of Green Bay where they species in natural areas. Ceci has grew and sold native Wisconsin worked with several groups in flowers and grasses. In the late the Green Bay area to control 90's they had seeded a native invasive species such as prairie on their 3 acre property buckthorn and barberry in knowing next to nothing about wooded natural areas. Since what they had planted. Since it purchasing their Three Lakes was difficult to purchase native property, what might have species in the area they began to started as a beautiful patch of start their own plants from seeds yellow iris planted along the to supplement their prairie. One shore has become a nuisance thing led to another and by 2004 now spreading to almost all they had started Stone Silo areas of the lake. Kayaking the Shoreland Restoration Program Prairie Gardens, one of only a shoreline while monitoring it had Director Ceci Kiefer few sources for native plants in become clear to her that Northeast Wisconsin. Neither something needs to be done to Now retired, Pat and Ceci are Pat nor Ceci had any background control the iris. Without action it looking forward to spending as in horticulture but credit the will eventually crowd out the much time as possible up north many others that they became native species that support the in a variety of outdoor activities associated with to educate them fish and wildlife that bring many all year round, including digging along the way. While the of us to the northwoods. the iris on their property!

Clean Boats Clean Waters by Bob Agen The 2021 Spring Report

My Clean Boats Clean Waters forward to adding a few more. I email [email protected]. message for the spring remains need volunteers to work the the same. Pandemic permitting, landing on Big Lake near CW editor’s note: In the Fall 2020 we will hire three students, each Smith Road, Medicine Lake oﬀ TLWA newsletter “Summer working 40 hours a week. Their Highway X and the Laurel Lake Intern” article, the captions focus will be our busiest landings Campground. Hours are also under the pictures misidentiﬁed which are Townline, Big Stone available at the other landings. Gus Fink and Sawyer Siedschlig. next to the Sunset Grill The commitment would be 2 Gus is behind the pontoon boat Restaurant and the Burnt hours a week. Your 2 hours help and Sawyer stands next to the Rollways Lift. We hope to have us secure grant money for the Invasive Species sign. our volunteers back and look TLWA. For more information 5 ThREE LAkES ChAIN OF LAkES ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING 2020 PROJECT UPDATE Submitted by Josephine Barlament & Tim Hoyman, Onterra, LLC

n December of 2019, the Lakes Chain, the primary precipitation which has led to TLWA, with the assistance of particulate matter is algae; darker stained waters. While Onterra, applied for and was therefore, algal abundance this is a natural phenomenon awardedI a WDNR Surface Water impacts water clarity. and water quality in the lakes Grant to implement continued remains very good, it has had a water quality and aquatic The watersheds of most of the natural impact on the aquatic vegetation monitoring called for lakes in the Chain contain large vegetation community in in the Three Lakes Chain’s areas of wetlands and forests, the lakes. recently completed which as explained in the Quantitative assessments of the comprehensive management management plan, shed very low aquatic plant community of the plan. The awarded grant began levels of nutrients. However, in Phase I lakes were completed in the first phase of a seven-phase those areas, decaying vegetation 2020 utilizing point-intercept project helping to fund the releases weak organic acids, such survey methodology (exact same monitoring on the Three Lakes as humic and tannic acid, which gps points) used in the 2010 Chain of Lakes through 2026. at higher concentrations stain surveys. No new non-native Phase I collection on Virgin, lake water and produce a plant species were found during Whitefish, the Thoroughfare, and tea-colored appearance. Higher the aquatic plant surveys on the Big Lakes began in spring of 2020 precipitation can flush these Phase I lakes. Long and Virgin and will be completed in accumulated compounds from lakes Eurasian watermilfoil February of 2021. This update the drainage basin and into the (EWM) populations and discusses the Phase I activities lake, reducing water clarity. As management will be discussed and analyses of the monitoring shown in Figure 1 below, with later in this article. completed in 2020 as well as AIS the exception of 2015, the years monitoring and management on 2013 to 2020 have experienced Littoral frequency of occurrence Virgin and Long Lakes. above average annual is used to describe the

