December 22 Lake Surface Temp - FROZEN
Lake Level = 25.2" Above OHWM
Lake Level = 25.2" Above OHWM
In the Northwoods of Oneida County, Wisconsin
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Lake Mildred Surface Temperature
April 26 - 52 degrees
11/15/14=ice-up 4/12/15 ice-outApril 26 - 52 degrees
Lake Level up about 12" in 5 months!
Richard Nelson shared this photo of a coyote he spotted roaming up & down the lake in front of the Ebben's home. The coyote appeared repeatedly, for hours. Very strange behavior, and very thin ice.
CLICK
IMAGES TO
ENLARGE
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ENLARGE
May 6 - WATER NOW IN LAKE MILDRED & CLEAR LAKE CHANNEL!
John & Kristine Mladucky were up last weekend, to spend an AWESOME weekend, fishing, kayaking, and even enjoying cleaning up around the cottage.
And look at what they sent us - a beautiful picture of water in the channel now joining Lake Mildred and Clear Lake - once again!
John & Kristine Mladucky were up last weekend, to spend an AWESOME weekend, fishing, kayaking, and even enjoying cleaning up around the cottage.
And look at what they sent us - a beautiful picture of water in the channel now joining Lake Mildred and Clear Lake - once again!
~~ Upcoming Events ~~
2015 Meeting dates are now posted at LMPOA "Meetings/Minutes" (click here)
SPRING KICK-OFF MEETING!
May 23rd, 9:00 AM, Newbold Town Hall
Special Guest speaker! (details inside)
SPRING KICK-OFF MEETING!
May 23rd, 9:00 AM, Newbold Town Hall
Special Guest speaker! (details inside)
Lake Mildred Area
DECEMBER 22 - WHY ARE LOONS DECLINING? Studies have shown that loons appears to be on a long slow decline. But why?! Dr Piper of The Loon Project recently wrote about that very subject. See https://loonproject.org/2019/12/16/why-are-loons-declining/.DECEMBER 7 - THE LAKE IS NOW COMPLETELY FROZEN - The 'big bowl' of Lake Mildred froze over and re-opened since December 2, but now it looks to be frozen for the season; so we will call December 7 as the date the lake froze completely over. This year was a little unusual because the narrower part of the lake has been frozen for 2 weeks (altho the ice there is thin & wet & weak after having 2 feet of snow dumped on only about an inch of ice. Interestingly, if you look at the data on our Ice-Up page, it is apparent that in the last 30 years ice-up has gotten later and later on average. Like our climate is warming???
NOVEMBER 30 - SCIENTISTS EXPLAIN DECLINING WALLEYE POPULATIONS - Paul Evans passes on a fascinating article explaining why some scientists believe the walleye fishing in Northern Wisconsin is declining. https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/environment/uw-study-says-hidden-overharvest-contributing-to-decline-of-walleye/article_c7701fa6-1235-5876-b979-d6ef11168445.html
NOVEMBER 30 - SUDDENLY IT IS WINTER - About a week ago we were hit with a big bad winter storm that dropped 13" of wet heavy snow that dropped many trees, knocking out power to thousands. And the weather forecasts are for another similar -and possibly even bigger- storm to hit here tonight. With all the snow currently weighing down the trees, we're concerned. But out snowblowers and generators are gassed up & ready.
OCTOBER - STAN STRUB SENDS LAKE LEVEL HISTORY - Stan Strub sends us this excellent graphic depicting the water level on Clear Lake from October 2013 to the present. As you can see, Clear Lake is 6 feet above the low level seen in 2013 - 6 FEET higher! Lake Mildred is connected to Clear Lake, so those measurements should relate to Mildred as well as Clear. All across the Northwoods, lakes are seeing similar high water levels.
OCTOBER 27 - FALL IS FALLING - Everything seems to be falling lately; the leaves, the temperature, me (oak leaves really are slippery when they're wet and cover everything! >g<). And everyone seems to be battening down the hatches in prep for winter, as docks and boat lifts are emptying or being pulled out for the season.
OCTOBER 5 - RAIN KEEPS FALLING & LAKES KEEP RISING - Slowly but surely, the lake keeps rising, setting new record high levels not seen in over 100+ years. Given that many areas of the world are experiencing killer heat & droughts, we should not complain too loudly.
Also, we can be thankful for the near-absence of bugs in this cooler weather!
SEPTEMBER 20 - GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE *TODAY* - Don't just stand there, DO something. If you like the "outdoors", DO something before it's gone.
SEPTEMBER 19 - THE LAKE IS COOLING DOWN WITH FALL - The insect population has plummetted (noticed the drastic drop in mosquitoes?!) and you may especially see this near the lake. The fish certainly have taken notice - and moved to deeper water. Hard to even find a bluegill in shallow water these days.
