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Click here for a printable version
(PDF) of the Fall 2005 issue. Lake
Tides - The
newsletter for people interested in Wisconsin Lakes
- a quarterly publication of the University
of Wisconsin-Extension Lakes Program - part of the
Wisconsin Lakes
Partnership.
Volume 30 No. 4 Fall 2005
Text-only version (HTML format)
Getting It Right: Whole-lake Herbicide Debate Deserves A Dose of
Science
Hands Across the Waters:
28th Annual Wisconsin Lakes Convention
Milfoil Control: Let Nature Take Its Course?
NR 115 Update: Shoreland Zoning Rules
Lake Districts Q&A
Can You Risk It? Insurance for Lake
Organizations
Laura Herman Coordinates Citizen Lake Monitoring
Network
NR326: Pier Survey Shows Most Piers Meet Size Limits
Winter Is Coming: What's A Fish To Do?
Making Lake Life Easier: The Wisconsin Lake List
Directory
Lost in the Mail: Getting a PO Box
Who's Who in Citizen-Based Monitoring
Paying for Plants: First Citation for Plants on Boat
Calendar
Reflections
Getting It Right:
Whole-lake Herbicide Debate Deserves A Dose of Science
If you have read the papers
lately, you may have noticed that lakes are in the news! Headlines
from the Wisconsin State Journal this summer read:
"Why not try magic potion
on our lakes?" (7/17)
"We won’t save lakes by
playing it safe" (7/19)
"DNR wary of fluridone to
clear lakes of weeds" (7/22)
"Lake problems defy simple
solutions" (7/31)
"Board member pushes for
study of lake weed herbicide" (8/11)
"Herbicide can kill lake
weeds safely" (8/14)
"For lakes cleanup, think
big" (8/19)
Lake Tides asked the DNR Research Team to
explain the "ins and outs" of whole-lake treatments.
People have long been interested in managing
aquatic plants in their lakes, and few plants have attracted as
much concern as the invasive Eurasian watermilfoil. Recently, a
new management technique is sparking intense debate.
The subject of the debate is, as you may have
guessed, whole-lake herbicide treatments for Eurasian watermilfoil
(EWM). The pesky plant is now present in over 400 Wisconsin lakes.
Given the rising concern over its presence and distribution,
debating proper control methods is important. Unfortunately,
misinformation seems to abound, making the discussion less
productive than it could be. Fluridone is the chemical proposed to
apply to entire waterbodies to treat EWM. The active ingredient is
1-methyl-3-phenyl-5-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-4(1H)-pyridinone,
and is marketed under the trade names Sonar� and Avast!�
As part of the DNR’s Lake Research Team, we have reviewed the
effects of whole-lake fluridone treatments in Wisconsin and
throughout the country. To help foster a discussion that balances
sound science with ecological, social, and economic value, we’d
like to clarify six common assumptions:
Assumption #1.
Eurasian water-milfoil has taken over
our lake!
First, you should "know your plant," particularly
where and how much EWM is present. The first step in choosing an
appropriate aquatic plant management plan is to conduct a good
quantitative aquatic plant survey. You can check out DNR’s plant
sampling protocol at: http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/ecology/APM/APM%20Appendix.pdf.
Accurate quantitative plant surveys are important because
perception and memory can be inaccurate. Since EWM is often the
only plant visible at the surface, it may only appear to have
"taken over." EWM tends to become dominant in disturbed eutrophic
lakes, but in other lakes it may be present for decades and never
reach nuisance levels. Surveys will let you know: 1) how much EWM
is really there; 2) where it is present; and 3) what other species
are there as well. This information will allow you to choose a
tool that is appropriate for the scope of the EWM infestation
while minimizing the impact on native plants. You can also track
the success of any plant management actions by following the same
survey protocol for multiple years.
Assumption #2.
Fluridone is just another herbicide –
it’s "proven" to be safe for people and the environment.
There is a key difference between how fluridone
and other aquatic herbicides (e.g., diquat, endothall, 2,4-D) are
used – namely, the size of the area they are used to treat. Unlike
conventional treatments used to deal with portions of lakes ("spot
treatments," usually 10 acres or less), the liquid formulation of
fluridone must be applied at the whole-lake scale. Active
concentrations of fluridone (greater than four parts per billion)
must be maintained for approximately 60+ days throughout the
entire surface layer of the lake for it to be effective on EWM.
