FRIENDS OF LAKE MANAWA
SPRING NEWSLETTER – 2010
ANNUAL LAKE MANAWA CLEAN–UP SCHEDULED
Please join us on the afternoon of May 2nd from 1 p.m.—3 p.m. for the 6th Annual Lake Manawa Clean-up Day. This project, spearheaded by Mary and Richard Sellers is aimed primarily at cleaning up the winter debris. Snacks and raffle prizes abound. What a great way to spend an afternoon teaching your children or grandchildren how to give back! With park help scarce again this year, responsibility for maintaining our park falls to all of us. Let’s encourage everyone to clean up after themselves as well as pick up after others less enlightened.
ICE FISHING DERBY COMMITTEE DONATES MOWER TO LAKE MANAWA STATE PARK
Over the years the hard working Ice Fishing Derby Committee has accumulated enough profit to buy and donate a 60 inch Hustler commercial grade mower and Stihl trimmer to the park. The park staff is anxiously awaiting its delivery. Thanks to all who helped make this happen.
FOLM T-SHIRT SALES A HIT!
Have you seen one? Do you have one yet? Thanks to Judy Colyer’s ingenuity, Dave Harding’s logo artwork, and Deb Powell’s photographic skills, the Friends have captured a Lake Manawa pelican, logo and sailboat to grace our first ever FOLM t-shirts. Sales are on-going. You can order one using pay-pal on the Friend’s website—www.friendsoflakemanawa.org, print an order form from our facebook group page, or print the t-shirt form on the last page of this document. Orders will be processed monthly.
WINTERFEST ICE FISHING DERBY RECAP
Over one thousand fishermen hit the ice for the annual Ice Fishing Derby held on Saturday, January 30th. Major prize winners included: CAT ATV raffle drawing—Brandon Williams, HyVee $1,000 Big Fish Contest – Landon Stouffer, Ice House Decorating Contest—Frank Foust, Jr., and Doll’s Chili Cook Off Winner—Walter Secord. This was the first year for the well attended pre-tourney ICE BASH co-sponsored by Recycled Fish. It included a great fish feast with several scrumptiously prepared fish dishes, fishing seminars, door prizes, and a silent auction. Hats off to the Ice Fishing Derby Committee for another great derby weekend!
TEST DREDGE PUT ON HOLD DUE TO BUDGET WOES
Due to the drastic reduction of the State Lake Restoration Fund by the legislature; the test dredge for Lake Manawa has been postponed until funds become available. The Iowa DNR’s proposal to dredge portions of the lake, stabilize shorelines and greatly enhance the water quality has been under study for the last several years. The last planning phase of the project, an archeological core sampling, will be completed this year as funds for it have already been allocated. We would appreciate anyone who has contact with state legislators to continue to encourage their support of state park projects.
CAMPGROUND RELOCATION
The Iowa DNR’s proposal to relocate the campground from its existing location to the peninsula on the north side is progressing. Plans have been prepared and approved. The grading, drainage and roadway construction should begin this year. The balance of the project, including structures, pad sites and utility connections is slated to be completed in 2011. Once completed the project will result in an enlarged modern campground with enhanced safety and security. The Friends of Lake Manawa are searching for funding opportunities to help defray non-road work campground costs.
VOLUNTEER HELP NEEDED THIS SUMMER
All Iowa state parks have undergone budget cuts. The budget for Lake Manawa State Park has been slashed by another 10% over last year’s cuts. Dan Jacobs, Park Manager is in need of volunteer help. If you can volunteer a few hours of labor to help keep the park maintained, please call Dan at the park office, 366-0220 or email him at Daniel.Jacobs@dnr.iowa.gov.
WPSWCD TO STUDY LAKE MANAWA WATERSHED
The West Pottawattamie Soil and Water Conservation District has secured a grant to study and improve drainage in the Lake Manawa water shed. They have contacted residents requesting participation. Danelle Schmielau is conducting numerous workshops on rain barrel construction, water quality monitoring, and rain garden installation. She is available to help assess individual property runoff. If you are interested in gaining information pertaining to any of these areas, you can contact her at 712-328-2489 ext. 307, or email at Danelle.schmielau@pottswcd.org.