SEPTEMBER 15 - RECENT RAINS = BACK TO RECORD HIGH LAKE LEVEL - Have to wonder when/if this wet pattern will reverse.
SEPTEMBER 11 - ALARMING DECLINE IN THE LOON POPULATION?! Dr. Walter Piper, who directs the Loon Project and coordinates the study of loons in Northern Wisconsin, recently wrote an article describing a trend of loon decline since 1993, which might possibly be cause for alarm regarding the long-term disappearance of loons. You can read Dr. Piper's article in The Loon Project (click here).
SEPTEMBER 3 - NEXT YEAR'S (2020) AGENDA IS NOW ONLINE
(Mark Your Calendar!)
>and<
THE MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 31 MEETING NOW ONLINE - See both at the Lake Association Meetings/Minutes Page.
AUGUST 17 - CLEAR WATER! LAKE MILDRED LAKE TEST TODAY - The August lake water test is in the books today, and the Ebbens report that they found a Secchi Disc reading (a water clarity test) of 23 feet! 23 foot water clarity in August - you gotta love that!
HIGH LAKE WATER LEVEL - In case you missed it, the latest lake water level is now 25.8 inches above the OHWM (Ordinary High Water Mark). That's the highest level that anyone has ever seen here.
JULY 28 - NEXT MEMBERSHIP MEETING COMING UP SATURDAY AUGUST 31 WITH SPECIAL SPEAKER PATRICK GOGGIN -
Patrick Goggin is a Lake Specialist with UW-Extension Lakes,
and works closely with the Wisconsin Lakes Partnership team, collaborating on the development of educational programming and materials for people of the lakes. Areas of interest for him include helping lake organizations with their community goals, sharing lake management tools and resources for aquatic ecosystems, and aiding people in gaining a better understanding and appreciation for the native flora of Wisconsin lakeshores. He works for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin-Extension Lakes out of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Service Center in Rhinelander.
JULY 21 - HEAT WAVE! Whew, we are just coming off a classic mid-summer heat wave, with temps in the upper 80s to a high of 91 last week; the lake temperature soared as well - to 82 degrees.
JULY 9 - CLEAR LAKE ROAD NEEDS CULVERT? Now that the water is high, it has become quite obvious that when Clear Lake Road was constructed & filled across the natural Clear Lake/Maud Lake channel or wetland -without a culvert- then Maud Lake & Clear Lake were "cut off" from each other by the road filling. It certainly appears that there should be a culvert put in place so that the natural ebb & flow of water connecting the two water bodies was restored. 100 years ago we didn't realize the effect that our bulldozing and road filling had on neighboring water bodies. We do now. Looking at an overhead view of the area (such as the County GIS map) shows that Maud Lake was clearly part of the Mildred "Chain" of lakes.
JULY 6 - BOAT PARADE RECORDS! Today was the Annual Lake Mildred Independence Day Flotilla, and it was record-setter big with at least 25 boats, parading around the lake. And then the parade conveniently ended near LMPOA President Mick Howen's home, where Mick's band (the Blue Steel Band) was performing live right by the lake. Good warm & sunny weather, Good band, and Good fun! (Note - there are more photos on the "Photos -2019" page.
JULY 5 - PONTOON BOAT TRAILER FOR SALE - John & Stephanie Fischer have a nice Palm Beach pontoon boat trailer for sale, pictured at right (click to enlarge), for $700. If interested you can call John at 715-344-6323.
JULY 2 - HOT HOT HOT! Wow it's been hot & humid lately with more to come. The lake is warming up nicely and is now very comfy for swimming, and cooling off. And don't forget the Annual Floatilla is coming this Saturday at 3 PM.
JUNE 18- 'DA BEARS' RAIDING BIRD FEEDERS! -
These bear cubs are but half of the group, with another cub and their mom just 'bearely' missing their photo opportunity. These 3 cubs and the sow have been tearing down bird feeders all over the North shore of Lake Mildred. The sow is easily recognized by having a bad front paw and walks on 3 legs. (Sandy Ebben photo)
JUNE 16 - ANOTHER NEW RECORD HIGH WATER LEVEL - The rain just keeps falling, and now the lake level is over 25 inches ABOVE the OHWM (Ordinary High Water Mark). As the water level rises, one can see more and more trees being inundated and dying off. The end result may be more & more 'fish sticks' as the dead trees fall into the lake. Good for the fish maybe, but not everyone will be happy with the result.
COOL WEATHER KEEPS THE LAKE COOL - At 68 degrees, the lake's surface water is relatively cool for mid June, which may help explain the lower-than-usual number of dragonflies, and also the fewer-than-expected mosquitoes.....so far.