Three water quality parameters were primarily focused upon in the Three Lakes Chain of Lakes’ water quality analysis; phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and Secchi disk transparency. These parameters are interrelated. Phosphorus is the limiting plant nutrient in the lake and controls algal abundance, which is measured by chlorophyll-a levels. Water clarity, as measured by Secchi disk transparency, is directly aﬀected by the particulates that are suspended in the water. In the majority of Wisconsin Figure 1. Precipitation annual averages from 1994 to 2020 waterbodies, including the Three (Midwestern Regional Climate Center; Eagle River) 6 Figure 2. Littoral Frequency of Occurrence in 2010 and 2020 for Whiteﬁsh Lake point-intercept surveys.

abundance of a species in a During the late summer of 2020, newer herbicide, lake’s littoral zone. The littoral the TLWA, with assistance from ProcellaCORTM, has only been zone is the area in which plants Onterra, developed a 3-year used in a handful of lakes in grow in the lake and is typically project for continued monitoring Wisconsin since 2018. Statewide limited by light penetration. The and management of EWM in monitoring results, the bulk of 2020 point-intercept surveys on Long and Virgin Lakes. The which have been collected by the Phase I lakes indicated that project was submitted for state Onterra, indicate that most native species have seen a funding for the November 1, ProcellaCORTM is highly effective decline in abundance. 2020 application deadline. on EWM. Unfortunately, it is Figure 2 above shows the littoral News of the proposal’s possible also highly effective against frequency of occurrence values funding will be learned this EWM’s close relative, northern for Whitefish Lake and is typical spring. The Three Lakes Dive watermilfoil, a valuable native of the Phase I lakes comparing Team will continue to aquatic plant that currently 2010 and 2020. Lower water hand-harvest EWM in Virgin dominates much of Virgin Lake’s clarity in recent years has Lake, spending the bulk of their littoral zone. Monitoring results contributed to a shallower time north of the island. They also indicate that despite initial maximum depth of aquatic plant will also focus much of their manufacture-claims, the growth, literally reducing the energy on the small beds found herbicide dissipates quickly from area in which submersed aquatic on the northeast end of Long the treatment site and is highly plants can grow and thereby Lake last summer. During an impactful on EWM and northern reducing abundance of most information meeting conducted watermilfoil far outside the site’s species. As described above, this last October, Tim Hoyman, boundaries. is a natural phenomenon Aquatic Ecologist with Onterra, brought on by above average discussed the possible use of a These current results, along with precipitation over the past newer herbicide on the EWM additional data collected in 2021, several years. Like the water south of Virgin Lake’s island. will be used to determine quality of these lakes, the This possible strategy was whether or not a ProcellaCORTM aquatic plant populations are still included in the November grant treatment is an appropriate considered good and in proposal for tentative strategy for managing EWM in healthy condition. implementation in 2022. This Virgin Lake during 2022 or later. 7 DNR Q & A Corner DNR Liaison James Yach – Secretary’s Director Northern Wisconsin Questions answered by Kay Lutze, DNR Natural Resource Basin Supervisor

TLWA members asked about: DreDGinG, reMoVinG does not qualify as “dredging” as long as you can roCKs FroM A shoreLine and rePortinG VioLAtions meet the “De minimus” definition below. Can i dredge my shoreline? NR 345.03(2) (2) “De minimus" activity means the dredging of less than 2 cubic yards in a calendar year Manual dredging may qualify for an exemption if the project meets all of the conditions in the checklist from a specific waterbody or disturbance of bottom found on: https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/waterways/ material during the manual removal of aquatic plants documents/permitExemptionChecklists/shoreline that meet the requirements of s. NR 109.06 (2). Maintenance.pdf NR 345.03(8) (8) “Manual dredging" means removal or disturbance of bottom material by hand or using a If not exempt, a state waterway (dredging) permit is hand-held device without the aid of external or required. In order to apply for a dredging permit, auxiliary power. Manual dredging is often associated there is a preliminary review process for the with the collection of aquatic insects for bait, removal Department to ensure that the work would not of nuisance vegetation or debris and the panning for expose any material that could be harmful to public gold or other material. For the purpose of ch. 30, health (and critters) from exposure. Once the Stats., manual dredging does not include “de preliminary review is complete, sediment sampling is minimus" activities as defined in sub. ).(2 conducted (if required). After the sampling lab results are reported, a state Ch. 30 application for a how and where do i report violations? dredging permit is submitted. More dredging For shore land zoning violations contact: information is available at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/ Oneida County Zoning (715) 369-6130 topic/Waterways/construction/dredging.html. For violations below the OHWM (ordinary high water mark) https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/contact/Hotline.html Can i remove rocks from my shore? CALL OR TEXT 1-800-847-9367 It depends on the means and methods of how rocks If reporting to the tipline your information will remain will be removed. If the rocks are able to be picked up confidential. If reported through email to department (for example, using a grappling hook), then the staff, it would become a public record if there was an disturbance of lakebed is minimal (if at all) and so open record request.