Because of the long contact time required, it may be impractical
to treat some flowages and drainages because the chemical is lost
through the outlets.
So what is the problem with
treating whole lakes?
Prior to issuing a permit for a chemical
application, the Wisconsin DNR is required in its aquatic plant
rules (NR 107) to be reasonably certain that the application will
avoid: 1) a hazard to humans, animals or other non-target
organisms; 2) a significant adverse effect on the body of water;
3) significant injury to fish, fish eggs, fish larvae, essential
fish food organisms or wildlife, either directly or indirectly
through habitat destruction; 4) areas containing threatened or
endangered species; and 5) significant negative effects on native
vegetation in sensitive areas. To the best of our knowledge, there
are no toxic effects of fluridone to humans or animals when
applied according to label instructions. [As is the case with any
herbicide, it is impossible to test every life stage of every
potential organism, every potential mode of exposure (consumption,
skin, aerosol), and every by-product along the process of
degradation, over both the short and long term. Careful
consideration should include evaluating the known beneficial and
negative impacts of chemicals applied to surface waters, in
addition to recognizing potential undocumented effects.]
Both positive and negative ecological effects
accompany an herbicide treatment of any size. Positive effects
include temporary control of exotic species. Negative effects may
include die-offs of native vegetation, increases in green algae
and/or cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), and effects on
invertebrates and fish through loss of habitat and potential
changes to oxygen profiles (possibly resulting in fish kills).
With small-scale treatments, negative effects are limited to the
treatment zone, allowing susceptible species to survive elsewhere
in the lake. With a whole-lake treatment, however, the entire lake
ecosystem is exposed to the herbicide. Because of this, it is
crucial to systematically evaluate the benefits and risks
associated with treatment.
Assumption #3.
Fluridone is widely used and
well-studied.
A scientist’s best source for reliable, unbiased
information is an article in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
We started there to understand the efficacy and risks associated
with whole-lake fluridone treatments. Unfortunately, we found only
three peer-reviewed articles that dealt with effects on EWM and
plants, zero that dealt with effects on water clarity, and three
that focused on select aspects of fish biology - very few,
considering these treatments occur on whole lakes! There also were
no long-term studies (greater than five years). Because of the
limited published information, we also contacted 30 states for
unpublished monitoring data.
How widespread is the use of fluridone for
whole-lake treatments? Ten states confirmed using fluridone for
whole-lake chemical treatments for EWM or hydrilla (another
invasive aquatic plant in the southern U.S.) within the past 10
years. In two states, whole-lake treatments are relatively common;
Florida allows approximately 80 per year, and Michigan allows
approximately 20 per year. Most other states have allowed
experimental treatments on only a limited number of lakes (e.g.,
Wisconsin - 4 total, Minnesota - 8, Iowa - 6, Vermont - 4, Indiana
- 4, Oregon - 2, Maine - 1). Due to research that demonstrates
negative effects of whole-lake treatments on native vegetation and
water clarity, the Minnesota DNR generally prohibits whole-lake
treatments, especially on eutrophic lakes.
Assumption #4.
Whole-lake herbicide treatments
eradicate EWM.
Not the case! Not a single lake in the country has
ever received a whole-lake treatment that has truly eradicated
EWM. Successful treatments do significantly reduce EWM for 1-3
growing seasons, often crashing to near zero the year of
treatment. However, it always returns. In years following initial
treatment, manual methods or small-scale chemical treatments are
employed to manage EWM as it recovers. Without repeated whole-lake
treatments, EWM eventually returns to pretreatment levels, often
expanding rapidly during a single season. Return of EWM in treated
Midwestern lakes appears to be from roots or seeds remaining in
lake sediments after treatment, not from new introductions at
obvious entry points like boat launches.
Assumption #5.
Whole-lake herbicide treatments are
"selective" and do not affect native plants.
How fortunate we would be if that statement were
true! However, many native plants are killed by fluridone.