JUNE 7 - DRAGONFLIES TO THE RESCUE!!! At long last, the first dragonflies of the season have made their appearance on Lake Mildred this afternoon. Not many, but it's a start. Whew!
JUNE 5 - STILL NO AIR FORCE (DRAGONFLIES) BUT PLENTY OF BEAR PROBLEMS - Still no sign of dragonflies (with their voracious mosquito-eating appetite!). However, much to the chagrin of many bird lovers, bears have been roaming the area and busily tearing down bird feeders and hummingbird feeders. Sometimes it seems hopeless to keep a bird feeder up and away from the bears, but there are some helpful tips out there, such as keeping feeders up & off the ground at least 7-1/2 feet, out of the reach of even the tallest black bear. Of course there are also squirrels (and their ability to jump 10 feet jump horizontally) and raccoons to contend with. We're trying a 10 foot tall steel pipe with a stove-pipe squirrel baffle to beat them all, which works good so far. So far. Thank you, Google & YouTube!
MAY 30 - ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END....such as the absence of mosquitoes. All across the Northwoods come reports of the sudden appearance of the inevitable mosquitoes. But now the question is: how long before the dragonflies appear and grant us salvation???
MAY 27 - MEMORIAL WEEKEND SPORTS NICE WEATHER! Warm & sunny Saturday & Sunday.
GOOSE CHICKS APPEAR! - The proud pair of Canada geese paraded their newly hatched chicks down the lake today. There were 3 or 4 goslings (it was hard to tell for sure as the family swam in tight little group.)
AND STILL NO MOSQUITOS - The late spring has kept the skeeters from hatching - so far. But it won't be long, and with all the rain we've had, we wonder how big the coming hatch will be. Just hope the dragonfly air force is close behind.
MAY 23 - THE LAKE KEEPS WARMING (AND RISING!) - It is nice to see the lakes warming up, albeit slowly, but it is not nice to see the lakes continue to rise to new record-high levels not seen in hundreds or thousands of years. But let's look at the bright side - the mosquitoes have still not hatched, which makes those outdoor chores SO mich more enjoyable. Those chores will include moving and raising the boat docks for most of us.
MAY 18 - MARK YOUR CALENDAR - The Annual Spring Meeting of the LMPOA is next Saturday, May 25 at 9 am at the Newbold Town Hall. Our extra special guest speaker is Ted Rulsch, author of "A Lakeside Companion".
WONDERING - With the lake now nearly 2 feet above the Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM) and the lake shore expanding, perhaps Lake Mildred is now over the 200 acre mark in size??? Just curious.
MAY 11 - LATEST LAKE ASSOCIATION NEWLETTER NOW AVAILABLE - SEE "Lake Association Newsletters & Dues", at left.
APRIL 26 - ICE OUT! - Today started with the lake about 40% ice free, but by the end of the day the lake was 95% free of ice. Hallelujah!
APRIL 23 - FIRST LOON HEARD THIS MORNING! - It's always a harbinger of Spring to hear the first loon call at Lake Mildred. The loon was flying over the lake, and that's always how it begins; the lake ice is getting very bad and starting to break up on the North shore, the Wood Ducks & Mallards are already in the little open water, and it won't be long before the loons can land.
APRIL 21 - THIN ICE - Warmer days (yesterday and today both near 70 degrees) has the ice melting quickly, with a few feet of open water along the North shore. The rest of the lake is still ice covered, but the ice getting "splotchy" colored and rotten. A few ducks have even started swimming in the small open-water patches. This view is Southwesterly with Bear Paw Island on the left. (Sandy Ebben photo)
APRIL 18 - NEW LETTER TO ALL MEMBERS FROM PRESIDENT MICK HOWEN - Mick pens his Spring Welcome letter to everyone and talks a little about this coming season. His letter can be seen at the'Presidents Corner' (or click here).
RAIN & WARMING TEMPERATURES ARE MELTING SNOW FAST - There is still snow to be seen on the ground at this point, with maybe 60% of the ground still white, but it won't be long......
THERE IS STILL ICE ON THE LAKE - And although it may be fairly thick, the lake ice is getting very rotten & weak. On the North shore a couple feet of the ice along shore has melted, and it may not be much but it is still VERY nice to see a little open water!
> SEEING A LOT OF THESE SIGNS
AROUND LAKE MILDRED & CLEAR LAKE
Everyone who joins LMPOA receives
one of these blue signs and the bolts
to mount it on the fire number pole.
Joining LMPOA is a great way to help
protect and preserve Lakes Mildred
and Clear for future generations.
2019 LAKE MILDRED HOMES FOR SALE - You can see the latest listings at the "Real Estate for Sale" page, or by clicking HERE.
