Save the Flowage · Treatment Update
Weather permitting — Thursday, June 18, 2026
After months of permit work, scientific surveys, fundraising, and community support — the MFA's first-ever ProcellaCOR herbicide treatment of Eurasian watermilfoil on the Minong Flowage is scheduled to begin tomorrow morning, Thursday, June 18, 2026, weather permitting.
Dale Dressel of Northern Aquatic Services — our licensed applicator under the Wisconsin DNR permit — will be on the water early and expects to work through most of the day. This notice is for all property owners and boaters who may be on or near the Flowage Thursday (6/18).
2026 Treatment Areas — 40 Acres Total
Five areas outlined in the Summer 2026 newsletter
Maps of all five areas are on pages 3–4 of the Summer 2026 newsletter.
What You May See Tomorrow
You may see a white treatment vessel working in the five designated areas. Yellow notices will have been posted to docks and shorelines in or adjacent to all treatment areas. Please review the treatment area maps in the Summer 2026 newsletter if you are unsure whether an area near your property is included.
No-Wake Required
Please observe no-wake conditions in all treatment areas wherever you see a yellow notice posted. This applies to all watercraft for the duration of treatment activity. Slow down and give the applicator vessel wide clearance.
MFA Water Sampling in Progress
MFA Lake Management Committee volunteers will be collecting water samples in treated areas throughout the day — at 1, 4, 8, 24, 48, and 96 hours after treatment, and again at one week. If you see MFA volunteers in boats in treated areas, please give them clearance and maintain no-wake speed. Steve Johnson (LMC Chair) will cover Serenity Bay, North Basin, and the DNR Bay; Ron and Jeanne Brown will cover the southern sampling areas.
About ProcellaCOR & Safety
ProcellaCOR is a selective aquatic herbicide that targets milfoil at the cellular level while posing significantly less risk to native plants. At the concentrations used for this treatment, it breaks down quickly and poses no documented risk to humans when label guidelines are followed. The full DNR permit and treatment documentation are on the MFA documents page.
Full treatment area maps, background on how we got here, and answers to common questions about ProcellaCOR and what comes next are all in the Summer 2026 issue of The Flow — the MFA's new community newsletter.
This is a moment years in the making for the Minong Flowage. We'll send an update after treatment is complete. Thank you for your patience, your support, and for looking out for our lake.
Questions? Contact the MFA Lake Management Committee Chair:
Steve Johnson · sjj8549@gmail.com · 715-466-2536 Or reach the MFA at minongflowage@gmail.com
FIRE SAFETY ALERT — Minong Flowage
The Wisconsin DNR has declared Critical fire danger across Northern Wisconsin, including Washburn and Douglas Counties, through this evening (Saturday, May 16). A Red Flag Warning was in effect yesterday for our region, and burning permit suspensions remain in place across 31 counties.
Please avoid ALL outdoor burning — campfires, debris piles, and brush burning — until conditions fully improve. Dry vegetation, low humidity, and gusty winds mean fires can spread fast.
You may also notice fire crew staging in our area during this period — this is part of the DNR's proactive response and nothing to be alarmed about.
A few reminders:
No campfires or burn piles until further notice
Use equipment (chainsaws, ATVs, mowers) early morning or late evening to avoid sparks
Check current burn restrictions: apps.dnr.wi.gov/wisburn
Report fires immediately — call 911
Let's all do our part to protect the Flowage and our surrounding forests. Stay safe out there!
Full DNR release: dnr.wisconsin.gov/newsroom/release/123386
Minong Flowage Association
The MFA is holding its Annual Meeting on Saturday, June 13 at Wascott Town Hall (register to attend here) — and we have up to four open Director seats on the ballot. We're looking for people ready to get involved, step up, and help shape what this association becomes. Scroll down for a link ("Volunteer or Run for the Board") to fill out a form to express interest in the Board or volunteering.
The Minong Flowage Association is entering a new chapter — and we're looking for people who love this lake and want to help lead it forward.
