To Members and friends,
The location of the annual Six Mile Lake Association picnic has been changed. Spring of 2026 has been pretty much of a disaster for Six Mile Lake property owners due to flooding, not once but twice. Some of us are still working on rebuilding yards, frontage, breakwalls, etc. Six Mile Lake rose over 37.5 inches above it’s normal level after the five inches of rain fell at the beginning of July. Echo Twp Park remains closed due to severe wash outs at the launch and at the playground area. Bids are out for repair but contractors are so busy that it is doubtful the park will reopen before the fall season. For that reason the annual Six Mile Lake Association picnic has been moved to the Wooden Shoe Park pavilion in Ellsworth. The date is Saturday August 8th and setup is 4:30pm. Picnic tables are limited so if you have a portable table you can bring and chairs please do so. As usual bring a dish to pass, your own table service and beverage. The Association will supply the brats and dogs. We usually do some sort of white elephant drawing so stay tuned for more details about that. Contact Linda Vanandel at 231.676.7042 or Kathryn Bell at 517.425.1390 if you can help out.
The DNR park on the east side of Six Mile Lake also washed out. The launch is shallow but at least is open. Six Mile Lake experienced a breather with the first ever ‘no wake’ ban in the history of our lake allowing some stabilization of shorelines and limiting somewhat the further collapse of more vulnerable areas into the lake. After the ban was lifted many property owners continued the ‘no wake’ voluntarily for another two weeks and beyond. The 4th of July was the quietest ever and the fireworks committee in Ellsworth reported only a couple of boats on St. Clair lake for the fireworks this year.
The DNR was on the lake in early June doing their ten year fish count (we will share the findings as soon as we get them) and that delayed PLM’s scheduled treatment of Six Mile Lake (along with the extremely high water levels) which finally happened about ten days ago. Echo Twp raised the amount property owners are paying annually into the SAD in order to cover future treatments due to timing and shrinking revenues. Treatment areas on Six Mile Lake remain extremely limited but property owners whose frontage is not included in PLM’s initial treatment areas can always contact PLM and discuss what their options are.
As far as the Bellaire Dam project goes it appears that the Charlevoix County Board of Commissioners are listening to Six Mile Lake property owners in Southarm Twp and exploring the possibility of joining with Antrim County which would allow property owners on the three lakes of Ellsworth, St. Clair and Six Mile Lake, currently omitted from the existing SAD, to join in the financing of not only improvements at the Bellaire Dam but replacement of the culvert in Ellsworth and dredging of all the channels in between. Details will follow as we get them but a complete history is on the Antrim County website under Operator of Dams.
Both loon pairs returned in spring to their nesting platforms and each had two baby chicks. The north pair has successfully raised one so far. The south pair lost both chicks three days after they were born when another aggressor loon battled the resident male loon for dominance of the territory and his mate. We left the south platform in as loons will sometimes nest a second time but it didn’t happen so we pulled the platforms and hope for a better 2027. Actually, 2025 was the first year, since we have been involved with the Chain of Lakes loon project which Six Mile Lake joined in 2012, that each loon pair successfully raised and brooded both of their chicks. So four last year. One this year. 29 total.
Regarding the condition of our fragile shorelines, the Six Mile Lake Association is still working on a wakeboat ban. We have successfully petitioned one township for the ban, got a letter of support from the other, the sheriff and county commissioners are on board as we continue to work on the specifics with the DNR, the legislature and other lake associations on this very distressing issue. Thumb Lake now has this ban in place. We are positive other lakes will follow suit. This is not about wakes, this is about a certain type of watercraft specially designed to create huge underwater waves to surf behind without a rope. They are extremely destructive on narrow shallow lakes such as Six Mile. Bans are already in place in Minnesota and Wisconsin. You would think the owners of these boats would stay out on the bigger, deeper lakes but, hey, fun is fun and who cares what it costs in the name of fun. For now, lakefront property owners almost everywhere get to stand by and watch already fragile shorelines drop into the lake in the name of fun but the day is coming when these boats will be banned from lakes like ours and it’s coming sooner rather than later.
Last, if you are interested in running for the Six Mile Lake Association board contact myself or any board member. This Association continues to be very proactive and a leader in all areas of lake living and there’s plenty of work yet to be done. We are an all volunteer organization and listing all we have done over the past years to improve and protect our lake and neighborhood is pretty impressive!!
So…put Saturday August 8th on your calendar. Come to the picnic at Wooden Shoe Park at 4:30 set up. Bring your friends and family. It’s the best time to meet neighbors, swap stories and enjoy a meal with people we share our lives and lake with.
See you there!!!
Cherie Hogan
Membership/Communications