LAKE NEWS
Potential harmful algal bloom - Ryerson Lake
From: Rafalski, Alexandra (DHHS) <RafalskiA@michigan.gov>
Sent: Monday, November 23, 2020 3:22:42 PM
To: Dale Twing <DaleT@co.newaygo.mi.us>; April Pickard <aprilp@co.newaygo.mi.us>; Tom Reichard <treichard@dhd10.org>
Cc: Gray, Jennifer (DHHS-Contractor) <GrayJ@michigan.gov>; Peters, Susan (DHHS-Contractor) <PetersS6@michigan.gov>; Parker, Aaron (EGLE) <ParkerA7@michigan.gov>; Schalow, Michele (MDARD) <SchalowM@michigan.gov>
Subject: FW: potential harmful algal bloom - Ryerson Lake
Hi Tom, Dale, and April,
EGLE received a complaint over the weekend of a cyanobacterial bloom in Ryerson Lake in Fremont – see attached pictures. The location is the west shoreline at South Sherman Rd. and 40th St., which is where the bloom was present yesterday. Attached is also a picture of the complainant’s dog who went in the water, we have not heard yet whether the dog got sick, but we have inquired. There is a township park down the road from the complainant’s home and we do not have information on if the bloom is present at the park. Unfortunately, EGLE will not be able to visit to collect a sample for algal toxin analysis due to COVID travel restrictions.
There seems to be a pretty active lake association https://ryersonlake.com/. The lake association may benefit from some harmful algal bloom awareness (HAB) information to share with their membership as dogs (and people) should be kept out of areas with obvious cyanobacterial blooms to be kept from potentially getting very sick. I have attached some HAB FAQs that that could be shared.
Question: I note that Ryerson Lake has an improvement board with Newaygo County, which is why I am reaching out to the Drain Commissioner’s Office. I am wondering if your office may already have a contact with the lake association and be able to share the HABs FAQs or other HABs information? We also have information on our website www.michigan.gov/habs.
Please let us know if you need any more information or if we can provide any communications assistance.
Alex
Alex Rafalski, Ph.D.
Toxicologist
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Division of Environmental Health
Cell: 517-881-1046
Below are some links with further information about blue-green algae and ways that lakefront homeowners can prevent nutrients from entering waterbodies.
https://www.michigan.gov/
https://www.canr.msu.edu/
http://www.ces.fau.edu/usgs/
https://www.hrwc.org/wp-
https://www.uaex.edu/
https://www.youtube.com/
The Ryerson Lake Association
The Lake Association consists of residents that own properties around the lake, which includes Camp Echo. Your $30 per year dues pay to maintain the boat launch, stock fish, half of the cost of the July 4th fireworks (the other half by Camp Echo) and this website.
Everyone on the lake benefits from what the association does, so please encourage your neighbors to join.
Association members are encouraged to post photographs, lost and found and calendar events on our website
Lake History
The Summer Resort that Started on a Shoe String Budget
Written by Mrs. Fred (Bertha) Coburn
About the Lake
The bottom of Ryerson Lake was first mapped in the early 1940s by the Michigan Conservation Department. The lake has a surface area of 250 acres and a watershed area of 3,847 acres, a ratio of 1:15.4. The maximum recorded depth of the lake is 82 feet, and the average depth of Ryerson Lake is 27 feet. Despite having large areas of deep water, Ryerson Lake also contains shallow sand and marl areas. These shallow areas support aquatic plants and provide quality habitat for fish and wildlife. The shoreline of Ryerson Lake is over four miles long, and there are four small tributaries flow into Ryerson Lake.
Ryerson Lake’s outlet at the south end flows to Ludke Drain, through Kimball and Pickerel Lakes, and into Penoyer Creek which, in turn, flows into the Muskegon River and into Lake Michigan. There are approximately 230 feet of fall between Ryerson Lake and Lake Michigan.
Boating Rules
Operating Hours are 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
No Wake All Other Hours
Travel in a Counter-Clockwise Direction
All Watercraft Must Obey These and all Other State Laws
Fishing
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Fishing regulations for 2018 through 2021. Ryerson Lake is still listed in the 5 Pike per day and only 1 over 24 inches. |
Please remember NOT to fish on spawning beds for any type of fish. This will help improve our lake for fishing if we adhere to this request. Please remind any guests that you have invited to fish with you.
Beach Sand Regulations
Please keep in mind that you need to get a permit from the Newaygo County Drain Commissioner. To put sand in the lake, you need to get a permit from the Michigan DEQ.