For years, a small group of dedicated volunteers has kept the MFA going. Now, with the Save the Flowage campaign underway, a modern membership platform in place, and a DNR permit for milfoil treatment in motion, we are building something more: a proactive, self-sustaining lake association capable of funding its own conservation work, communicating consistently with our community, and engaging the regulatory and tribal partners who determine what's possible on the flowage.
The work is real. The momentum is here. What we need now is you.
Get Involved
Whether you can give a few hours a season or want to take on a meaningful leadership role, there is a place for you. We need committee volunteers just as much as we need board candidates — and board members and volunteers work side by side in each of our three committees:
Lake Management
The heart of our mission. Aquatic invasive species management, fisheries and wildlife stewardship, lake safety, and the regulatory and governmental relationships that determine what's possible on the Minong Flowage.
Communications
A consistent, compelling voice builds trust, drives membership, and keeps our community informed. Quarterly newsletter, website, social media, and member outreach — telling the story of what we're doing and why it matters.
Membership & Events
Lake associations thrive on relationships. Member recruitment and renewal, summer community events, and the social connections that turn neighbors into advocates — and donors into long-term stewards of the flowage.
Annual Meeting — June 13, 2026
At our Annual Meeting at Wascott Town Hall, MFA members will elect new directors to the board. The incoming board will set the MFA's multi-year strategic plan — this is a genuine opportunity to shape the organization's direction, not just fill a seat.
We are actively recruiting candidates with experience or interest in:
• Financial management or accounting — to support our Treasurer function • Community events and membership engagement — to build the social fabric of the flowage community • Fundraising, development, or public policy — to grow our conservation funding and stakeholder relationships
We also welcome any candidate who brings genuine passion for the flowage, whatever their background. The new board will develop its own vision together — we're providing the scaffolding, not the script.
How to Get Involved
Volunteers: Tell us which committees interest you and what you'd like to contribute. No board commitment required — just a willingness to help protect the flowage.
Board candidates: Submit a brief candidate statement prior to the meeting. Statements will be shared with the membership so voters can make an informed decision. You may address the membership in person at the meeting, or designate someone to speak on your behalf.
Board candidacy • Committee volunteering • General interest
Membership Required to Vote & Serve
MFA membership is required to vote in the board election and to serve as a director. Annual dues are $50 — and membership is included automatically with any donation of $50 or more to the Save the Flowage campaign. Join or renew today and be part of the effort to protect this lake for generations to come.
A Note to Members on Your Login Email
If you are receiving this email at {MemberField_Secondary_Email}, that is your membership secondary address. To log in to your MFA member account — to register for the meeting, renew your membership, or access member-only content — please use your primary membership login email: {ContactField_Email}.
Log in to your member account here.
Questions? Contact us at minongflowage@gmail.com.
Breaking News Alert | May 8, 2026
After months of planning, research, and advocacy — and numerous setbacks along the way — it's official.
On May 7, 2026, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources notified the MFA that it had issued a Chemical Aquatic Plant Control Permit authorizing treatment of up to 40 acres of Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) on the Minong Flowage. This is the permit we have been working toward — through two consecutive years of grant denials, a lengthy regulatory review process, and the hard work of MFA members, volunteers, and advisors who refused to give up on this lake.
This is a landmark moment for our lake — but it is only the beginning.
The MFA will work with our longtime aquatic applicator, Northern Aquatic Services, to plan and conduct the treatment. Key details from the permit:
Advanced notice of the treatment date will be provided to all members and riparian owners before any application takes place, as required by the permit. View the full permit application →
This will be the first use of ProcellaCOR on the Minong Flowage. ProcellaCOR is a next-generation aquatic herbicide specifically effective against EWM and other invasive milfoil species, while being far less harmful to native aquatic plants and wild rice than older herbicides.
Used successfully on dozens of Wisconsin lakes, it offers the most targeted and sustainable tool currently available for EWM management — which is exactly why our science advisors and the DNR supported its use on the Flowage.
EWM management is not a one-and-done effort. The Minong Flowage has an estimated 253 acres of EWM across 37 identified beds — this first treatment targets our most critical areas. Sustained success will require:
The MFA board is committed to a long-term, multi-year EWM mitigation program. This permit is the critical first step — now we must follow through.
CAMPAIGN PROGRESS
$59,450 raised toward our $200,000 goal — every dollar funds the treatment and future milfoil management.