GANGS IN THE STREET - This photo is from several years ago, but we still love Bonnie Draeger's photo of a large bear family checking out a house that was for sale near Lake Mildred.
>To see the News that previously appeared here, click on Older News<
CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE
"A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature."
- Walden, by Henry David Thoreau -
- Walden, by Henry David Thoreau -
KEEP LAKE MILDRED CRYSTAL CLEAR
(8/20/18 CLARITY = 24 FEET)
To prevent invasive species, Please clean your boat, trailer, and bilge before moving it between lakes.
(8/20/18 CLARITY = 24 FEET)
To prevent invasive species, Please clean your boat, trailer, and bilge before moving it between lakes.
MEMBER OF NEWBOLD LAKES COMMITTEE.
click here to check them out
click here to check them out
"If you were grading on a curve...compared to other lakes in Wisconsin...Lake Mildred is at the top of the gifted and talented list"
-- Tim Hayman, Lake Scientist, Onterra Inc,
If you would like to join our email list to receive info about Lake Mildred, newsletters and the like, just let us know by sending an email to LMPOA secretary Sandy Ebben (click here)
Preserve & Protect Lake Mildred
for Future Generations.
Prevent Invasive Specioes.
Keep Lake Mildred Crystal Clear --
Lake Clarity 5/13/13 = 28 feet
for Future Generations.
Prevent Invasive Specioes.
Keep Lake Mildred Crystal Clear --
Lake Clarity 5/13/13 = 28 feet
The Mildred Chain of Lakes
WE HOPE YOU LIKE THE WEBSITE MAKEOVER
-> Re-organized Menus and info -> New & Updated Fishing and Lake Plan Pages
> The new Photos pages have *many* more photos
Lake Mildred Property Owners Association (LMPOA) News
(note: for older news see Association page)
(note: for older news see Association page)
SEPTEMBER 6 - THE NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS & OFFICERS are now posted online; see the details at the About LMPOA page.
and
and
2015 MEETING SCHEDULE ALSO POSTED at that page.
SEPTEMBER 2 - Eli Simon & Jasmine Labs have been hired by LMPOA as Lake Mildred Clean Boats/Clean Waters Boat Inspectors (see their photo, right)
AUGUST 30 - ANOTHER NICE TURNOUT FOR THE FALL LMPOA MEETING! We had an interesting meeting and covered many subjects, as well as electing new directors. More details will be posted here in a day or two....but meanwhile, THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS to our new directors!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION - SHORT BIOS NOW AVAILABLE - At the next meeting of LMPOA (on August 30, 9 am) the members will be electing some new directors. CLICK HERE to see a short bio of the 4 candidates running for the positions on the board
SEPTEMBER 2 - Eli Simon & Jasmine Labs have been hired by LMPOA as Lake Mildred Clean Boats/Clean Waters Boat Inspectors (see their photo, right)
AUGUST 30 - ANOTHER NICE TURNOUT FOR THE FALL LMPOA MEETING! We had an interesting meeting and covered many subjects, as well as electing new directors. More details will be posted here in a day or two....but meanwhile, THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS to our new directors!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION - SHORT BIOS NOW AVAILABLE - At the next meeting of LMPOA (on August 30, 9 am) the members will be electing some new directors. CLICK HERE to see a short bio of the 4 candidates running for the positions on the board
Somewhat premature elation, perhaps, but we can't help it, given the warming temps and melting snow....
Neal Smout, Connie Muckelberg, Carl Corey and Pete Muckelberg display the new "Kids Don't Float" life-preserver lending station for Lake Mildred's boat landing.
Pete Muckelberg & Neal Smout display LMPOA's New Banner that will sometimes be displayed at the boat landing - to help prevent Invasive Species
HAVE ANY MATERIAL OR PICTURES YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE ON THE WEBSITE?
HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS WEBSITE? If so, please EMAIL ME!
HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS WEBSITE? If so, please EMAIL ME!
9-28-14 Bobby Draeger (son of Bonnie & Steve Draeger) heard this moose walking thru the woods near the West side of their house and cross Lake Mildred in just 3-4 minutes.
Lake Level Trend since ice-out 4/15/16
Level = 2.0" below OHWM (-2.0 OHWM)
Lake Level Has Risen 10" since Ice-Out
> CLICK FOR GRAPH & DATA <
Level = 2.0" below OHWM (-2.0 OHWM)
Lake Level Has Risen 10" since Ice-Out
> CLICK FOR GRAPH & DATA <
HAVE ANY MATERIAL OR PICTURES YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE ON THE WEBSITE?
HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS WEBSITE? If so, please EMAIL ME!
HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS WEBSITE? If so, please EMAIL ME!
Copyright 2017 David Ebben