• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Higgins Lake Foundation color logo

Higgins Lake Foundation

Preserving & Protecting Higgins Lake

989-275-9183 Call Us Get Info Donate
  • About HLF
    • Your Donations at Work
    • Board of Trustees
  • Donate
    • Donate Now
    • Planned Giving
  • Initiatives
    • Do Your Part
    • Greenbelt Grant Application
    • Invasive Species
    • Boat Washes
    • DASH Boat
    • CLMP-Water Testing
    • Water Safety
    • Copper Sulfate
  • Videos
  • Lake Studies
  • News
    • Events
    • Newsletters
  • Contact
    • Contact Form
    • Grant Application
    • Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) Photo Upload
  • Lake Conditions
  • Useful Lake Links

HLF grant helps combat swimmers itch

A Higgins Lake Foundation grant awarded to Gerrish Township for $23,000 was recently paid in full. This grant supported a limited action plan that took place this past spring to help combat swimmers itch in Higgins Lake.

The funding was awarded for specific activity, using the US Fish & Wildlife permit Gerrish Township obtained for the lethal taking of 25 female merganser ducks. In addition, nesting boxes were built and placed in known nesting areas throughout Gerrish Township.

HLF grant helps combat swimmers itch - Pictured are: Vicki Springstead, HLF Chair, Frank Homola, Gerrish Township Supervisor and Jim Lippert, Fire Department Chief.
Pictured are: Vicki Springstead, HLF Chair, Frank Homola, Gerrish Township Supervisor and Jim Lippert, Fire Department Chief.

The projected cost was estimated at $28,000. Gerrish Township earmarked $5,000 toward the project, which included the cost of materials and labor to construct multiple nesting boxes, boat fuel, and man-hours.

This effort was a first step toward the reduction of swimmers itch and should support and enhance future efforts that will continue in Higgins Lake.

It should be understood that the work of any program carried out in 2015 will not likely show significant impacts this summer. Any plan will take several years and likely require much more funding to make it viable in the future.

Published on: July 14, 2015

Categories: Press Releases

Recent Press Releases

Winter Water Symposium 2021

Fact, Fiction or Opinion?

A Busy Summer on Higgins Lake

New Science on Swimmers Itch-Winter Water Symposium 2020

30th Annual Higgins Lake Foundation “Awareness Day”

Funding Provided for Higgins Lake Marine Patrol

Lakesaver Day

New Boating and Fishing Laws 2019

Legacy League

28th Annual “Higgins Lake Foundation Awareness Day”

VIEW ALL PRESS RELEASES

Explore more

Donate
How Can I Help?
More About Higgins Lake
Higgins Lake Foundation logo

Footer

Higgins Lake Foundation

P.O. Box 753
207 Terrace Drive
Roscommon, MI 48653
989-275-9183
info@higginslake-foundation.org
Tuesday and Wednesday: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Thursday: 9 a.m. – noon

Copyright © 2025 Higgins Lake Foundation
Site designed by Marj Esch
Background photography courtesy of Ron Wiltse

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Phone
  • Email
Higgins Lake Foundation logo
  • About HLF
    • Your Donations at Work
    • Board of Trustees
    • Back
  • Donate
    • Donate Now
    • Planned Giving
    • Back
  • Initiatives
    • Do Your Part
    • Greenbelt Grant Application
    • Invasive Species
    • Boat Washes
    • DASH Boat
    • CLMP-Water Testing
    • Water Safety
    • Copper Sulfate
    • Back
  • Videos
  • Lake Studies
  • News
    • Events
    • Newsletters
    • Back
  • Contact
    • Contact Form
    • Grant Application
    • Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) Photo Upload
    • Back
  • Lake Conditions
  • Useful Lake Links