WhAT’S hAPPENING ON LONG LAkE By Gary White, Lake Captain

The Chain experienced a busy the dam. EWM was also found of Purple Loosestrife on Long summer in 2020. Despite the in the channel to the dam. To try Lake. Since our first efforts in pandemic, boaters were out in to eradicate the issue, the TLWA 2019 and this past summer, the good numbers enjoying the great dive team dove twice. We thank area is now almost Purple joys of all the lake activities. the volunteers for their efforts, Loosestrife free. We will continue knowing this summer we will to monitor that situation. However, as the summer waned, need to continue the work. It is a new discovery occurred. On our hope that we can eliminate We take seriously all invasive Long Lake, we were alerted to it, but we also need boaters to species; any presence of invasive the presence of Eurasian avoid the area, if at all possible, species in any of our lakes causes Watermilfoil (EWM). Fred to lessen the spread of economic and environmental Knoch, came upon the evasive the plants. harm to the entire chain. We species in the north end of Long will continue to monitor both Lake. The patch is on the On a more positive note, this the Eurasian Watermilfoil and northeast shore, just before the past summer we continue our Purple Loosestrife situations and buoys of the channel heading to efforts to eliminate a small patch will keep you updated. 8 the tLWA.org Website Progress report By Paul Wussow

I am continuing to develop the around the house or around town. Logo and graphical links. Yes, text new Responsive Web Site for the This will have a display from 481 to will be replacing frogs and Three Lakes Waterfront site. What 768 pixels to match the size of your waterlilies that have used the this means is that there will be tablet. The number of functions computer’s graphical interface. three different layouts of the same may vary with the size and type of This will not remove information for users. The fancy tablet, but you will still be able to content-oriented graphics but will name for this is Responsive designs view TLWA.org and its pages. allow easy selection of the content with fluid grid layouts. that a user may want to see. Our third layout is Mobile for The Desktop layout uses rules that phone users. This targets the small Having added video at the apply when you use your screen of cell phones and is limited beginning of March, we can see computer browser window to view to 480 pixels or less. additional ways to serve the Three the site which is normally around In all these layouts the location of Lakes Waterfront Association users 769 to 1232 pixels (dots of functions and selections will be in with news and information. For resolution) on your screen. This is slightly different locations. This is example “ Your Shore – Your Lake what you have had for as long as necessary, as I am sure any Shoreland Restoration Kick Off we have had a web site, but as we non-computer users have found on Event” which occurred February have been able to add graphics, the current site. Selection of pages 27th can be viewedl links, and other functions like from the left side may or may not During the testing and video, it is still the standard be seen or may be overlapped computer display. implementation of these layouts making it hard if not impossible to the pages may be changing but the select. The second layout will be for the content will still be there, and Tablet users who have internet on While we will be gaining access to news, views and links will continue their tablet and like to move content, we will have to lose some to be available. 2021 tLWA AnnuAL MeetinG – sAVe the DAte! Mark your calendar for Wednesday, July 7th at 3 p.m. This year’s annual meeting has so much to offer. If you have any interest in shoreline restoration grants, Michele Sadauskas, Oneida County Land & Water Conservationist, will describe what acquiring a grant involves and will be available to answer questions. This is in support of the Workshop aired on the 27th of February regarding the shoreline restoration contest co-sponsored by the Oneida Land and Water Conservation Department and the TLWA. The TLWA is also excited about having John Bates, well known WI naturalist and author, as this year’s keynote speaker. John’s love of the Wisconsin Northwoods is reflected in all of his 9 books. His latest one, Our Living Ancestors: the History and Ecology of Old-growth Forests in Wisconsin And Where to Find Them took 15 years to write as he explored and researched old growth sites, 50 of which he describes in detail. He has served on the Board of Trustees for the Wisconsin Nature Conservancy, River Alliance of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Humanities Council. He currently serves on the Board of the Northwoods Land Trust and the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame. John won the 2006 Ellis/Henderson Outdoor Writing Award from the Council for Wisconsin Writers for his book Graced by the Seasons: Spring and Summer in the Northwoods. John’s focus will be on riparian responsibilities. As of this writing in early March, we do not yet have a venue selected. We can’t predict what COVID restrictions will be. However, we will have the meeting either virtually, or in person at the Reiter Center. Either way, please save the date!

