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The Horseshoe Lake Improvement Association brings lake shore property owners together to discuss and take action on matters that affect the quality of life on the lake and to protect owner investment. The Association is a non-profit organization. Membership is open to all Horseshoe lake shore property owners. Horseshoe Lake is located on the border of Polk and Barron Counties about three miles northwest of the town of Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. Approximately 60% of the lake is in Polk County. The lake has 377 surface water acres. HLIA member meetings are held several times each summer. The next meeting is Saturday, September 4th at Dave Ritchie Pavilion, Turtle Lake Park. The meeting begins at 11:00 a.m. and the member picnic follows at noon. Spring 2010 Meeting Minutes. June 7th was Milfoil Dive Day! Dive Day was a huge success! Nearly 40 students participated. More dive days are planned for this summer. This sign is posted at the boat landing: The HLIA received a permit from the DNR that allowed chemical treatment of 14 acres of Horseshoe Lake. HLIA hired Northern Aquatic Services to conduct the chemical treatment. Chemical treatment was completed on Monday, June 14th. Northern Aquatic Services reported that the milfoil has spread extensively. The chemical treatment was sprayed on the water surface. Swimming was allowed in treated areas for one day following treatment. Water usage restrictions for the treated area were posted on yellow signs in treated areas. A map of the treated areas can be found at the link below. The white lines on the map are areas that were chemically treatment. The circles outline areas that have been suggested for plant removal by diving during the summer. Link to notice letter from Northern Aquatic Services. Link to map of planned treatment areas. The Milfoil Situation, Spring 2010. Additional information regarding chemical treatment of milfoil in Horseshoe Lake will be posted on this web site as it becomes known. Use caution at the boat landing! Because of the low lake level, rocks continue to be a hazard for boat launching. SNUBA News! Click here. ALERT! Lakeshore owners clearing their beach and lakeshore have received stern warnings from the DNR that only a 30 foot strip may be cleared and only by hand -- no chemicals or machines. A DNR officer cited Horseshoe owners as the worst violators during this low water time in illegally removing rocks and weeds, and warned of fines and citations. Important information regarding the invasion of hybrid water milfoil into Horseshoe Lake: Horseshoe Lake has a hybrid milfoil plant invading the native vegetation. Milfoil can form dense mats that can cause some fish species to die out and can endanger swimmers who get tangled in it. Hybrid milfoil can be killed or slowed by herbicide applications that kill all plants (not fish) in treatment area. This is effective and costly. Hybrid milfoil is strong and pliable in spring and very brittle and will shatter in the fall. It's the 1st plant to emerge and the last plant to die. It only takes ½ inch to start a new plant. It dies once it's out of the water. Throw it well up on shore. Decreases property values once it takes over a lake. One of the best weapons you have to slow this invasion is to physically remove the plants you can reach NOW. See the "HLIA News" page on this web site for links to pages that describe the problem and how remove hybrid milfoil plants. These are photos of hybrid milfoil plants in Horseshoe Lake:     WHAT CAN YOU DO? Do not drive thru or cast into milfoil visible from your watercraft - stay further from shore. Put a butterfly net in your watercraft and scoop up floating milfoil segments. Take care of your own lake shore by snorkeling or using a long garden rake to carefully dislodge plants and capture them with a fine mesh laundry bag. If you don't capture the plant and place it onshore, you are part of the problem! Educate yourself and your guests by reviewing information on this web site and other information resources on the Internet. Stay clear of milfoil divers and snorkelers when you see dive flags or snorkeling activity. Donate hours and document your time volunteering to help meet the Rapid Response Grant requirements. If you are a property owner on Horseshoe Lake, join the Horseshoe Lake Improvement Association. If you already consider yourself a member, verify that your dues are up to date. The annual dues are only $50 of which $40 goes toward the milfoil program. Donate additional funds to the milfoil control program. Herbicide treatments are needed for the current problem areas. Each year there will be new problem areas. Donations of any size are greatly appreciated! Send your donations to the address below. Volunteers are needed! Go here to find a form to use to keep track of your time and expenses. It's not too late to take control of our problem. MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL $40.00 of your $50.00 membership fee goes to our matching funds account for the grant to control the Milfoil weed that is invading our lake. We need your help now. We have a Post Office box to receive dues payments, donations to combat milfoil, and other correspondence: Horseshoe Lake Improvement Association PO Box 304 Turtle Lake, WI 54889 See the HLIA News page for new information and recent member meeting minutes. The News page includes information on DNR confirmation of the presence of invasive milfoil in Horseshoe Lake. In you are a Horseshoe Lake property owner and would like to join HILA, please email HLIA or complete, print and mail this HLIA member sign up form. If you are a current Horseshoe Lake Improvement Association member and would like to update your member information, please email HLIA or complete, print and mail this HLIA member update form. Copyright © 2006 Horseshoe Lake Improvement Association

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