Susceptible native plants include: coontail, elodea, naiads,
northern watermilfoil, certain water lilies, some duckweeds,
bladderwort, seven of the Potamogeton pondweeds, and water
stargrass. If together these species comprise a large proportion
of the local plant community, fluridone’s effect on native lake
vegetation will be drastic. If present, fluridone-tolerant plants
like chara or wild celery may increase as long as competition from
EWM is absent. However, it is only a matter of time before EWM
returns to again outcompete these tolerant plants. In the
meantime, some susceptible species return, while others may not.
Assumption #6.
Whole-lake
herbicide treatments never cause algae problems.
Herbicides are intended to
kill plants. By killing plants, we can open the door to other lake
problems. To understand the ecological relationships that will
help us predict the effects of fluridone, let’s review a little
lake biology. Primary production in lakes (the conversion of
carbon dioxide and energy from the sun to organic carbon and
oxygen) is carried out by three interacting (and competing)
communities of a lake’s ecosystem – plants, algae, and certain
types of bacteria.
Aquatic Plants,
or "weeds," are macroscopic, and usually rooted in sediments.
Plants provide valuable ecological services. By competing for
nutrients, they limit the growth of algae and cyanobacteria and
improve water clarity. They also stabilize sediments, preventing
shoreline erosion, and provide critical habitat to many
organisms (including fish).
Algae
are highly variable. They can be either microscopic or
macroscopic, made up of single or multiple cells, and may grow
free-floating or attached to a substrate. Along with plants,
algae serve as the base of the food web in lakes. Growth of
algae increases with increasing nutrients. High abundance of
algae makes the water appear greener and become less clear.
Bacteria
are microscopic. We are often concerned with certain groups of
bacteria called cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Like other
algae, cyanobacteria increase under favorable environmental
conditions such as increased levels of phosphorus, reducing
water clarity. Increases in some species result in significant
odors. Certain species of cyanobacteria may also be toxic.
Because each of these
primary producers uses nutrients, it is important to understand
that a management action aimed at decreasing plants (like
whole-lake herbicide treatments) leads to increased nutrients
available for algae and bacteria. Decaying plant material also
releases additional nutrients (like compost) that algae and
bacteria may use for growth. Large-scale die-offs of vegetation
may result in "blooms" of algae and cyanobacteria (potentially
causing fish kills, odors, and toxins). Large-scale decreases in
plants also result in a significant alteration in habitat for
invertebrates and fish. A lack of nearshore aquatic plants may
facilitate faster erosion from wave action along susceptible
shorelines.
So what about clear water?
In our review of whole-lake treatments, we found
significant decreases in water clarity following 80% of the
treatments. In most, water clarity was deacreased by 50%. The
water quality response can be predicted based on three factors
unique to each lake: 1) the amount of susceptible vegetation
killed; 2) external and internal nutrient loads; and 3) physical
characteristics of the lake (primarily the percentage of the lake
area that is occupied by plants). It is most likely that extreme
reductions in water clarity will occur in shallow, eutrophic lakes
that are dominated by EWM and other susceptible plants. A deep,
oligotrophic lake, with high abundance of fluridone-tolerant
natives is less likely to be impacted by algae after treatment.
A magic potion?
Are whole-lake herbicide treatments a quick-fix to
our long-term EWM problem? Like anything that sounds too good to
be true, we have yet to discover a "magical potion." However,
using science and informed discussion, we can systematically
evaluate the benefits and costs associated with various management
techniques including reasonable expectations of EWM nuisance
relief, and anticipated effects on other aspects of a lake
ecosystem. If you are considering a whole-lake treatment on a lake
you care about, ask questions and demand answers of the treatment
advocate. As a smart consumer, seek answers from multiple sources,
not just from parties with an economic interest in your decision.
In many cases, the honest answer may be a humble, "There are no
answers yet." For example, as tempting as it is to assume no harm,
the long-term effects of fluridone on fisheries are entirely
unknown. It is no easy task to balance the ecological risks and
benefits with the economic costs of different management options
within the array of social values represented by the public trust.
But without good science, a whole-lake treatment may turn into a
whole-lake mistake.
by Jennifer Hauxwell, Kelly Wagner, and Alison
Mikulyuk
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
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Milfoil Control: Let Nature Take Its Course?