We have the permit. We have the applicator. What we still need is the full funding to execute this treatment and sustain a multi-year program. If you have not yet contributed to the Save the Flowage campaign, now is the moment — and if you have, please share this news with your neighbors, your renters, and anyone who loves this lake.
Donor Recognition
Flowage Guardian ($1,000+) and Flowage Steward ($500+) donors will be recognized on permanent signage donors can put up on their Flowage shoreline. Your name on the lake — forever.
Not yet a member? Join the MFA and be part of the effort to protect this lake for future generations.
Annual Membership Meeting
Friday, June 13, 2026 | Wascott Town Hall Join us to hear the latest on the herbicide treatment, the Save the Flowage campaign, and the MFA's plans for the Flowage. All members and interested neighbors welcome.
Over the coming weeks, the MFA and Northern Aquatic Services will finalize the treatment plan, confirm the timeline, and issue the required advance notifications. No treatment will occur before June 15. We will send a dedicated notice with the specific treatment date at least four business days in advance, as required by the permit.
Questions? Contact us at minongflowage@gmail.com or visit our website for updates.
Protecting the Flowage for generations to come.
You are receiving this email as a member or contact of the Minong Flowage Association.
Happy Fishing Opener!
Saturday, May 2, 2026 — Wisconsin Inland Lakes
Saturday, May 2nd marks the start of fishing opener for inland lakes in Wisconsin. The Minong Flowage is ready — we hope you are too. Here's a quick rundown of what's open:
Wisconsin DNR Fishing Seasons & Regulations | Get Your Fishing License
Boat Inspectors On Duty — Starting Today
Clean Boats, Clean Waters
As of today — Friday, May 1 — AIS boat inspectors are stationed at two Minong Flowage boat landings for the opener weekend:
Inspection Locations & Hours
Required by Wisconsin Law — Every Boater, Every Launch
Wisconsin's invasive species law prohibits transporting aquatic plants, live animals, and water from a waterbody (with limited exceptions for bait). Our inspectors help boaters comply. Here's what the law requires:
Before Leaving the Boat Launch
✓ Inspect and remove all aquatic plants and animals from your boat and equipment.
✓ Drain all water from the boat and equipment.
Before Entering Another Waterbody
✓ Spray your boat and equipment with high-pressure hot water, or
✓ Allow the boat and equipment to dry out of water for at least five days.
Source: Wisconsin DNR — Eurasian Watermilfoil Prevention
Meet MALA — New Name, Same Mission
Minong Area Lakes Alliance
The boat inspectors at our landings this weekend are hired and coordinated by the Minong Area Lakes Alliance (MALA) — a newly formed independent nonprofit that has taken over the work of the long-running Minong Town Lakes Committee. MALA supports the eight largest lakes in the area (including the Minong Flowage), managing the DNR's Clean Boats Clean Waters program and providing regional coordination on AIS issues. It is independent of individual lake associations and is not affiliated with the DNR.
Learn more at minonglakes.org. Questions? Contact MALA Secretary Harlan Johnson at johnson2424@yahoo.com.
Save the Flowage — Campaign Update
Milfoil Fight Progress Report
Total Raised as of May 1, 2026
$59,450
toward our $200,000 goal — thank you!
Permit status. Our ProcellaCOR herbicide permit application, submitted to the Wisconsin DNR in February, remains under review. We are still awaiting the DNR's response and will communicate any developments to members as they arise.
Ongoing strategy. The Lake Management Committee continues to meet monthly — evaluating alternative milfoil management tools and engaging with stakeholders including GLIFWC. We are committed to pursuing every available avenue to protect the Flowage, with or without the herbicide permit.
Mark Your Calendar
Wascott Town Hall • Important votes, AIS update, and a free lunch
Please save the date and plan to join us for the MFA’s 2026 Annual Membership Meeting on Saturday, June 13, 2026 at Wascott Town Hall (Hwy 53 at County Road T). This year’s meeting comes at a critical moment for the Flowage, and strong member participation matters.
