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Deer Lake Association
A member of the Minnesota Lakes Association

About the Deer Lake Association

The Deer Lake Association (DLA) is a 501(c)(3) all-volunteer Minnesota non-profit serving as a steward for Deer Lake, a public water body owned by the people of Minnesota.  DLA is organized primarily to preserve and improve Deer Lake water quality.  To achieve this mission, DLA represents or engages the broader Deer Lake community -- including all who use Deer Lake, depend upon Deer Lake, or whose actions affect Deer Lake.  Examples include anglers, recreational boaters, visitors, resorts, camps, campgrounds, guests, hunters, wildlife, advocate organizations, units of government, those who use or own Deer Lake lakeshore or watershed property, together with the businesses that serve us.  DLA also builds community by providing service, educational, and social activities for our members and surrounding area residents.

 

2017-2023 DLA Accomplishments

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DLA Accomplishments (more information and links)

  • Conservation of Deer Lake, including our heritage of family-enjoyment in clear water
  • Leadership in aquatic invasives (AIS) prevention, inspection, information, and communication
    • Support, enhance, and optimize public access inspections
    • Designed, constructed, and made available Deer Lake Station
    • Safeugards for property owners, guests, and private launch owners
    • Safeguards for Resorts, Camps, and Vacation Rentals
    • FiveStar Initiative for Lake Service Providers and Marine Dealers
    • "Canaries" early detection initiative including AIS divers, Detectors, and Sentries
    • Rapid Response Plan
  • Reduction in phosphorus loading from Septic and Shoreland practices through property owner communication, meetings, events, and incentives
  • Reduction in phosphorus dumped to Deer Lake by streams
  • Community information events, including Business Water Summit, Lake Service Provider AIS Summit, Resorts AIS Summit, and Septic Secrets Seminar
  • Purchase and conservation of Bear Island with matching Reinvest-in-Minnesota funds and subsequent donation to the State of Minnesota. Now designated as a Wildlife Management Area
  • Purchase and conservation of two fragile Muskie and walleye spawning areas in the NE area of Deer Lake, and subsequent donation to the state of Minnesota. Now designated as a Wildlife Management Area
  • Purchase and conservation of 435’ of forested Deer Lake shoreline including 43 unimproved acres of land that serves as a critical natural filter for Deer Lake water quality. 
  • Conservation of uninhabited islands on Deer Lake
  • Won effective water quality safeguards for commercial development on Deer Lake, protecting vital and vulnerable fish-spawning areas and the Deer Lake eco-system
  • Established Deer Lake Legacy Fund – providing assets and investment income to conserve water quality now and for future generations
  • Volunteers who consistently monitor and test water quality, water clarity, and lake levels
  • DLA Service, Educational, and Social Activities:  Examples include DLA Deer Readers Book Club, DLA Golf, DLA Creative Endeavors, DLA Spaghetti Dinner, Deer Lake Frolic, DLA Bear Island Trail Maintenance, DLA Hwy 62 Clean-up, plus other special events and projects.
  • DLA Meetings with germane guest speakers – subjects including loons, wolves, fish, eagles, bears, native wild flowers, shoreland landscaping, septic systems, conservation easements
  • Deer Lake Property Owners Handbook http://deerlakeassociation.org/index.cfm?pageid=3302
  • College scholarships to local high school students
  • DLA Member Directory
  • DLA Website and Social Media

 Sign-in to Facebook and request to be added to our closed Facebook group.

 

Invitation to Join the Deer Lake Association

 

We invite you to join the Deer Lake Association.  Annual membership dues are $25 per family for lakeshore owners, $12.50 for non-lakeshore owners.  1st year free for new property owners. 

 

To join, please see

http://deerlakeassociation.org/index.cfm?pageid=3369,

or send an e-mail to beautifuldeerlake@gmail.com