Lake Missaukee is located in the west central portion of Missaukee County in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. The lake covers 1,880 acres and is roughly oval in shape. Water depths range from 5 feet to 27 feet, but the average depth is 10.5 feet.  Much of the center portion of the lake bottom is covered with a wide variety of native aquatic plans.

Formed in 1997, Missaukee Lakes Association (MLA) is comprised of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and four additional Directors. Membership stands at a 140. The association’s first order of business was to establish a consistent program of lake water testing, which did not exist at the time. After considering the option of handling this through volunteer efforts, it was decided to hire a professional company (Professional Lake Management) so that we would be assured of consistent sampling and analysis. Since 2001, the association has funded testing at three locations on the lake three times a year.

During launching of the boat for water testing during the summer of 2001, Eurasian milfoil was discovered in the boat launch lagoon at Missaukee County Park. Fortunately, this was a relatively contained area with a channel into the main body of the lake.  With the cooperation of the park, MLA funded the treatment and control of the milfoil in the lagoon for several years. We knew the milfoil would inevitably spread to the main body of the lake, and when it did, it was again discovered during the water sampling program.  With the help of many local groups, as well as Professional Lake Management, MLA pushed for the quick formation of a Lake Board with the authority to start treatment and levee taxes to pay for it.  Treatment started the same year, based on the understanding of tax revenues yet to come to pay for it.  This quick action kept a big problem from becoming an even bigger one. 

Our mission is to prevent problems from becoming serious, and as our membership slowly continues to grow, we are more committed than ever to the protection of this lake and its fragile ecosystem.