Cedar Lake Conservation Club
Presentation to the Annandale History Club
February 1, 2016
Bill Arendt

Bill Arendt is the current president of the Cedar Lake Conservation Club.  He has lived at the lake since 2001 and has been active in the club since 2002

There is a good history of the Cedar Lake Conservation Club, 1930-2000, at cedarlakecc.org.

Cedar Lake (837 acres) is in Corinna Township, north of Annandale.  The maximum depth is 108 feet.  The shore length is 6.2 miles.  There is a state owned access on the northwest corner and a county owned access on the north side.  There is an inlet on the south side.  Water flows into Cedar Lake from Swartout, Henshaw and Albion, three impaired lakes.  There is an outlet on the northwest side where water flows out to Clearwater Lake.  Schroeder Regional Park is on the north side.  There were once nine or ten resorts on the lake.  Geardinks Resort was the last to close.

1953:  The CLCC organized in July 1953 with 100 members.  Dues were $1.00.

1956:  Camp Courage made honorary member of CLCC.

1971:  Started selling sweatshirts and T-shirts as fundraiser for CLCC.

 FGC (Ferrell, Gunnerson, Roth) application to dredge 450 feet and construct a marina in Turtle Bay with four docks.  They proposed 120 acres called Cedar Acres with 100 ft. minimum lots.  CLCC and DNR are opposed to the development. 

The club initiated membership in the Wright County Conservation Federation.

1972:  Culvert at south end of lake collapsed after the train tracks blew out.  Needs replacing.

1973:  First issue of the “Cedar Lake News.”

1974:  Dues were $10.  Approved selling of sweatshirts as fundraising project.  Clearwater River Watershed membership passed. 

1970s:  Schroeder Park, a Wright County Regional Park, was opened on the north side of the lake.  The bulk of the land was Schroeder’s Resort.

1975:  Final court settlement between FGR of Annandale, Cedar Acres Association, and CLCC.  It was the end of 3 ½ years of negotiations.  A four-acre park and one dock were approved.

1975:  First lake directory issued.

1976:  The lake was the lowest since 1941.

1983:  Dues were $5.00.

1984:   Concern about the proposed golf course on the southwest corner of Cedar Lake.  The 18-hole  Whispering Pines Golf course opened in 1996.

1988:  There was a severe drought.  Cedar Lake has 268 lake and adjoining lots.

1989:  Part of dues to milfoil fund.

1998:  Ella Geardink honored for 61 years at Geardink Resort.

2006:  In July 2006 the Crow River Watershed District was petitioned by the CLCC to develop and implement measures designed to reduce phosphorous loading and carp population in Cedar Lake.  Based on several years of monitoring, the Albion, Swartout, Henshaw Project was created.  Five fish barriers were installed.  In conjunction with the fish barriers, rough fish removal is conducted on lakes upstream of Cedar Lake (Henshaw & Swartout).

 2011:  Milfoil found at north side landing.  Boat launch inspection for milfoil and zebra mussels.

2011:  Minor modifications were made in the inlet channel to Segner Pond.  Segner Pond is a constructed basin used to store water coming from the upstream lakes for treatment with a limestone filter berm.

2014:  194 members, 80 percent of the 242 property owners.

2016:  Dues are $25.00/year.

Compiled by the Annandale History Club secretary