Schedule
Register for the meeting ›
Aquatic Invasive Species Update — The Lake Management Committee will present a full update on Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) control efforts, including our current permit applications and the path forward following the DNR’s second consecutive denial of grant funding. Member decisions at this meeting will directly shape the MFA’s treatment strategy and fundraising priorities.
A detailed agenda will be distributed to all members approximately 7–10 days before the meeting.
Only current members may vote. If your membership has lapsed or you haven’t yet joined, you can renew or register at the welcome desk the morning of the meeting. You can also get ahead of it now — or review the membership and voting rules in the MFA Bylaws.
Stick around after the meeting for a free lunch — always a great chance to reconnect with neighbors and meet new faces on the Flowage. Everyone is welcome.
Know someone who should be there? Please share this notice with neighbors and anyone who may not be on our contact list.
We hope to see you on June 13th. If you have any questions in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me personally.
Harlan Johnson President, Minong Flowage Association
johnson2424@yahoo.com 612-817-4490 (talk or text)
Save the Flowage Campaign
First donor recognition signs go into fabrication soon — donate now to be in the first run
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Save the Flowage campaign has now raised $49,900 toward our $200,000 goal for Eurasian watermilfoil treatment. That’s real momentum — but we still have significant ground to cover, and every contribution brings us closer to a funded treatment season.
There are more than 300 property owners and stakeholders on the Flowage. If even a fraction of those who haven’t yet contributed get involved, the MFA will have the resources to mount a sustained response — regardless of which path our permitting process takes. If you know a neighbor who hasn’t heard about the campaign, now is the time to pass the word along.
We’re heading into our first fabrication run in the coming week. Donors who give before the run is finalized will have their names included on the first set of shoreline recognition signs. Here’s a preview of what supporters will be displaying this summer:
Flowage Steward
$500+
Flowage Guardian
$1,000+
Donate before the first fabrication run is finalized (future runs will require order minimums) and your name will be among the first on the Flowage. Signs are displayed on donor shorelines throughout the summer season as a visible thank-you — and a reminder to every passing boat of why this work matters.
MFA board advances herbicide permit, tribal outreach, and flexibility as summer season approaches
The Save the Flowage campaign has raised more than $15,000 since its launch on March 19, bringing total funds to $42,100 toward the MFA’s $200,000 goal for our summer and fall Milfoil Fight. More than 20 individual donors have contributed so far.
That’s an encouraging start — but there are more than 300 property owners and stakeholders on the Flowage. If even a fraction of the people who haven’t yet contributed get involved, then the MFA will have the resources to mount a sustained treatment effort regardless of which path the current herbicide permitting process takes. If you know a neighbor or fellow property owner who hasn’t heard about the campaign, now is the time to pass the word along.
Behind the fundraising, the MFA’s Lake Management Committee has been working on several fronts to prepare for treatment this summer.
The MFA submitted a ProcellaCOR herbicide application to the Wisconsin DNR on February 16. The application targets areas where EWM is impairing navigation and does not include Serenity Bay, where most of the Flowage’s wild rice is concentrated. The permit is currently on hold while the DNR consults with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission ("GLIFWC") through the Voigt Task Force — a required step under state rules when a proposed activity may affect wild rice habitat in the Ceded Territory. There is no published timeline for that consultation. We remain persistent.
MFA committee members have separately been in contact with GLIFWC to open a direct dialogue. The MFA’s position is that EWM itself poses a threat to wild rice — invasive species can crowd out native plants — and that the two organizations share an interest in addressing the problem. A chemical flow study previously overseen and funded by Wisconsin DNR in fall 2014 and spring 2015 showed that current on the Flowage moves away from wild rice beds, meaning herbicide applied in the proposed treatment zones would not reach them.
The committee is also evaluating contracted mechanical harvesting for targeted areas, particularly Serenity Bay and the navigation channel. All other potential management tools remain on the table.
The MFA will provide updates as the permit process progresses. Members can learn more about the treatment strategy on the Milfoil Fight page.
After months of work behind the scenes, the Minong Flowage Association has a new home on the web — and we're glad you're here.
This site is more than a facelift. It's the foundation for how the MFA communicates with our members and the broader Minong Flowage community going forward. Membership, dues, event notices, campaign updates, and lake management news will all live here.