The Phillips Chain of Lakes, made up of Duroy,
Elk, Long, and Wilson Lakes, is located adjacent to the city of
Phillips in central Price County. The invasive and problematic
Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) was first found in Duroy Lake in the
fall of 2000. By 2002, all four lakes contained EWM. Duroy
contained extensive beds,
Wilson contained smaller scattered beds, and Elk and Long
contained very small, scattered beds.
In 2005, concerned about the amount of EWM in the
lakes, the Phillips Chain Lake Association requested an
over-winter drawdown to reduce the invasive plant in the chain. In
response, Craig Roesler and Dan Kephart of the DNR performed an
assessment with assistance from lake association volunteers.
Surprisingly, the assessment revealed the EWM
population had declined substantially since 2002. Duroy Lake
showed a major decline, with an estimated 90% reduction in visible
plants. Large areas of EWM beds were reduced to occasional plants.
Most surviving plants were heavily damaged with few remaining
leaves. Elk and Long Lakes had hardly any EWM. In Wilson Lake, the
declines ranged from almost total destruction of plants in one bed
to no obvious impacts in another.
What was happening in the lakes to reduce the EWM
populations? Upon examination of the damaged plants, evidence
showed that the milfoil weevil, Euhrychiopsis lecontei, was
hard at work. Numerous adult weevils were found and many of the
damaged EWM stems showed the blackened stem segments caused by
larval feeding.
Milfoil weevils are about 3 mm or 1/8 inch long.
They are naturally present in most Wisconsin lakes that contain
native milfoils. There had been no introduction of weevils made on
the Phillips chain, so the native weevils present simply adapted
to feeding on EWM. Up to now, milfoil weevils had shown
significant impacts to EWM in a very small percentage of lakes.
The reasons they are unsuccessful in most lakes are uncertain,
although predation by abundant bluegills has been shown to be one
factor. The extent of the weevil impact to EWM in the Phillips
chain appears to be greater than that reported in any other lakes
where impacts have been observed.
The lakes of the Phillips chain have dark waters,
heavily stained from wetland drainage. They also are eutrophic and
experience significant summer algae blooms. EWM is only present in
water depths ranging from 2.5 to 5 feet. It is unknown whether
these conditions may have contributed to the weevils’ success.
There is probably not enough EWM left in the chain
to justify a drawdown and consequently, the technique has been put
on hold. There was also concern that a drawdown could disrupt the
booming weevil population and have other negative consequences.
What’s next in this weevil vs. EWM saga? More observation will
take place over the next few summers to see if the weevils’
effectiveness continues in the fight against EWM.
by Craig Roesler
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
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NR
115 Update: Shoreland Zoning Rules
Recently more than 1,200 citizens attended public
hearings vital to preserving the Wisconsin they grew up knowing
and loving. Thanks to everyone who took the time to become
involved in the revision of the shoreland zoning rules through the
11 public hearings held around the state and the public comment
period.
It was very clear from the comments heard that
Wisconsin’s 15,000 lakes and thousands of streams are the heart
and soul of the Badger state. People described these waters as a
foundation of Wisconsin’s economic future: a powerful reason to
keep people and businesses here, important amenities we can offer
prospective businesses and residents, and an anchor of the state’s
$12 billion tourism industry.
DNR shoreland protection staff launched the
revision process in 2002 by convening a citizens’ advisory
committee to look at the current rules, which set statewide
minimum standards (in largely unincorporated areas) for lot sizes,
building setbacks and limits on removing shoreland vegetation. The
goal of the changes is to strike the proper balance between
providing property owners more flexibility in what they can do on
their land in exchange for measures to offset the resulting
impacts on lakes and rivers.
Over 12,000 comments have been received on the
proposed revision to NR 115. After reviewing and compiling the
comments, the DNR will make changes to the rule proposal based on
the comments heard during the comment period and public hearings.
The final draft of the rule will then be taken to the Natural
Resources Board for final consideration.
by Toni Herkert
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
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Lake District Q&A
We often get phone calls and emails from
Lake Tides readers with a variety of questions about lake
districts. Do you have a question about lake districts that you
would like to see answered in Lake Tides? Send it to
uwexlakes@uwsp.edu so we can include it in a future issue.