STORM WATER RUNOFF CARRIES CONTAMINANTS TO OUR LAKE!
Storm water runoff occurs when rain and snowmelt are not absorbed by the ground. This runoff either flows through a storm drain or runs directly into our lakes and streams. As it flows across driveways, parking lots, streets and roof tops it carries with it all the pollutants that have settled in those areas. This not only includes oil from automobiles and debris such as cigarette butts, but also animal waste and the results of overspreading when we fertilize our yards. We can prevent or reduce the accumulation of pollutants that are carried to our lake and streams by using several measures. One is cleaning up pet waste…you’d do it anyway to avoid stepping in it when you mow. Another is properly utilizing fertilizers and pesticides: sweep the overspread of fertilizer back into the yard where it will do some good. Find ways to reduce dependence on pesticides. Find ways to filter storm water runoff before it gets to the lakes by installing rain gardens, planting native plants, using rain barrels or using low impact development. These methods will also help stop erosion, minimize flooding, and protect our water quality. More information can be found in the May/June 2010 issue of Iowa Outdoors or on our website: www.friendsoflakemanawa.org.
RECYCLED FISH
For years anglers kept what they caught. And sure it’s ok to take a couple home for the dinner table, but proper handling techniques, proper care of the fish while on the hook and letting it go will lead to the continued enjoyment of fishermen for generations to come. Teeg Stouffer, a Council Bluffs resident, established Recycled Fish from the need for better fisheries, water
quality education and to live and promote a lifestyle of stewardship of the fish, the water and the land around it. Its vision encompasses not only the catch and release philosophy but an expanded focus to include SAFE (Sustaining Angling, Fish and Ecosystems) Angling. They sponsor many quality fishing events nationwide. On their website, www.recycledfish.org they have stewardship tips, an on line store, catch and release best practices and selective harvest tips. Teeg also spends a good deal of time ON Lake Manawa! If you want to know what is biting and what they are biting on, just keep an eye out for a guy in a kayak, often with a dog on board! The Friends of
Lake Manawa group has benefited from a positive relationship with Recycled Fish. We share a common vision of improving Lake Manawa to be the best lake it can be, a lake we can be proud to leave to our children, grandchildren and the Council Bluffs community.
KEEPING IN THE KNOW – FRIENDS OF LAKE MANAWA ON FACEBOOK
The Friends of Lake Manawa is now a group on Facebook. Come one, come all. Post your lake related comments; Lake Manawa pictures; get invited to park events; and participate in discussion topics. Keep in the know! Join the group!
OUR THANKS TO…… We have made an effort to keep operating expenses to a minimum by seeking volunteer support from professionals and community businesses and resources. We would like to publicly thank: Ryan Sewell and Jennifer A. Carlson of Stuart Tinley Law Firm LLP for reviewing the proposed new by-laws. Dickinson & Clark CPA’s, PC for donating their professional tax services The Council Bluffs Fish and Game Club for allowing us to meet in their facility Jeff Kelly for continuing to keep our website up to date …and everyone else who make Lake Manawa a great place to live and play!
2010 MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS The Friends of Lake Manawa board would like thank you for your continued support and encourage you to renew your membership for 2010. You can either renew with paypal on the Friends of Lake Manawa website: www.friendsoflakemanawa.org, or mail in the form below. We currently have 569 members. There are four types of memberships—
individual memberships ($10) which include the right to one vote at the October annual meeting, family memberships($15) which allow two votes, associate individual memberships (free), and corporate memberships ($100) which allow two votes. Associate members pay no dues and are not entitled to a vote, but will receive our newsletters by email. As we are a 501c3 charitable organization, all membership dues should be tax deductible. (Please check with your tax advisor.) Questions concerning your membership status can be emailed to friendsoflakemanawa@cox.net. All memberships will be good until January of 2011.
