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Lake Martha Association Meeting

Tuesday, March 3, 2026 @ 7:00 P.M.

Nancy & Rick Dehmer's Home

418 Halsey Ave SE

Agenda

Call to Order/Updates

  1. 7:00pm Call to Order: Lisa
  2. Introductions: Anne
  3. Nominations for Secretary/Recorder: Lisa
    1. Shar Moseng
    2. Motion to approve?
  4. Last Meeting Minutes - Shar
    1. A link to the September 30 minutes was sent via email.
    2. Motion to approve?
  5. Treasurer Report: Curt/Lisa 
    1. 2 transactions
    2. Current balance $9041.91
    3. Incoming money - $500 Incoming grant check in November from Wright County Soil and Water
    4. Expenses - Check to Juday Companies in October for the drainage project at Gary Anderson’s $1100
    5. Motion to approve?
  6. Grant Applications: Lisa
    1. MN DNR IAPM - applied for in December (Angelique), did not get this year (2/17/2026 email)
    2. Alicia O’Hare - $500 check mailed to Patrick in November from Wright County Soil & Water
    3. Alicia O’Hare - AIS treatment grant, Lisa applied for

Current Business

  1. Welcoming Committee Update
  2. Curly Leaf Pondweed Update (Jim from Aquatic Solutions): Lisa
    1. CLP treatment for 2026
    2. New survey - Jim says we don’t need one
    3. Jim proposes we do the same area as last year, continue that kill. Could move north but it was less dense/thick.
    4. 5% cost increase (estimate); propose to increase suggested donation from $250 to $275
    5. Motion to approve weed treatment?
  3. Updates Since Last Meeting:
    1. Progress on document listing benefits of joining the lake association: Anne
    2. Signage at Public Access: Anne
    3. Venmo Account: Nate (still need a phone number) 

New Business (Looking Ahead for Lake Martha)

  1. Lake Martha Evaluation Report 2024-25 Martha Lake Evaluation: Alicia O’Hare & Dan Nadeau, Wright Co. Soil & Water Conservationists
    1. What does it all mean?
    2. What is next?
  2. Lake Martha Historical Snapshot: Anne
    1. Requesting Volunteers (2 hour commitment)
    2. Date to meet…tbd
  3. Aeration Update: Chad
  4. Lake Charlotte Proposal: Lisa
  5. EutroPHIX (https://eutrophix.com/): Lisa

Closing

New Topics for discussion

  1. Pick Date & Location for:
    1. Next Meeting
    2. Summer Picnic
    3. Fall meeting
  2. Adjourn
    1. Motion to approve?

Minutes

Call to Order/Updates

  1. 7:00pm Call to Order: Lisa
    The meeting was called to order at 7:03pm by Lisa.

  2. Introductions: Anne
    Everyone introduced themselves and named their favorite local restaurant.

  3. Nominations for Secretary/Recorder (Shar Moseng): Lisa
    Motion: Shar Moseng for Secretary; Motion seconded and passed.

  4. Last Meeting Minutes: Shar

A link to the September 30 minutes was sent via email. Nancy motioned to approve the minutes. Patrick seconded the motion, and the motion was passed. 

  1. Treasurer Report: Curt/Lisa  

    1. 2 transactions

    2. Current balance $9041.91

    3. Incoming money - $500 Incoming grant check in November from Wright County Soil and Water 

    4. Expenses - Check to Juday Companies in October for the drainage project at Gary Anderson’s $1100

Michelle motioned to approve the report. Patrick seconded the motion, and the motion was passed.

  1. Grant Applications: Lisa

    1. MN DNR IAPM - applied for in December (Angelique), did not get this year (2/17/2026 email)

    2. Alicia O’Hare - $500 check mailed to Patrick in November from Wright County Soil & Water

    3. Alicia O’Hare - AIS treatment grant, Lisa recently resubmitted another application for next year


Current Business

  1. Welcome Committee Update
    Jane recently stopped by Max and Camille’s home; they are the new owners of the former Airbnb. Patrick has their email addresses to add to the directory.