Q: Can a lake district use
absentee or proxy voting?
A: No.
In 2004, the WI legislature passed Act 274, making
some legislative changes to Chapter 33 of the Statutes, the
chapter that specifically pertains to lake districts. Chapter 33
was updated to say that no absentee ballots or proxies are
permitted at an annual meeting or a special meeting of the
district. Wis. Stat. �� 33.30(2)(b) and 33.305(4).
Some people claim that absentee or proxy voting
gives members who may not be able to attend the annual or special
meeting an important voice in district matters. Others maintain
that absentee and proxy voting doesn’t provide the non-present
member the benefit of hearing discussion during the meeting on an
issue.
If an issue to be voted upon at a lake district
meeting changes during the course of the meeting or if new
information is brought forward, an absentee vote could be rendered
useless. In the case of proxy voting, some people contend that the
designated proxy may not know how to cast the vote for the
non-present member if changes occur at the meeting.
Although other governmental bodies allow absentee
voting (but not proxies) for election purposes (i.e. local, state,
federal elections), lake districts are unique in that elections do
not happen in a polling booth. Voting takes place at an annual
meeting, where nominations can be taken from the floor of the
meeting. Absentee voting in these cases does not provide the
non-present member the benefit of considering those new
nominations.
For these and other legal reasons, absentee or proxy voting are
not permitted for lake districts.
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Can You Risk It? Insurance for Lake Organizations
"We only need insurance if
something bad happens." The topic of insurance coverage can be a
tough one for lake organizations to deal with - it requires
weighing the cost of a policy against exposure to risk and
shopping around for the best service and a fair price.
A search of The Lake List,
Wisconsin’s online directory of lake organizations, reveals that
of the approximately 700 lake organizations in Wisconsin, about
149 indicate that they carry some type of insurance (78 of those
are lake districts and 55 are associations). The cost of insurance
varies greatly, depending upon the size and complexity of the
organization. It ranges from Delavan Lake Sanitary District in
Walworth County with a $43,000 insurance bill (out of a $2.2
million dollar budget) to the 92-member Butternut Franklin Lakes
Improvement Association, which pays $192 a year (for a million
dollar blanket liability policy.)
The need for some types of
insurance coverage may be fairly obvious. It is the responsibility
of everyone and particularly lake officials and leaders to
consider the insurance question carefully and to develop and
follow a reasonable plan that will be of benefit to the lake
organization, its officers and employees, and the lake. In very
general terms, the more activities and properties that an
organization has, the greater its risk.
Types of Coverage
Property, Auto, Bonds, etc.
If your organization owns
buildings or other real property, it will probably want to have
property insurance coverage (fire, windstorm, etc.). If it owns
moveable equipment such as an aquatic plant harvester or boat, it
can cover its investment in those items by purchasing inland
marine coverage. Both property and inland marine coverage are
designed to pay for damage to the property itself, not for damage
or injury that might be done to others. Costs can vary greatly for
organizations with harvesting operations. As an example, costs
range from $3,900 for the 428-acre Red Lake District in Shawano
County to $1,377 for 418-acre Lake Ripley in Jefferson County. The
insurance policy of these organizations covers trucks, harvesters
and conveyor equipment for the months of operation. A number of
organizations have noted that the insurance costs for chemical
applications can be very high, and it is probably best to let a
professional applicator with insurance do such work.
The organization should have
auto insurance coverage (liability and physical damage coverage)
if it owns any vehicles, and may want to have non-owned and hired
vehicle coverage even if it does not own a car or truck. This
coverage will help to provide protection for the organization if
someone uses his or her own vehicle while conducting business on
behalf of the district or association.
Some organizations do not
have a building or much equipment, but they do have a desk and a
file cabinet somewhere with records and papers. A form of property
insurance can be obtained to help replace the office equipment,
and it may be wise to consider buying valuable papers coverage to
help with the cost of reconstructing papers and records should
they be destroyed.