9 TLWA Membership by Jerry Oehmen What is TLWA?

TLWA is a great group of protect our resources and use one of the largest organized lake members/volunteers that the tools available to improve associations in our beautiful contribute to a common goal. and protect our resources. To state. We value our members Clean beautiful lakes for continue this effort we need and appreciate those members everyone to enjoy. Whether you you, your neighbors and your who volunteer their time and enjoy fishing, water sports, family to help. We need each talents. If you have an urge to viewing wild life or just a slow member to help TLWA increase pitch in please make yourself cruise to see the beautiful membership. This is best done known to one of our board scenery, the lakes are a God by word of mouth and deed. If members. We encourage all given resource to enjoy. you like the work accomplished members to get involved and However, we are just temporary by the volunteers and think it is help TLWA stay strong and active stewards of this grand resource important then spread the word. to keep our lakes beautiful and and we are fortunate to enjoy it Better yet print a membership clean. Last year we attempted to for just a “blink in time.” application form off the website recruit more members by (TLWA.org) and hand it to a mailing a membership how do we improve and prospective member. Show your application directly to preserve this resource? lake neighbors a copy of our last non-members which was not We band together to jointly newsletter “Making very successful. We think we Waves”, Moment in can do better with your help! Time or the Now that the pandemic is on the materials sent to downslope, we have more Protect Your opportunity to encourage new Shoreline. Explain prospective members. We want the need for The everyone to be safe and send a Clean Boats/Clean “Big thank You” in advance for water efforts or the your help! If you have any Fish Stick program. questions or need to update your contact information please We are proud to be email [email protected].

ANN’S RETIRING Have you noticed how on the last important to have another open page of previous newsletters there position on the TLWA board. is always an energetic greeting encouraging readers to become a TLWA appreciates and thanks Ann member or renew your for all her efforts this past two membership by Ann Oehman? years. Picking up membership forms and dues, entering this Ann has decided to retire and information into the database hand over the TLWA membership takes time and effort that can now duties to her husband, Jerry. She’ll be spent on her grandchildren and still be on hand to help out when maybe Jerry! Jerry is out fishing, but felt that it

10 INTRODuCTION TO A SPECIAL GEOLOGY EDITION by Jon Willman

The following pages by Whether your interest is ﬁshing, In “Geology of the three Lakes professional geologist and TLWA kayaking, hiking or exploring the Chain” John has crafted an board member, John Ray, are a Chain by pontoon boat, today’s intriguing tale about the origins bit of a departure from our usual GPS driven software can show of the land on which we stand. stories of ﬂora, fauna and water. you amazing new perspectives of His scholarly investigation takes “the Power of Maps” is a primer our lakes. Speaking of us back to a time when our area on the use and versatility of exploration, in upcoming was shaped by thousands of feet today’s mapping technologies. newsletters John has promised of ice, and dinosaurs walked our He shares a few examples of the to share the locations of some lands. John has promised us many maps of our area available really interesting geological more of his unique brand of free-of-charge and easily phenomena in our immediate underground journalism in accessible on the Internet. area. Stay tuned. future issues.

