Since the inception of Itasca County’s Aquatic Invasive Species program in 2014 the Deer Lake Association has made a major impact in the fight against the spread of AIS, as members of the AIS Technical Advisory Committee, and for their AIS efforts on Deer Lake.
The “Deer Lake Station” was created in 2019 due to the efforts of former DLA President John Davis, to ensure that boaters had convenient access to the proper tools needed to decontaminate their watercraft when entering or exiting area lakes. The Deer Lake Association has also been very active in the control of the Curly Leaf Pondweed (CLP) population discovered on the lake in 2020 through hand-removal of the plants, as well as limited granular herbicide applications. For many years neighbor Jon Arsenault volunteered to scout the Access Bay for CLP by scuba. Chris Evans has been the leader of the Control and Monitoring crew from SWCD, and has worked closely with the DLA. The Itasca SWCD is proud to recognize and celebrate the Deer Lake Association’s ongoing commitment to stewardship, collaboration, and environmental resilience.
Pictured above at the award ceremony at the Minnesota Association of SWCDs, are Itasca SWCD Board Chairman Calvin Sarri, Jeff and Jackie Johnson, Chris Evans, and Andy Arens, Itasca SWCD Manager.
On the night of December 7th Deer Lake froze over for the winter!
Photos are of the North-East section, looking south toward Christmas Point:
This is an updated photo the ice conditions on December 22. There was a warm stretch that melted off much of the snow followed by another big freeze. The lake is still not skate-ready, but easily traveled by anglers out for catch.
Looks like there will not be a Skating Season this year 😿
The DNR Water Level Gauge installed for the 2026 season. Currently Deer Lake is at its “normal”, median level.
Both Deer and the Creek from Moose and Little Moose flow into this intermediary Bay Lake, and then together as the headwaters of the Deer River to the Dam. Waters from the north (Moose and many smaller lakes) do not flow into Deer Lake, but from Bay, with Deer, along the Deer Rive to the Dam. Although the elevations between Moose, Deer, Bay and the Dam are slight, the flow includes no mixing of Deer and Moose Lake waters. This is important because Moose Lake has been infected by Zebra Mussels.
The hydrology graphs below show the lake level fluctuation of the 2025 summer season. Like recent years there has been an increasing degree of change, from high to low at the end of the summer.
Of interest is the increasing variance between high and low lake levels. Photos below show just how high and low the lake has bee in recent years, with the same dock, same height, as reference. The Low was from August 2021, the high water from July 2025.
Firewise was completed for the year 2025, but funding has run out for the 2026 season. Efforts are being made to hire an independent pickup around the lake for the willing, willing to pay for it, that is. DLA President Jeff Johnston is collecting names to see if enough residents would be willing to participate. It is hoped that the same contractor, One Two Trees, could provide a group discount.
Our Firewise brush pickup has some protocols. Please have your brush piles stacked and tagged with Bright Ribbons. Best practice recommendation to observe “right-of-way” ordinance accommodating both County workers and One Two Trees. The contractor’s grappling hook can reach piles 15 feet back from the shoulder of the road (as practical).
The Itasca County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) offers FREE site visits to discuss the best shoreland projects, provide technical advice and cost-share funding. Contact Austin at austin.steere@itascaswcd.org