Even if the organization
does not have employees, it should consider the protection of a
worker’s compensation policy. If, for example, a lake association
hires a contractor who does not properly follow the worker’s
compensation laws, the responsibility for injuries to the
contractor’s employees could lie with the association. Always
obtain proof of insurance and Workman’s Comp from any contractor
prior to hiring them. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce
Development (DWD) in Madison can answer questions regarding
worker’s compensation for individual organizations (www.dwd.state.wi.us/wc).
General Liability, Errors
and Omissions
General liability insurance
is an important form of coverage. It is significant not only for
payment of tort liability judgments against the organization, its
officials and employees, and the costs of defense, but also for
the expertise and resources of the insurer in managing and helping
to defend lawsuits.
At a minimum, liability
coverage should be written so that all board members, officials
and employees are insured under the policy. It may be desirable to
insure volunteers in some circumstances. Some lake organizations
select policies with limits of liability of $1,000,000 or more,
depending on assets exposed.
The liability insurance
program can include what is commonly known as Public Officials
Errors and Omissions (E & O) coverage for the board and employees.
E & O coverage helps to protect and defend the individual board
members and others against suits alleging negligence-caused
financial or other nonphysical injury. Many E & O suits claim
officials or employees have made mistakes in carrying out their
official duties or that they are operating the organization in an
improper way. E & O coverage can be written as a separate policy
or provided as part of the General Liability policy.
Although no policy covers
every form of liability, some insurance policies are more broadly
written than others. While broader policies may cost more in
initial premiums, they may cost less in the long run because of
fewer uninsured claims. Good quality insurance coverage may have
its costs, but the expense of not having proper coverage needs to
be weighed against those costs.
What could happen if a
liability lawsuit is filed against an organization, its officers
or employees without insurance protection? In the case of a lake
association, a lack of insurance may result in insolvency if a
large, uninsured liability judgment is entered. This means, among
other things, that the assets of the association could be lost.
A lake district with taxing
powers presents a somewhat different situation. If a suit against
a lake district results in an uninsured judgment that is greater
than the district’s available assets, it could be required to levy
additional taxes to pay the judgment.
Selecting an Insurance
Company
What is the best way to
select an insurance carrier? Although there are no absolute rules,
there are some guidelines that may help the process. Most lake
organizations prefer to deal with a local insurance broker with
whom they are familiar and have confidence in. If that local
broker is an independent agent, they may contact several insurance
companies to determine the best company for the organization. Look
for a financially-sound insurance carrier. Check for strength in
the liability areas and special areas of coverage such as Errors &
Omissions. Some lake organizations have expressed interest in
forming a statewide cooperative to try and purchase insurance at a
less expensive group rate.
Find a company that has
experience working with lake organizations. Some companies
specialize in insurance for lake organizations and have more
experience dealing with the unique needs of lake organizations.
They may offer package programs that cut insurance costs. When
you’re talking with an insurance broker ask them how many
Wisconsin lake organizations they insure. Request the names of
other insured organizations and contact them concerning their
experiences with the company. Use The Lake List online
directory (see additional information on page 13) to identify
other organizations that carry insurance and talk with them.
This information is
excerpted in part from a new supplement on insurance which is a
section of the 11th edition of the Lake Organization Guide. It was
written by Robert Korth with the help of Rob Mentzer, Paul Bondar
of The Horton Group and Steve Weston of Weston Insurance in
Minocqua. For more information on insurance for lake organizations
look for the new 11th edition of
People of the Lakes: Wisconsin Lake Organization Series
coming soon or visit http://www.uwsp.edu./cnr/uwexlakes.
For a list of firms dealing
with insurance for lake organizations or to identify other
organizations with insurance, see the Lake List Directory at
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes.
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Laura Herman Coordinates Citizen Lake Monitoring Network
Laura Herman has spent the last few decades with
the DNR, serving as an aquatic entomologist and non-point source
coordinator in the Green Bay area, and more recently as the
Aquatic Plant Management and Protection Coordinator and the
Self-Help Volunteer Lake Monitoring Coordinator in Rhinelander. In
these roles with DNR she has worked with many citizens across
Northeast and Northern Wisconsin to conserve and improve their
lakes.
