Michigan Lake & Stream Associations

 


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Lake Leaders Institute

This web page is presented by Michigan Lake and Stream Associations, Inc. (MLSA). This state wide Association, organized in 1961, is a non-profit corporation comprised of individuals and associations who desire to conserve and improve Michigan's lakes, rivers and streams, and their watersheds, and the Great Lakes, and to protect and promote the wise use of Michigan's Water resources.

Our purpose is to encourage and support all sorts of riparian property owners, lake, stream, and watershed associations, legislative bodies and agencies of local and state government and the general public to maintain "swimable" and "fishable" waters and to prevent the contamination of groundwater aquifers and their sources.

Central Office Address:
Michigan Lake and Stream Association, Inc.
306 E. Main St.
Stanton, MI 48888
989-831-5100 / 989-831-5190
The Michigan Riparian Magazine
304 E. Main St.
Stanton, MI 48888
989-831-5100 / 989-831-5190

***Important News Update ... potentially the most significant Michigan Court of Appeals decision affecting Michigan riparians in a generation or more 

*** Action Alert!... The Disastrous Parallel Road Decision

*** An Attorney Writes - Parallel Roads at Lakes Case

MI Court of Appeals Rules in 2000 Baum Family Trust v. Babel Case

On June 23, 2009, the Michigan Court of Appeals issued a lake waterfront decision which could have dramatic consequences for tens of thousands of properties at lakes throughout Michigan.  In its opinion in the 2000 Baum Family Trust v Babel opinion (Case No. 284547), the Court essentially held that lots or properties located along plat-dedicated public roads that parallel the lakeshore in Michigan are generally not riparian or lakefront properties. 

In the past, courts throughout Michigan have generally concluded that where a public road runs parallel to a lake and there was no intervening property between the road right-of-way and the lake when the plat created the road, the “first tier” of lots on the public road are lakefront or riparian.  It has long been assumed that the owners of those first tier lots have exclusive rights to dockage, boat mooring, and other riparian activities located across the road at the shoreline.  For most such lots, the decision in the 2000 Baum case means that those lots are no longer lakefront or riparian properties and may not be able to utilize dockage or boat moorage or engage in similar riparian activities at the adjacent lakeshore.

If this case ends up before the Michigan Supreme Court, the Michigan Lake & Stream Associations, Inc. and Michigan Waterfront Alliance, Inc. anticipate filing an amicus curiae brief in favor of the first tier lot owners.  This case is potentially the most significant riparian decision issued in Michigan in a generation or more.  This decision could also have unbelievably negative ramifications for first tier lot owners throughout the state.  Learn about this significant riparian rights case in the August 2009 issue of The Michigan Riparian

To read the Court of Appeals Brief, click here..
To read the entire Michigan Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in this case, click here
                                                                          


MLSA Conferences

49th Annual Conference
Radisson Hotel Lansing
April 30th & May 1st 2010


Save the dates! The ML&SA 49th Annual Conference promises to be our biggest and best ever! Join us at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Lansing as we again celebrate and explore Michigan’s most valuable natural treasures – our inland lakes and streams. Whether you are a riparian property owner, a lake and stream manager, natural resources educator, or an avid outdoor sports enthusiast - this conference offers an excellent opportunity to learn more about our magnificent freshwater resources and meet old friends and colleagues in our state’s capital. Visit this website later this year for additional information and 49th Annual Conference registration information. 

2009 Regional Fall Conferences - Schedules will be posted in the Regional News

Other Conferences

Taking Charge: Special Assessment Districts for Lake Improvements

Friday October 16, 2009 at the Kettunen Center in Tustin Michigan

The Michigan Inland Lakes Partnership and the Michigan Chapter of the North American Lake Management Society (McNalms) will be holding It's first conference, dedicated to the topic of special assessment districts for lake improvements.  The conference is co-sponsored by the MLSA.  Anyone involved in lake management, those interested in forming a lake improvement special assessment district, or those who love Michigan's inland lakes are encouraged to attend.

For information, visit http://www.mcnalms.org

Lake & Stream Leaders Institute  

The 2009 program involves five sessions of classroom learning and field work.  The first session will be held on May 16, 2009 at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center on Higgins lake .  The next three sessions will be held on July 30, 31, and August 1, 2009 at Kellogg Biological Station near Kalamazoo.  The last session and graduation dinner will be held at the Bengel Wildlife Center in Bath on October 2, 2009.

MLSA Information

About MLSA
What is MLSA?
History of MLSA
What does MLSA do?
What are the benefits of membership in MLSA?
Applying for membership in MLSA
Who's Who in MLSA 
"Lake Classifications - Part 1"
"Lake Classifications - Part 2"
 

Lake & Stream - Science & Management

An outstanding website created by the U. S. EPA - learn about the watershed you live in

Earn a free certificate of on-line training in watershed management
from the United States Environmental Protection Agency

 
A well written and easy to understand explanation  of watersheds, lake and stream ecology and water quality

MSU's Institute of Water Research - Explore the interesting and very useful world of digital watershed mapping

Discover affordable and attractive methods of minimizing the amount of storm water runoff and associated pollutants generated by your lake or stream property

Read an outstanding report written by the MDNR on managing Michigan’s inland lake resources

Find out about lake and fish friendly
alternatives for managing your inland lake
shoreline


Learn about the aquatic invasive species that have profoundly altered the ecosystems of our Great Lakes, inland lakes and streams

Find out what our friends in Wisconsin are doing to manage their inland lakes

Other Information

Planning and Zoning Center is an instrument for local government and state-wide education, training, and consulting in the arena of community planning and land use issues.