  2. Curly-Leaf Pondweed Update (Jim from Aquatic Solutions): Lisa 

    1. CLP treatment for 2026

    2. New survey - Jim says we don’t need one 

    3. Jim proposes we do the same area as last year, continue that kill. Could move north but it was less dense/thick. 

    4. 5% cost increase (estimate); propose to increase suggested donation from $250 to $275
    5. Motion to approve weed treatment?



    Alicia O’Hare provided some information related to curly-leaf pondweed:

    • Curly-leaf is “baby-like” in the fall; it starts growing as soon as it receives sunlight.
    • It dies in early July, which is one of the reasons the lake turns green.
    • The best time to find a place to treat curly-leaf is in June because that’s when it’s easiest to find (at its largest.) 
    • DNR grants require pre-treatment; we don’t currently have a DNR survey. 
    • Alicia conducted a peak abundant survey last year, so we have a fairly good idea of where the issues are within the lake. 
    • When a treated curly-leaf area is dead, then it’s time to search for the next patch to treat.

    This topic was tabled until after Dan and Alicia presented information about the Lake Martha Evaluation Report (agenda item #10).

    • After agenda item #10 was done we returned to this topic Motion to approve weed treatment?, Michelle made a motion to approve the following recommendation. Tim H seconded the motion, and it was passed:
      Continue with 10 acre Curly-leaf pondweed treatment (to include the 2 acres containing dense growth), provided the treatment plan is appropriate, pending there are no negative impacts from a possible alum treatment. 

  3. Updates Since Last Meeting:

    1. Progress on document listing benefits of joining the lake association.
      Jane and Anne made the rounds last summer/early fall and distributed flyers in non-member mailboxes to encourage people to consider joining the association. A follow up email was sent along with invitations to this meeting. Two new families have joined since last fall. 

    2. Signage at Public Access: Anne
      The wooden post has been installed to include some preliminary messaging. There’s room to add a couple more signs; some examples were passed around. Wright County offers a DNR-approved aquatic toolkit for $150 that includes a plug wrench, brush, grabber, and aqua weed stick. This toolkit could be used by boaters as they exit the landing. A small group will be assembled to discuss further. 

    3. Venmo Account: Nate (still need a phone number)
      The Venmo account would be used to collect dues, pay for water treatment expenses, and allow donations from other aquatic users through a QR code. A phone number is required for multi-factor authentication to access the account. Dan Nadeau will check how his daughter’s soccer team handles this. 


New Business

(Looking Ahead for Lake Martha)

  1. Lake Martha Evaluation Report 2024-25 Martha Lake Evaluation: Alicia O’Hare & Dan Nadeau, Wright Co. Soil & Water Conservationists
    Dan & Alicia presentation
    Alicia led the group through an exercise to develop the following lists:
    Great Things About Lake Martha:
    Neighbors and community, small lake size, lower boat traffic, and abundant wildlife, including bald eagles, swans, pelicans, fish, and deer.
    Challenges for Lake Martha:
    Algae blooms, water quality concerns, mystery snails, fish die-offs, loud music from boats, fishing hooks left on docks/boat lift covers, and large wakes impacting the shoreline.
    Desired Improvements for Lake Martha:
    Being able to use the lake throughout the summer without worrying about water quality, swimming from the beach rather than needing to go to the middle of the lake, not having to worry about whether dogs can safely swim, eliminating fish die-offs, and increasing healthy aquatic plants both in the water and along the shoreline.

    The group reviewed the 2025 Report Card (see separate document titled “Lake Martha Report 2025”) and the feasibility study results conducted by Wright County. The report card indicates that overall water quality in Lake Martha has declined over the past several years. Several factors are contributing to this trend. The following topics were discussed with the goal of improving water quality.

    Continue to Provide Monitoring Data
    The group recommended continuing to provide monitoring data to Wright County, which costs approximately $350 per year.

    Reduce Phosphorus Runoff
    Dan thinks the projects implemented recently should allow sediment some time to settle before the chemicals/phosphorus run into the lake. He has also had conversations with area farmers to encourage strip tilling, which also limits fertilizer runoff. It was suggested to encourage all Lake Martha neighbors to use non-phosphorus lawn fertilizer. Getting lawns tested by Wright County to determine if fertilizer is needed is also an option.

