Huron River Chain of Lakes Association
(previously known as Portage, Base & Whitewood Owners Association)
The HRCOLA mission is to preserve, protect, and enhance the health and safety of our Lakes and the surrounding Watershed for current and future generations.
Your donations to HRCOLA are now tax free. For more information click here.
Shore Garden Tour with Washtenaw County Shoreline Consultants
About Us
Photo Credit: Scott Dentler
Our Lakes
Photo Credit: Scott Dentler
Fun on Our Lakes
Photo Credit: Heidi Metzger
Make a Difference
Shorefront Garden Tour
The Huron River Chain of Lakes Association is hosting the Shorefront gardens of Webster Township on Thursday, August 21st (2 – 6 p.m) and Friday August 22nd (10a.m. – 3:30 p.m).
We welcome you to visit the gardens and discover the many Michigan Native Plants available for your lawn, gardens and shorefronts. Address: 7746 to 7788 Base Lake Drive, Dexter. For further information/details, email: [email protected]om.
Phase II of the University of Minnesota Wake Boat Study in Now Available
The University of Minnesota just released a Phase II exploring the impacts of wake boats on inland lakes. A summary of the study findings in available here. In short, this study recommends only operating wake boats in wake mode 500′ from shore and in 20′ or more of water depth. A brief video showing how wake boats damage lake bottoms and feed algal blooms is here.
HRCOLA Demonstration Rain Garden Installed at DNR Launch Site
Rain gardens filter water from parking areas, driveways, lawns and roofs before it enters the lake. They are nature’s natural purification system. HRCOLA has just installed a rain garden at the DNR launch site on Portage Lake to filter the water from the parking are before it enters the lake. The plants are still babies, but they will grow to fill the garden. They are natives with deep roots that direct the water into the ground where pollutants are removed by the sand before the water makes its way into the lake.
Check it out. Donate here to help pay for the garden.
Your donations are now tax deductable (see notice below).
Introducing HRCOLA Foundation
We are pleased to announce that as of April 23, 2025, HRCOLA Foundation has been approved for 501(c)(3). After that date donations made to HRCOLA are tax deductible. (Basis $50 membership fees are not deductible, but membership fee amounts over $50 ($50 of $100 supporting membership and $200 of $250 lake champion membership levels) and donations are.
To encourage widespread membership, the basic membership fee for HRCOLA has remained at $50 for more that 15 years. However, our costs (Riparian, newsletter and other mailings, website and others) continue to go up. Your donations will help the HRCOLA keep the basic membership fee at $50.
More importantly, your donations will help us continue to expand our activities to protect and enhance the quality of water in our lakes and river.
For example, this spring HRCOLA mailed notice to all waterfront property owners in Hamburg Township telling them of Hamburg’s new fertilizer ordinance prohibiting the use of fertilizers within 50′ of the shoreline.
HRCOLA also sponsored the installation of a rain garden at the DNR launch site on Portage Lake. The raingarden will include signage about how rain gardens help protect lakes and rivers from polluted run off.
NATURAL SHORELINES
Naturalizing altered shorelines improves water quality, prevents erosion, enhances habitats and biodiversity, and supports the overall health of inland lake ecosystems resulting in cleaner water for us all to enjoy. Shoreline gardens, fish sticks, and softening of seawalls help protect our lakes for future generations.
WEED & ALGAE CONTROL PROGRAMS
Weed and algae control programs run by Washtenaw County and Hamburg township help to lessen the adverse impacts of invasive species and algal blooms on our lakes. As directed by a lake scientist and permit by EGLE, they use chemicals and weed harvesting.