1. Lake users are reminded that with the deeper water now present in the dredged portions of the lake, ice formation on the lake can be inconsistent, particularly where streams flow into the lake. Please use caution accessing the lake unless you are positive of safe ice conditions.

2. Another feature of our current winter has been a number of ice events, which can make moving about safely a bit of a challenge. While the use of ice-melting salt on roadways driveways and sidewalks can help make conditions less slippery in certain conditions, it is important to note that this same salt can end up in our groundwater drinking water supply, as well as Wonder Lake and Nippersink Creek. De-icers are often applied under the “more is better” approach, which can have negative impacts.

3. As many have observed, the population of Cormorant’s on Wonder Lake seems to be increasing each year. For the past few years, the MPOA has worked with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to conduct “legal” harassment of Cormorant’s, particularly at those island locations where they congregate to roost. The establishment of roosts result in large amounts of “droppings”, that can over time kill off desirable species of trees and vegetation, such as the Oak trees on Strom Island, where native plant restoration work has been impacted. We continue to explore options with the U.S Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. An article discussing various Cormorant impacts can be found at: http://wildlife.org/the-rise-of-double-crested-cormorants-too-much-of-a…