2020 Board of Directors Program Leaders oﬃcers Adopt-Your-Shoreline Bruce Renquist, Dave Wheeler President Fred Knoch AIS Dive Team Fred Knoch, Jon Willman Vice President Lynn Zibell Board DNR Liaison Steve Laszewski Treasurer Stan Wargolet Clean Boats/Clean Waters Bob Agen Secretary Ed Jacobsen Education Paul Matthiae Fish Sticks Jerry Oehmen Directors Geology & Cartography John Ray Bob Agen John Ray Membership Jerry Oehmen Steve Laszewski Bruce Renquist Newsletter Lynn Zibell Paul Matthiae Norris Ross OCLRA Norris Ross Jerry Oehmen Dave Wheeler Purple Loosestrife Paul Matthiae Paul Wussow Scholarship Ed Cottingham Shoreline Restoration Ceci Keifer Shoreline Zoning Norris Ross Three Lakes News Contact Kerry Griebenow Water Testing Fred Knoch, Lynn Zibell Website Paul Wussow

For information regarding important issues impacting our lakes and Your own lake property, visit the TLWA website at: www.tLWA.org or contact TLWA by emailing [email protected] 11 The Power of Maps by John Ray

ave you ever wondered how deep the water geographic coordinate can be mapped. Mappable is in a lake on the Three Lakes Chain, or if items include aerial photographs, elevation or kayaking from Medicine Lake to the Sunset topography, water depths, soil types, geological HGrille for breakfast is feasible, or how about which information, wildlife, vegetation, roads, property lake would be a good place to see the Three Lakes boundaries, etc. Fourth of July ﬁreworks display? You can ﬁnd all Aerial Photography is a graphic representation of these answers on maps. In this article, we look at a energy collected from the visible light spectrum. variety of topics that can be better understood after Seeing the Chain from the air is a sight to behold viewing on a map. (Figure 1). If you don’t have access to a small plane Any piece of information that can be assigned a or a drone, a high-quality aerial photograph is the

Figure 1. Aerial Photograph of the Laurel Lake area, Three Lakes Chain. The photograph was taken in 2019 and is available from the Oneida County, WI Land Information Department. 12 Figure 2. Map of the Three Lakes Chain of Lakes, Oneida County, Wisconsin. Topographic surface from DEM is shown as the base map in shades of green. This surface has a distinct grain running diagonally from the upper right to lower left which was the direction of ice flow during Wisconsin Glaciation. An ancestral lake, Glacial Lake Oneida once covered an area including Thunder Lake and surrounding marsh land. The shades of blue represent water depths (bathymetry) that provide a sense of underwater topography. next best thing. One gains an appreciation of how lines of equal elevation (contours) on photographs. much water the area holds and how close the Town Currently, Digital Elevation Models (DEM) using Lidar, of Three Lakes is despite the fact it can take quite a an acronym of light detection and ranging affords while to arrive there if traveling by road. remarkable one-foot accuracy. With Lidar, a target is When driving or boating around the area, pathways illuminated with a laser and a sensor detects the are forever curving around bodies of water and the reflections. Differences in laser return times and land surface is seen to gently undulate. This variation wavelength and filtering techniques are used to in surface elevation is known as topography. In the make digital 3-D maps of the ground surface with the old days, surface elevation was measured by vegetation removed. The DEM for the Three Lakes physically walking from point to point, carefully Chain (Figure 2) and an area around Medicine Lake recording distance and slope and calculating a single (Figure 3) are shown. data point. The advent of aerial photography and Water depths are determined by directing sound stereographic pairs permitted the construction of waves from a boat, measuring the travel time for 13 Figure 3. Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the Medicine Lake and Laurel Lake area showing shaded relief (topography) in shades of gray and water depths color-coded in shades of blue. The DEM shows three general levels, the water surface in blue, low-lying flat areas (some of which are marshy) and areas of ground raised 30-50 feet that resemble “mesas”.

