Why Become a Member?

Water Quality Monitoring

CLA has joined with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to be a part of its citizen water monitoring program.

What do Water Monitors Do?

Volunteers conduct water clarity tests at least twice a month each summer at designated locations on lakes or streams. To determine water clarity, volunteers find the disappearance/reappearance point of a Secchi disk as it descends into a lake or a specially designed stream collection tube. Volunteers submit their readings at the end of each monitoring season to the MPCA.

The MPCA uses volunteer-collected data in two important ways:

· To detect trends in water clarity over time. Increases or decreases in water clarity may indicate changes in water quality on a lake or stream.

· To formally assess the health of lakes and streams by comparing them to state water quality standards. Lakes and streams that fail to meet water quality standards are categorized as impaired and require restoration to improve their overall health.

· For lakes, volunteer water clarity readings help determine if swimming standards are being met by combining them with phosphorus and chlorophyll-a (algae) data.

· For streams, volunteer water clarity readings help determine if sediment standards are being met. (learn more about this @ About the programs | Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (state.mn.us) 

Invasive Plant Control (AIS)

Our AIS Team is growing! Our goal is to inspect regularly in the event an invasive species is detected and report it to the MNDNR. As of now, Cross Lake has Eurasian Water Milfoil and Curly Leaf Pond weed in various areas of the lake. Invasive species are typically spread through boats. 

Erosion Control

CLA is working together with the Pine County and other agencies to educate property owners regarding best practices for protecting the ecosystem and water quality, and preventing harmful runoff and shoreline erosion.

Advocacy

We communicate with the townships and County on issues in accordance with our mission statement, on behalf of the entire lake community.

Protecting Your Investment

Property Values on Cross Lake and the Snake River are very good primarily because of the water quality. Invasive plants and/or pollution could potentially decrease property values by upwards of 20%. Every year we contract with Lake Management to treat AIS. We have not been able to eradicate them but have been able to keep them under control. Your help is greatly needed! Raking and disposing of AIS as well as inspecting your water craft will help keep our lake and river cleaner. 

Cross Lake Association is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your donations are tax deductible to the full amount allowed by law (check with your tax adviser).

Membership Dues

Base membership: $25 from January – December 

Why Your Support is Critical

As with any entity, there are fundamental costs to exist. Your base membership dollars fund such expenses as; publications, postage, insurance and general operating expenses, which allow us to exist and serve you.

Support received beyond the base membership, enables us to take on specific Water Quality initiates requiring our attention, advocacy and financial support, such as run off and shoreline management.