News

Jim Bogenrief passed away

Posted on by NIck Brown

Jim Bogenrief, a long-time Deer Lake resident, passed away on July 10, 2025. Jim and his wife, Trish, lived on Bonnie Point for many years until 2022 when they moved permanently to their winter home in Fort Meyers, Florida. Jim and Trish were devoted to Deer Lake and faithfully supported the DLA in many, many ways.

See Obituary here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/james-bogenrief-obituary?id=58930493

Deer Lake Water Level

Posted on by Editor

Deer Lake is at a record high this Summer, 2025.

Some debris at the Dam on West Deer Lake Road was thought to be a hindrance; it has been cleared. There is another small lake, called Bay Lake, between Deer Lake and the Dam on West Deer Lake Road. 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 graph of the lake water level is a 10 year measurement that concludes with the end of 2024 (ICE-IN: very low at 1307.55), followed by the DNR’s re-establishment of the lake water level gauge for 2025, after ICE-OUT. With the snow melt in the lake for the Spring of 2025, the level was 1.05 feet higher, at 1308.60. Since then rains have increased the level substantially from where it leaves off on the graph. The record high we have had in June and July 2025, would be in excess of the top of this graph at 1309.00+. Water levels will continue to be monitored throughout the season till ICE-IN.

Of interest is the increasing variance between high and low lake levels.

2025 FIREWISE PROGRAM FOR DLA

Posted on by Editor

FIREWISE PICKUP DATES: AUGUST 7TH AND 8TH!

Hello DLA members,

Our Firewise brush pickup is scheduled for Aug 7th and 8th.  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 contractor’s grappling hook is to place your pile 15 feet back from the shoulder of the road (as practical).

Thank you all for your diligence in getting information to us quickly for this important project.  If you need a brush pick up and have not yet let us know, please get that information in to us by end of day Friday, Aug 1.

To participate, you must be a DLA member, register with our coordinators Jess and Beth, and fill out the matching hours form. TO ENTER HOURS INTO THE FIREWISE FORM, CLICK HERE.

Questions? More information HERE: https://deerlakeassociation.org/firewise/

Firewise Contacts:

Beth: 320-492-9595 briesgraf1952@gmail.com

Jessica: 763-360-2617 jessica.l.loes@gmail.com

Deer Lake Association