Portage Base & Whitewood Owners Association is now:
Huron River Chain of Lakes 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
NEWS & EVENTS
Introducing HRCOLA Donate
We are pleased to announce that as of April 23, 2025, HRCOLA Donate has been approved for 501(c)(3). After that date donations made to HRCOLA as 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.