A Field Guide to Underwater Aquatic Plants of the Great Lakes - a web site dedicated to aquatic plants found in the great lakes, by Donald W. Schloesser and converted for the Web by Timothy J. Fiest

Web video: What to do When FALLING THROUGH THE ICE

Information on Swimmers Itch

Information from the 2/6/2009 Botulism Coordination Meeting and Information about the Botulism Plague

Information on the VHS Virus in Michigan (4/25/08)

Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP)

 
15th Annual Secchi Dip-In (June 27 - July 19, 2009) - Open to any program or qualified individual in the world. 
The Dip-In is a network of volunteer programs and volunteers, that, together with all the other Dip-In participants, gather and provide continent-wide (and world-wide) information.

2009 CLMP Spring Phosphorus Results- Now Available

2008 CLMP Annual Report
 
For more information about the CLMP program, link to the MiCorps CLMP site.

MiCorps Online Newsletter:  MiCorps now publishes an online newsletter (The MiCorps Monitor)  that is full of updates and information on the activities and individuals in the MLSA, the MDEQ, and MiCorps. 
 

DNR Links

Michigan Recreational Boating Information for access sites and harbor information

Legal Issues & Bills before the Legislature

Cliff Bloom has written several articles on the law that are important to Riparian owners. Latest update: June 17th, 2009  Three new articles.

In addition to the regular articles by Cliff Bloom, Opinion 7211 from Mike Cox, the Michigan Attorney General has been added.  This opinion is in regards to Lands End Roads.  Go to the Lake Ends Opinion  (PDF Format - Posted 2/3/08)

PUBLIC HEALTH CODE (EXCERPT)

Watercraft Disinfection Stations

Watercraft Disinfection Stations - Updated Information (3/23/2009)

DNR Press Release (3/31/2009) - New volunteer effort is underway to provide disinfection stations at boat launches

Aquatic Nuisance Species

DEQ Press Release (6/10/2009) -- Michigan promotes clean boats, clean waters through Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Week

External Links - Helpful Topics

Attorney General Mike Cox announced that he has sent a letter to the United States Fish & Wildlife Service urging the federal government to take action to protect the Great Lakes from threats presented by two species of Asian carp.  Information is on the following web site:
http://www.michigan.gov/minewswire

Links to articles that may be of interest to riparian owners 

Important Item...On January 30, 2008, Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox issued a formal opinion indicating that the legislation proposed by backlot property owner groups regarding public road ends would likely be unconstitutional (or be a “taking”), under both the Michigan and the U.S. Constitutions.  The Michigan Attorney General’s written opinion severely undercuts some of the most significant legal arguments made by the proponents of the backlotters’ public road end bills.  Please review the following copy of the Attorney General’s Opinion..

***Newly Posted (4/2/2009)

MDEQ Land and Water Management Division - Question and Answer Document

The MDEQ compiled this question and answer document in response to requests for information regarding Michigan's Wetland Program (operated by the MDEQ Land and Water Management Division) and potential changes to the program currently under consideration (i.e. relinquishing the program to the federal government).

Regional News & Alliance

Check your region for the fall seminars
  Regional News 
Michigan Waterfront Alliance

Association Web Sites

Visit MLSA Association Web Sites
(Find out about our Web Hosting Services too!)
 

Sponsors

Corporate Sponsors  (Updated 10/02/2008) 

      Riparian News

Michigan Riparian Magazine (Now ON-LINE, the "searchable" Riparian Magazine)
 
MLSA/MWA Newsletter

Feb 2007 MWA Newsletter
Feb 2007 MLSA Newsletter

Nov 2006 MWA Newsletter
Nov 2006 MLSA Newsletter

Aug 2006 MWA Newsletter
Aug 2006 MLSA Newsletter
Impact of CAFOs

Feb 2005 Letter to Members
Aug 2004 Newsletter
May 2004  Newsletter
Feb 2004   Newsletter 

Nov 2003-Pg 1  Newsletter    
Nov 2003 Pg 2-4  Newsletter 
Nov 2003-Pg 5-7 Newsletter

Pages listed above are all in PDF format.  To get the latest reader click on the Icon below.


Michigan Lake and Stream Associations, Inc. is interested in receiving your comments and sharing that feedback with us. We also invite any questions that you may have about the organization or, more generally, about Lakes, Streams, or Watersheds with which our membership might be able to help.

For General Information relating to Michigan Lake & Stream Associations, please send email to info@mlswa.org
If you notice any corrections that need to be made to MLSWA's web site or broken links  please notify the webmaster at corrections@mlswa.org


We wish to thank Orthopaedic Associates of Grand Rapids for their helping to make this Home Page possible.

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