Laura has jumped to another arm of the Wisconsin
Lakes Partnership with her move to the UW-Extension Lakes Program
at UW-Stevens Point, where she will be the Citizen Lake Monitoring
Network Educator. This position was created to coordinate and
improve the citizen lake monitoring effort, formerly called
Self-Help. Laura will be working on updating the monitoring
manuals, adding new monitoring options, and developing a network
of volunteer support.
For more information on volunteering or
monitoring, contact Laura at 715/346-3989 or
lherman@uwsp.edu.
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NR326: Pier Survey Shows Most Piers Meet Size Limits
The vast majority of Wisconsin’s nearly
half-million piers can continue to be placed along Wisconsin lakes
and rivers without a state permit, based on the results of recent
lake surveys by the Department of Natural Resources.
By state law, piers do not need a permit if they
are up to 6 feet wide, extend into the water only to the length
necessary to adequately moor their boat or a depth of three feet,
whichever is greater, and if they have a maximum of two boats for
the first 50 feet of frontage and one for every 50 feet
thereafter. These size limits were established by lawmakers in the
Jobs Creation Act of 2004, and are the same as guidelines
recommended by DNR in the "Pier Planner" brochure since the early
1990s.
DNR surveyed piers on twenty-four lakes which were
selected from the Wisconsin Lakes Book, a long-standing reference
book listing 15,081 documented lakes. Lakes were selected using
random selection software to produce a list with approximately
two-thirds greater than 100 acres in size, one-third less than 100
acres.
More than 82% of all piers on the 24 surveyed
lakes met the size limits in state law. This means the piers are
exempt from permitting. Piers that did not meet the size limits
were found to exceed the current requirements for several reasons.
The two most common reasons were multiple boat-slip facilities
like marinas, and piers with very large platforms or decks on
them. Many existing marina facilities already have DNR permits,
and more than half the lakes surveyed had less than 10% of piers
that would require any permit.
The survey showed other interesting trends,
including that the level of lakeshore development does not
necessarily correlate to the size of piers or density of boats.
For example, 49% of existing piers on Lake Monona in the City of
Madison meet the statutory size limits to be exempt from
permitting. Staff conducting the Lake Monona survey observed many
piers with larger platforms, and the larger piers tended to be
clustered at neighboring properties along specific areas of the
shoreline. By contrast, more than 92% of the existing piers on
Lake Minocqua in Oneida County, another highly developed lake, are
exempt and do not require a DNR permit.
Reasonable size limits for piers are important to
ensure that the natural resources of our public waterways are
protected. Research in Wisconsin and elsewhere shows that piers
can shade out important aquatic plants that provide critical
habitat where fish spawn, grow, find food and seek shelter from
predators. Very large piers can also impact public recreation and
neighboring waterfront owners.
For a report on the pier survey, go to DNR’s
website at www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/fhp/waterway/piers.shtml
For more information about research on piers and
sensitive shallow water habitat, go to www.dnr.wi.gov/org/es/science/fish/habitat.htm
by Mary Ellen Vollbrecht and Liesa Lehmann,
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
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Winter Is Coming: What's A Fish to Do?
Have you ever wondered what life is like for the
fish in our lakes when ice covers the surface and cold sets in?
Ice anglers bring some of them up to the surface, but others
remain in the darkness below.
As temperatures drop and ice encroaches from the
shorelines of lakes and rivers, fish have fewer options for
retreat than other creatures. Fish are poikilotherms, that
is, "cold-blooded," meaning their body temperature remains close
to that of the surrounding environment. They do not (in general)
possess a mechanism for regulating their body temperature like
mammals. Body heat is lost directly to the surrounding environment
as they respirate. So, as water temperatures approach 38� F and
colder, what’s a fish to do?
In the cold, fish move very slowly and metabolic
processes take place slowly. When weather is warmer, they can move
more quickly. In this way, fish do not have to spend much of their
energy on keeping a constant temperature. Much of the food mammals
eat is burned to maintain body heat (we and other mammals are
homiotherms). There are tradeoffs in both lifestyles. A
handful of fish species, such as some bullheads, partially burrow
in mud to stay a little warmer. Other fish, such as bass, become
very inactive and live off bodily energy stores developed in
summer and fall. Still others, such as pike, are better adapted to
cooler water and remain relatively active during winter, taking
advantage of dead or slow-moving prey. These species are also more
likely to spawn earlier in the spring.