echoes and calculating the distance. Each data point to grassy marshland and bogs. A useful way to is located with GPS (satellite-assisted Geographic visualize, quantify and map vegetation is by using Positioning System) accuracy and plotted on maps. color infrared photographs (Figure 4). This method The color-coded depth maps in Figures 2 and 3 were collects electromagnetic energy on a broader digitized from contour maps available from Oneida spectrum from visible light through infrared which County. Water depths on the Chain range from 0-57’ enhances vegetation because chlorophyll in plant and the darker shades represent deeper water. The leaves, selectively absorbs visible light for three deepest lakes are Big Stone, Medicine and Lake photosynthesis and the cell structure of the leaves Julia. Bathymetric maps with greater resolution are strongly reﬂects near-infrared light. available from commercial vendors. There is a wealth of geological information available Vegetation varies from old growth coniferous trees, for the Three Lakes Chain region. A companion including red, white, and jack pine, white spruce, article in this newsletter “Geology of the Three Lakes balsam ﬁr and Eastern hemlock to hard and soft Chain” probes into the hidden wonders of our wood deciduous maple, oak, alder, birch and willow underground world.

12 Figure 4 is a color infrared photograph of an area between Medicine and Little Fork Lakes. It is easy to make a quick assessment of vegetation types since coniferous trees show dense coloration, mixed deciduous trees appear in paler shades and marsh areas have ﬂat even hues.

15 Geology of the Three Lakes Chain by John Ray

hree and a half billion years ago in the runoff. Starting as a trickle, water speeds progress Precambrian era, mountain-building forces to sheet flow and rivulets to whitewater rapids and deformed and recrystallized rock at high continually influence the size-fraction of sediment Tpressures and temperatures to create a basement transported. of swirly layered gneiss (‘nice’). From 1860 to 1500 At 10,000 years, this retreat stalls long enough for million years ago, volcanism is rampant, lava and the glaciers to propel sufficient water and sediment sediment are depositing in deep ocean basins and to create our current landscape. This includes granite plutons invade the countryside. Since then, ancestral Glacial Lake Oneida, a 15 square mile lake northeastern Wisconsin has been a remarkably that coincides with the present-day extent of stable highland compared to most of North Thunder Lake and the surrounding marshes and America, which was inundated by shallow seas and cranberry bogs (Figure 1). When Laurentide finally covered by thousands of feet of limestone. Local leaves the region, a thickness of up to 200 feet of geological history over the last few million years is sediment is left behind to fill in and level out a more written by climate change and continental rugged ancestral terrain. glaciation. These sediments consist of a braided system of Climate fluctuated multiple times during the past interbedded silt, sand, gravel and boulders, some of 2.6 million years. This time frame, known as the which are as big as a house. In Figure 1, the glacial Quaternary Period, is considered an “ice age” due map units are stratified gravelly sands of the Copper to the continuous presence of at least one ice sheet Falls Formation and include su deposited (from (Antarctica). In the past 700,000 years, climate is streams and outwash plains), sd (from ice-walled seen to oscillate in 100,000-year cycles consisting of rivers and deltas) and sc (with blocks of ice that long periods of cooling with the formation of after melting, cause collapse structures). Unit sc is glaciers and shorter periods of warmer characterized by a hummocky, uneven forest floor temperatures and melting. The last cycle in North with local sinkholes. A fourth unit (gn) occurs in a America is known as the Wisconsin Glaciation. conspicuous field of low, elongated ridges on the At the onset of Wisconsin Glaciation, the Laurentide eastern flank of the Chain. These landforms are Ice Sheet forms and begins to spread across the called drumlins which lie parallel to the direction of mid-continent of North America. Laurentide ice flow and form by glacial ice gliding over older advances into Wisconsin 31,500 years ago and bodies of till and carving out grooves to produce a makes its furthest advance to the south around fluted landscape. 18,000 years ago1. At your front door, ice is 5000 2 Once this climatic ruckus quiets down, vegetation feet thick and is moving at a rate of an inch or two sprouts and soil develops. The soil profile reveals a a day. It has the erosive power to gouge out northern arboreal forest climate with periodic lake-sized depressions from softer rock and ride changes to a humid rainforest which produces a over and polish smooth more resistive rock like thick organic-rich topsoil. Soil compositions are granite. During this glacial cycle, the global inherited from the underlying glacial sediment and temperature is only eleven degrees cooler than the 3 include light-sandy and heavy-sandy loam (equal 20th Century average . parts sand and silt with about 20% clay) When global temperatures warm, glaciers in our interspersed with areas of muck and peat. region begin retreating. Hard to imagine this vast In Figure 1, soils within the confines of Glacial Lake sheet of ice, thousands of feet thick, let alone the Oneida are typical lake bottom, clay-rich muck quantities of water generated during melting and and peat. 16 Figure 1. Quaternary geology4 of the Three Lakes Chain showing glacial deposits (till) and the ancestral shoreline of Glacial Lake Oneida. The units from west to east include the muds of Glacial Lake Oneida (p), beach sand deposits (sd) in and around of the town of Three Lakes, interbedded su, sc and p over the Chain and the drumlin field (gn).