    Native Plant Preservation

Alicia noted that preserving native aquatic plants is more important than treating the lake for curly-leaf pondweed. Beneficial native plants include coontail, chara, muskgrass, and water celery, all of which support a healthier lake ecosystem.

Chemical Treatment Options
Copper Sulfate: Copper sulfate treatments are effective in the short term, but they are only a temporary solution and must be applied repeatedly. Without addressing phosphorus inputs from the watershed, a long-term solution will not be achieved.

Alum Treatment: Alum (an aluminum-based substance) has been shown to produce immediate improvements in water clarity. It binds with phosphorus and is typically applied in lake areas that are 15 feet deep or greater. Alum treatment may also help reduce curly-leaf pondweed and encourage the growth of native aquatic plants. One treatment can reduce phosphorus within a single season and may remain effective for up to 20 years.Additional discussion is needed regarding several considerations:
Impact on fish: Alicia noted that dosage would need to be carefully determined when applying alum.
Impact of lake use: Heavy wave activity and wakeboarding could potentially reduce the effective lifespan of the treatment, according to some studies.

The current estimated cost is approximately $150,000. Wright County has earmarked a grant of $112,500 (75%) for this option, leaving an estimated cost of $37,500 (25%) for the Lake Martha Association. It is possible that Lake Charlotte may also consider contributing toward this effort.

The association expressed interest in exploring the alum treatment option further for a potential Fall 2026 or 2027 implementation. Dan and Alicia will continue discussions with Wright County regarding this initiative, evaluate potential alum dosage levels, and work to provide a more precise cost estimate.

  1. Aeration Update: Chad 
    Maintenance is required on the pumps this year; the cost of electricity is approximately $2,000 per year. A question was asked if it was beneficial to keep the aeration pumps running, pending possible alum treatment? Someone will present this question to James Johnson (certified lake manager) to obtain his input.

  2. Lake Charlotte Proposal: Lisa
    Last fall, Tom Larson from Lake Charlotte proposed installing a pump at the Lake Martha public landing to pump water into the Crow River. There has been no further discussion regarding this proposal. Tom later proposed raising the "weir" by 6 inches. The culvert between Lake Martha and Lake Charlotte is currently 7 inches below the high-water mark. Tom indicated the DNR would raise the "weir" at no cost. This proposal would require approval from 75% of Lake Martha homeowners. Because raising the "weir" would increase shoreline water levels and likely result in negative impacts for many Lake Martha property owners, the group felt it would be very unlikely to pass. The group discussed the possibility of instead asking Lake Charlotte residents to help contribute toward alum treatment.

  3. EutroPHIX (https://eutrophix.com/): Lisa
    This topic was not covered due to time constraints.    .

  4. Lake Martha Historical Snapshot:
    Anne recommended assembling a small group to put together a historical snapshot of Lake Martha to summarize what has been done in the past to improve water quality

    Requesting Volunteers for Historical Scan; date to meet…tbd (2 hour commitment)

    Brian Anderson completed a Power Point Presentation on 3/1/22 that could be used as a starting point.

    Tim, Gary A, Dan, Dave, Brian, Brad, Nancy, and Michelle volunteered to participate. Jim Miller was also nominated to participate.

    Possible homework: Review the Projects Page on our Website.

Closing

New Topics for discussion
No new topics were discussed.

  1. Pick a Date and Place for:
    1. Summer Picnic
      The Kueglers offered to host. A tentative date of July 18 was set.
    2. Another possible event
      Joyce mentioned that her band might be willing to play at a future association event, possibly even as part of a fundraiser. If this opportunity develops further, the association may want to consider forming a small committee to explore the idea and help plan the event.
    3. Fall meeting
      A date was not discussed. 
  2. Adjourn

    Tim Hanson motioned to adjourn the meeting. Brian Anderson seconded the motion, and the motion passed. The meeting adjourned at 9:15pm.

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