Here's a quick tour of what you'll find.
The Milfoil Fight
Our most important new page. Eurasian watermilfoil now covers 253 acres of the Minong Flowage across 37 distinct beds — the second-worst infestation ever recorded. The Milfoil Fight page explains the full scope of the problem, our science-based treatment plan, how we protect wild rice, and what it will take to turn the tide. If you read nothing else on this site, read this.
→ Visit the Milfoil Fight page
With state grant funding denied for the second consecutive year, the MFA is funding milfoil treatment ourselves. The Save the Flowage campaign launches this month with a goal of $200,000. Every contribution — at any level — moves us closer to treatment this summer.
→ Learn more and donate
Your Member Portal
MFA membership is now managed entirely online. If you're a current member, your record has been migrated to our new platform. Please take a moment to log in, confirm your contact information, and add a second household email address if you'd like your spouse or co-owner to receive MFA communications directly.
Any renewal processed through June 1, 2026 covers the full 2026–2027 membership year beginning June 1.
→ Log in to your member portal
Not a member yet?
Annual membership is $50 per household and supports our lake monitoring program, Clean Boats Clean Waters inspections, and the community infrastructure behind campaigns like Save the Flowage. Join online in just a few minutes.
→ Join the MFA
Questions or issues with your member record? Email us at minongflowage@gmail.com — subject line "Membership Migration Question" and we'll get back to you promptly.
Dear Minong Flowage Community,
Something we've been working toward for a long time is finally here — and you'll be hearing about it very soon.
This week, the Minong Flowage Association is launching a new website and officially kicking off the Save the Flowage campaign — our community-funded effort to fight Eurasian watermilfoil and protect the Minong Flowage for generations to come.
We're also moving to a new membership and communications platform. In the next day or two, watch your inbox for an email from the Minong Flowage Association sent through our new platform, Wild Apricot. It may arrive from a slightly different sending address — if you don't see it, please check your spam or junk folder and mark it as safe.
That email will include:
• A link to log in to your new member portal and confirm your profile
• Information on renewing your membership online
• Details on the Save the Flowage campaign and how to get involved
• A link to explore our new website — including our new Milfoil Fight page
More to come very shortly. Thank you for being part of the Minong Flowage community.
For the Minong Flowage Association,
Harlan Johnson
MFA President
QUESTIONS? Contact Ben Kwan, Interim Secretary, via minongflowage@gmail.com or attend our next board meeting on at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at the Wascott Town Hall.
We write with an important update on our efforts to combat Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM). The news from the state DNR is disappointing—but we have a clear plan to move forward, and we need your support to make it happen.
On February 4, 2026, we learned that our application for a Wisconsin DNR Large-Scale AIS Population Control Grant was not selected for funding. This is the second consecutive year our application has been denied. Our three-year project had a total cost of $154,000, of which we requested $116,000 from the state under their cost-share requirements.
The competition was fierce: 471 applications sought $7.4 million in funding.
The reality is clear: we cannot wait for state funding to address our milfoil crisis. The infestation now covers 257 acres—the worst since before 2014—and it is actively spreading. Our Clean Boats Clean Waters inspections documented 4,501 boat launches in just 46 days last summer. Every season we delay treatment, the problem grows.
At this critical juncture, and after a few months of conversation with the state, biologists, potential consultants, members, and others, the MFA Lake Management Committee has decided the highest and best use of our time, focus, and private fundraising is to attack milfoil with the herbicide ProcellaCOR.
Before we explain our path forward, it's important to understand that there are two separate and distinct state processes involved in lake management:
The grant denial is a setback for funding. The permit application is the next hurdle—and it is the one that will determine whether we can treat the lake at all, regardless of how much money we raise.
For much of the past decade, the DNR has effectively discouraged herbicide treatment on the Minong Flowage. Our last permitted treatment was in 2023, when we were allowed to apply 2,4-D in limited areas near the county park and in the channel by Pogo's. Before and since then, we have repeatedly been told not to even attempt permit applications—in large part due to wild rice protections that placed Serenity Bay and the North Basin off-limits, and a statewide position that ProcellaCOR would not be allowed on any lake with wild rice present. Last year's grant denial left us without the financial resources to pursue treatment independently.