the DeteCtiVe AnD the soothsAYer concept involves comparing known geophysical The geology of an area is classically determined by responses of various rock types and then assigning careful mapping of rock units, what I like to call suitable rock names to anomalies in the study area. “walking around in the woods and banging on rocks” The techniques include thematic imagery and and plotting these data on maps. When bedrock is radiometric, magnetic and gravity surveying. covered by water, vegetation, glacial sediment or soil, the geologist, by necessity, becomes a detective. Since our bedrock is covered, two otherwise useful One tool in the detective pouch is extrapolation, surficial techniques will not work: Thematic Imagery where continuity of rock units from nearby exposed collects broad spectrum (infrared-visible-ultraviolet) areas is assumed and projected into areas of cover. energy to identify minerals in rocks based on Other clues can be found in reports from well drilling reflectivity or absorption of wavelengths and which might contain a log of rock types and depths. Radiometric surveying detects gamma rays that are emitted by the natural decay of unstable elements The most cost-effective way to assist in hidden rock Potassium (K), Uranium (U) and Thorium (Th) from identification is by Geophysical methods. This rock forming minerals. Ratios of K, U, and Th are 17 used to differentiate rock types. These surveys would and falling back in parallel with the others. This reveal information about glacial till, but nothing survey “bust” is recognized many years later on beneath the surface. topographic maps and an Iron Formation deposit is discovered 800 feet below the surface in a drill hole. Magnetic surveys are a practical way to map the subsurface since rock types are discernable by their Gravity surveys are able to measure differences in relative magnetism. For example, iron makes up attractive forces related to density. Upon picking up a about 5% of the earth’s composition and the mineral rock, we instinctively note if it seems lighter or magnetite is a common constituent of rocks. Granite heavier than the expected weight for its size. This is might have a few percent magnetite, basalt an estimate of its density. Rocks have variable (Hawaiian lava) has 2-5 times more and Iron amounts of minerals with differing densities (density = Formation of the type mined in the Great Lakes mass/volume). Noting that iron is “heavier” than region has upwards of 40%. The power of magnetism quartz and using the magnetite contents of the rocks to penetrate ground is evident in this tale from North described above, one would correctly conclude that Dakota. Land surveyors established a series of Iron Formation is more dense than granite. Galileo parallel section lines, spaced on one-mile intervals proved that denser materials have a greater attractive tracking due north. At a point along this orderly force, or gravity which is mappable with a gravimeter. march, three lines decide to break ranks and take a An example using magnetism and density to identify quarter mile slant to the left before getting cold feet buried rocks is shown in Figure 2. This map is

Figure 2. Geophysical map showing low to high magnetic intensity (green to red color ramp) and contoured gravity data. The “Magnetic High/Gravity High” area in the upper left centered near Long Lake is interpreted as a maﬁc intrusion (Pmg) and the “Magnetic Low/Gravity Low” as a granite intrusion (Pgr).

