1. The surface of Wonder Lake has been known to occasionally produce a phenomenon known as “ice”. If you happen to come across any, please use caution.

2. The 2023 Illinois Lake Management Association (ILMA) Conference will be held on March 8th -10th at the Holiday Inn — Gurnee Convention Center, 6161 West Grand Ave in Gurnee. Having the conference in Lake County this year provides an educational opportunity for locals interested in lakes, fisheries, water quality and other related issues. Registration information can be found at https://ilma-lakes.org/conference

3. Discussions continue on possible ways to market the dried sediment produced by the lake dredging project. There are plans to obtain dried sediment samples for nutrient testing this spring, hopefully after the Wonder Lake Fire Department conducts a controlled burn of the dense vegetation that grew on the surface of the dried sediment.

4. 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, U.S Department of Agriculture, and US Fish & Wildlife Service to conduct “legal” harassment of Cormorant’s, as well as to allow an annual “lethal harvest” of up to ten (10) birds. The necessary permits for the 2023 season have been applied for and are expected shortly. Cormorants, particularly at those island locations where they congregate to roost and nest, produce 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. The photo below from the spring of 2022 shows a large number of Cormorants along the edge of Strom Island. The MPOA and Wonder Lake Sportsmans Club will continue to explore options. An article discussing various Cormorant impacts can be found at: http://wildlife.org/the-rise-of-double-crested-cormorants-too-much-of-a…