That landscape has now changed. On January 16, 2026, Madi Johansen, the DNR's Aquatic Plant Management Team Leader, issued clarified guidance on the use of ProcellaCOR—a next-generation herbicide—in waters near wild rice. The key clarification: ProcellaCOR may be considered for use if flow data demonstrates that treated water will not reach wild rice beds.
We have that flow data. DNR-funded dye studies conducted in 2014 and 2015 in areas immediately adjacent to the wild rice beds confirmed that water flows downstream, away from the rice—with no dye entering the rice areas. Our proposed treatment zones are all downstream from the wild rice beds. We intend to submit this documentation with our permit application and push the DNR to approve treatment under their own clarified guidelines.
This is not a guaranteed approval. The DNR will review our application on a case-by-case basis, and the Voigt Task Force (the tribal consultation body) may request additional review. But for the first time in years, we have a viable pathway to permitted herbicide treatment—and we intend to pursue it aggressively since other means of attacking milfoil have shown mixed results for the cost.
ProcellaCOR (active ingredient: florpyrauxifen-benzyl) represents a significant advancement over traditional herbicides like 2,4-D. It was registered by the U.S. EPA in 2017 as a "reduced risk" herbicide—their lowest risk category—and has been used successfully on over 100 lakes in the northeastern United States, including more than 30 in New York alone.
The Lake Management Committee has developed a phased approach for 2026:
We will apply for a DNR permit to treat approximately 40 acres across five high-traffic test zones: DNR Bay, the south side of the North Basin channel, East Bay, and Southeast Bay. These are heavily-navigated areas where the community will be able to directly observe the treatment's effectiveness compared to untreated areas—and compared to the conditions we all experienced last summer.
Treatment would occur after June 15, when water temperatures optimize ProcellaCOR effectiveness. Results will be visible within 1-2 weeks, and we will monitor efficacy through July.
If the summer application proves successful and we can raise additional funds, we plan to apply for a second permit to treat additional areas in the fall. This phased approach allows the community to see ProcellaCOR's effectiveness firsthand before committing to expanded treatment—and it gives us time to continue fundraising through the summer.
Without state grant funding, the Phase 1 treatment must be funded entirely through private contributions. The estimated cost for treating 40 acres in five test zones is $62,000, according to our lake biologist. Treatments to tackle additional portions of our 257-some-acre infestation will require significantly more funding.
We will be launching a formal fundraising campaign+membership drive by mid-March. MFA membership dues has never been sufficient alone (state law caps MFA membership dues), we have no tax base (we're a non-profit association, not a lake district) and thus, our only option short of other government funding, is to privately fundraise.
Watch for detailed information on how to contribute, sponsorship levels, and recognition opportunities. We will need participation from property owners across the flowage to make this summer's treatment a reality.
In the meantime, we encourage you to think about what healthy, navigable water is worth to you—and what continued inaction will cost all of us in property values, recreational enjoyment, and the character of our lake.
Clean Boats Clean Waters: The DNR did approve our 2026 CBCW grant, which funds boat inspections at public landings. This prevention program remains critical—it's far easier to keep new invasive species out than to remove them once established.
Tribal Coordination: We continue to seek productive dialogue with GLIFWC biologists and tribal representatives regarding herbicide treatment near wild rice waters. We believe the science supports careful, targeted treatment, and we are committed to demonstrating that milfoil control and wild rice protection can coexist.
The state has declined to fund our work. The DNR has historically blocked our herbicide applications. But the regulatory landscape is shifting, the science is on our side, and the need has never been more urgent.
We are not waiting for someone else to solve this problem. We are moving forward—and we are asking you to move forward with us.
More information on the fundraising campaign will follow in March. In the meantime, if you have questions or would like to get involved, please reach out.
Thank you for your continued commitment to the Minong Flowage.
Sincerely,
Steve Johnson
Lake Management Committee Chair
QUESTIONS? Contact Steve Johnson (sjj8549@gmail.com) or attend our board meeting on at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at the Wascott Town Hall.
FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN: Details coming by mid-March.