18 Figure 3. There are four basic Proterozoic rock types making up the bedrock5 of the Three Lakes Chain: Pgr – Granite intrusions (quartz and feldspar rich), Pmg – Mafic to Ultramafic intrusions (magnesium and iron rich), Pvs – Metavolcanic and metasedimentary “greenstone” and Pgn – Gneiss. The Niagara Fault is a major crustal boundary separating two continental plates. Unit Agn is Archean age Gneiss which occurs north of the Niagara Fault. constructed with a base map of magnetic intensity undertaking involves collecting and evaluating varying from low to high (green to red) overlain by countless clues and then formulating their best gravity contours. The “Magnetic High/Gravity High” interpretation. In areas of the state with covered area in the upper left centered near Long Lake bedrock, the resultant geological map is simplified indicates a highly dense, magnetic rock and the and could be considered “science fiction”. Geologists “Magnetic Low/Gravity Low” east of Big Stone Lake commonly find themselves in the difficult situation indicates a rock of low density and weak magnetism. of spinning a yarn with only a few facts (soothsaying) These respective areas were interpreted, by but also the enviable situation of weaving a story soothsayers from the State Geological Survey, as a that is difficult to refute. mafic intrusive (Pgm) and a granite intrusive (Pgr) Nonetheless, the oldest rocks in the region and for BAseMent roCKs that matter, on earth occur just a few miles north of The Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Three Lakes across a major crustal boundary known has done the detective work in piecing together an as the Niagara Fault (Figure 3). This east-west official geological map of the state1. Such an trending structure passes through the Town of Eagle 19 River on its way to transecting our country from later intruded by mafic (high magnesium and iron) coast to coast. North of this line, age dates of and felsic (granite) magmas. 2500-3650 million years place rocks in the When drifting off to sleep tonight, envision the rocks Precambrian-Archean era. This area lies on the edge underfoot and imagine the geologic history that of the Canadian Shield, an Archean-aged, three befell our little piece of Earth. In your dreams, are million square mile block of earth’s crust centered on you swimming across Glacial Lake Oneida or running Hudson’s Bay that forms the nucleus of the North from mastodons and the advancing ice in the American continental plate. Quaternary Era? How about dodging fiery volcanic On the southern margin of the Shield, the subsurface ash clouds and lava flows in the Proterozoic? Or are contains rocks with much younger age dates of you laying back in a hammock and enjoying a 1860-1500 million years placing them in the quiescent period of the stable craton in the Archean? Precambrian-Proterozoic era. At that time, plate So much to choose from, so much time (+3.5 billion tectonic forces are driving dense oceanic rocks on a years) from which to choose. collision course with the buoyant Canadian Shield causing widespread subduction, deformation, melting and volcanism. As a testament, rocks in the Three Lakes Chain area include basaltic lavas and 1 Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey (WGNHS), UW MADISON - Ice Age Geology sediment deposited in a deep-sea, subduction zone 2 Andrews (1973) The Wisconsin Laurentide Ice Sheet: Arctic and that were buried, heated and deformed into a Alpine Research, 5:3, 185- 3 Tierney, et al (2020) - Glacial Cooling and Climate Sensitivity sequence of metavolcanic and metasedimentary Revisited: Nature, 2020; 584. rocks known as “greenstones” due to the 4 Attig and Rawling (2016) Quaternary Geology of Oneida County, Wisconsin: WGNHS - OFR 2016-01 Plate 1 preponderance of the green metamorphic mineral 5 Greenberg and Brown (1984) Bedrock Geology of Wisconsin – chlorite (Figure 3). This greenstone sequence was Northeast Sheet: WGNHS UW EXT - Reg. Map Series

ABOUT THE AUTHOR The Rays have a history in Three Lakes dating back to 1969 and relocated from Colorado four years ago. John, Theresa (Griﬃn) and yellow lab, Buckwheat, are now year-round residents of Medicine Lake. John’s career as a geologist focused on the collection and interpretation of geological information and sent him throughout the western US, Mexico and Canada exploring for precious metals. He can be reached at www.tlwa.org.