Rice Lake Watershed Survey

The Rice Lake Area Association (RLAA) is asking for feedback from you as one of the 250+ households in the Rice Lake Watershed Area as a key input into our long term planning efforts.  We appreciate your thoughts on Rice Lake and how we should prioritize our efforts over the next several years. (Your responses are confidential.)

Win a $50 Gift Card to

Red Lobster

Complete the survey by May 1, 2011 along with your email address to be eligible for the drawing (see Question #9). Limit 1 entry per household; RLAA Board Members not eligible.

Survey Summary Observations & Comments

37 respondents out of 202 took the survey (18%)

21 of the 37 respondents frequently boat on the lake (57%)

9 of the 37 respondents took the survey on the web (Zoomerang) (22%)

31 of the 37 respondents submitted their e-mail address to participate in the contest drawing (84%)

Congratulations to Shane and Enid Mason for winning the drawing for the $50 Red Lobster gift card!

1.      Please assess value of Rice Lake to you and your family?

Not all

Some value

A lot

Enhances property values

8

29

Good For Children

4

13

18

Swimming

14

12

7

Fishing

8

20

7

Boating

2

7

25

Wildlife

1

5

28

Nice to look at

8

27

Other: Walking trail

1

2.       How often do you or your family use the lake for the following purposes?  (consider use per applicable season)

Never

Rarely

Occasionally

Frequently

Comment

Fishing

11

13

8

5

Waterskiing/Tubing

15

4

6

8

Jet skiing

28

3

3

Canoeing/kayaking

10

10

9

6

Sailing, windsurfing

30

1

1

1

Pleasure boating

7

2

5

21

Swimming

16

6

6

7

Bird Watching

5

3

10

16

Scenic Viewing

1

1

10

24

Snowmobiling

27

3

2

2

Skiing/snowshoeing

14

8

7

5

Other: Skating/Broomball

1

3.      Please rate the quality of fishing in Rice Lake?

Poor

Good

Excellent

N/A

Number of Fish caught

12

9

14

Size of Fish caught

13

8

14

Type of Fish caught

16

4

14

4.      How often have aquatic plants interfered with your use/enjoyment of the lake?

Never

Rarely

Occasionally

Frequently

N/A

Last year (2010)

3

7

12

7

5

Prior year (2009)

2

7

13

6

6

5 Years ago (2006)

2

5

4

10

12

^(15 years ago - 1996)

1

1

^ - Added in by participant

5.      How often have algae blooms interfered with your use/enjoyment of the lake?

Never

Rarely

Occasionally

Frequently

N/A

Last year (2010)

1

3

13

18

1

Prior year (2009)

1

2

11

20

2

5 Years ago (2006)

1

1

9

14

9

^(15 years ago - 1996)

1

1

1

^ - Added in by participant

6.      How have the following items changed on Rice Lake in the past 5 years (since 2006)?

Improved

Same

Worse

Not Sure/N/A

Water clarity

6

13

8

8

Amount of algae

8

9

15

4

Amount of aquatic plants

10

10

9

8

Boat Traffic

2

24

5

5

Geese nuisance/issues

6

17

6

7

Shoreline erosion

2

20

5

8

7.       Please rank your concerns for Rice Lake (1=high; 10=low)

_1__ Algae (Excess)

_10__ Boat Traffic/Safety

_5__ Fish Population

_8__ Geese

__6_ Native weeds (good plants)

__3_ Non-native Weeds (Curlyleaf

Pondweed, Eurasian Watermilfoil)

_9__ Private Access (Boat launch)

__7_ Shoreline Erosion

_2__ Water Clarity/Quality

_4__ Wildlife

8.      How long have you lived in the Rice Lake Watershed?    _______ Years

·         33 respondents to this question with the average # of years at 14

·         1.5 years was the shortest term; 35 years the longest.

9.      Please select your preferred method(s) of communication for RLAA information (newsletter, surveys, social information)? Please enter contact information for each one you prefer.

Yes

No

Contact Info

Mail*

20

8

Email*

27

2

Your email:

Website

19

4

Have you visited www.ricelakemn.com   25 Yes    3  No

Phone Call*

5

19

Your Phone:

Face to Face

5

16

Social Network (Facebook)

3

18

Other: ________

By taking this survey and providing your email address, you will be entered into drawing for a $50 Gift Card to any Red Lobster restaurant.

Note:  RLAA will not sell or distribute your contact information.  If at any time, you do not want to receive information from RLAA, you may remove yourself from our lists.

10.  What types of events would you like to see RLAA host for its members and the community?

·         Would you be willing to assist hosting any of the events you are interested to see RLAA host?     Yes    No

4          4

Event

Would Like to see this

Would Volunteer

Event

Would Like to see this

Would Volunteer

Spring Clean-up

21

14

Annual Meeting/Dinner

22

Kid Fishing Day

7

3

Shoreline Education

16

Garage Sale

5

1

Other: Pull tabs

1

Summer Picnic

13

5

Other: having Tristin Bay people not do burning

1

11.  Rice Lake and Elm Creek are listed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) as being "impaired" due to heavy levels of nutrients. The Elm Creek Watershed has a 5-year project plan (2009-2014) in progress to determine how to improve water quality. What steps have you taken as a concerned property owner to help do your part to improve the quality of Rice Lake/Elm Creek? (check all that apply)

14   Buffer Strip along shoreline                          1    Rain garden in your yard                            2   Rain barrels to collect water

21   Aerate your lawn (improve saturation)    11  Stop washing car in driveway                       28 Pick up trash on walks

18   Pick up animal waste walking your dog    29  Do not use phosphorous fertilizers            1  Adopt a storm drain

0     Replace turf lawn with native plants            0    Reduce your pavement "footprint" *       1 Other: MPCA Stream Monitoring

* - increase the amount of porous surface to absorb rainwater

12.   Do you pay annual dues to RLAA? If not, is there a reason why?         8          Yes         2   No

·         Not confident in Board of Directors making the correct decisions (2 respondents)

·         Drawdowns had negative impact on shoreline in creek (west of I-94) (1)

·         Stocking fish in 1998 caused more traffic through private property (1)

·         Don't use RLAA funds for lobbying City for drawdown (1)

1.      Clarification - no RLAA funds are used to do any lobbying for anything. This is a misconception.

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