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Hess Lake Improvement Board

Bart Calvi, Chair

Brooks Township Representative

Dale Twing, Secretary & Treasurer

Newaygo County Drain Commissioner

Ken Delaat

Newaygo County Commissioner

 

Mark Slocum

Grant Township Representative

Grant Bryan

Lake Resident Representative

Environmental Consultant: Progressive Companies

Next Meeting: May 6, 2025, 9:30 a.m. at the Newaygo County Drain Commissioner's Office:

306 S North Street

White Cloud, MI 49349

The Hess Lake Improvement Board was established in accordance with Michigan’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act. The Lake Board includes a lakefront property owner, representatives from Brooks and Grant Townships, a Newaygo County Commissioner and the Newaygo County Drain Commissioner. Several board members are lake residents. Since its establishment, the Lake Board has implemented several programs to help improve conditions in Hess Lake. Lake Board funding is derived through special assessment of benefitting properties around the lake.  This website includes information about Hess Lake and lake management activities being coordinated under the direction of the Hess Lake Improvement Board.

The Hess Lake Improvement Board is separate and apart from the Hess Lake Improvement Association. The Hess Lake Improvement Board is a governmental entity established by state statute. The Hess Lake Improvement Association is a volunteer, non-profit group that works to promote a spirit of good fellowship and a sense of community among its members. To find out more about the Hess Lake Improvement Association, visit: https://hesslake.com/.

Plans in Motion

Scientists from Carp Solutions LLC are going to be trapping and removing carp via box netting in 2024. The tentative schedule is as follows:

June 28: Install nets

July 12-15: Bait and set nets

July 16: Pull nets: 399 carp caught and removed

1,054 catfish caught and released

July 26-29: Bait and set nets

July 30: Pull nets: 244 carp caught and removed

,940 catfish caught and released

August 9-12: Bait and set nets

August 9: Electrofishing: 10 carp caught and released

August 13: Pull nets: 99 carp caught and removed

1,937 catfish caught and released

Of note: 1,937 catfish were caught in the nets

August 30: Uninstall nets

A total of 752 carp were caught and removed from Hess Lake in 2024. During those efforts 4,931 catfish were caught and released back into Hess Lake as required by the DNR.

Because bluegill are known to eat carp eggs, they are stocked as part of the effort to control the carp population. On June 6

8,530 bluegill (4-7 inches long) were stocked in Hess Lake.

2024 Box Net Location Map.jpg
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