All fish will continue to feed through winter, but
at a relatively slow rate, because they are not using much energy
to move or maintain body temperature. Fish of all species tend to
congregate in areas where food is relatively easily obtained, and
where shelter is nearby. For bluegill or perch, food is frequently
small, worm-like midge larvae (chironomids), which can be found on
muddy lake bottoms. For pike, food is where the bluegill and perch
are!
Rivers present additional challenges for wintering
fish. Food is less readily available and cold water temperatures
make fish less active, but currents do not relent. Slow-water
habitat becomes crucial for many species, and others seek the
deepest holes they can find. In large rivers such as the
Mississippi, channelization for barge traffic and levee
construction in the name of flood control has eliminated or
isolated a great deal of side-channel or backwater habitat. Side
channels and backwaters are slow-water areas on the margins of the
main river channel that traditionally provided refuge for many
fish in winter. These areas offered greater abundance of food and
slow or still water. Today in many parts of large rivers this type
of habitat is unavailable, and fish are forced into less desirable
alternatives.
For example, in the Mississippi River, the areas
just downstream of and just behind wing-dams provide key areas
with deep water and little current. However, these areas are much
more exposed to the main channel than traditional backwater
sloughs, and do not provide the same diversity and amount of
habitat once available. Pressure waves from barges passing in
winter are of sufficient force to physically move fish out of
their refuges and send them into the main channel, where they are
forced to use precious energy to get back to safe haven. Another
regularly observed phenomenon in large rivers is "winter drift" of
catfish, where catfish of all sizes are seen alive near the
surface, but passively drifting downstream. The ultimate fate of
these fish is unknown.
Whether home is a lake or a river, a fish faces
survival challenges throughout the long winter. A chilling
thought, indeed.
by Joe Hennessy
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
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Making Lake Life Easier: The Wisconsin Lake List Directory
Ever wanted to contact
another lake organization to find out how they accomplished
something? The Lake List directory can help provide your
answer. For almost 20 years, lake organizations have been using
this directory to make their work easier. It is a comprehensive
statewide directory of more than 700 lake associations, lake
districts, and other organizations involved in lake management in
Wisconsin; as well as the businesses that provide lake management
services to Wisconsin lake organizations. The directory is
maintained by the UW-Extension Lakes Program at UW-Stevens Point.
In the 80’s and 90’s, the directory was printed in book format.
Today it is all online, making it easier to search for what you
need and keep it updated with the latest information. To access
the directory, go to
www.uwsp.edu/cnr/uwexlakes/lakelist.
The Lake List
provides you with quick and easy ways to find information about a
lake organization, including officers’ names and contact
information and a map to the lake (or lakes) the organization is
affiliated with. You can search by lake name, organization name,
county or type of organization. A new feature will enable you to
search by activity. For example, if your organization is
contemplating purchasing insurance, you can search the Lake
List to find all the lake organizations that carry insurance.
You can then contact some groups directly to find out how they
purchased insurance.
How is the directory
updated? This directory is kept accurate by the lake organizations
listed in it. It is as up-to-date as the information that you
provide to us. We will be mailing out an update form to each lake
organization later this year so you can let us know of new
officers’ names and contact information. Any other time you are
looking at the Lake List and see information that needs
changing, or notice an organization is not listed, let us know and
we will make changes.
The Lake List is your
resource. Use it to share information and experiences and to learn
from other lake organizations. If you have changes or suggestions
to make the directory even more useful to you, let us know at
uwexlakes@uwsp.edu or
715/346-2116.
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Lost in the Mail: Getting a PO Box
Does one person in your lake organization receive
all the organization’s mail at their home address? What happens
when that person moves away, steps down from the board, or does
not get re-elected? Will important correspondence, information, or
even donations get lost in the transition to a new address?
For most organizations, the solution is a post
office box for their organization’s mailing address. A post office
box address provides a consistent, permanent address for the
organization, eliminating confusion (and sometimes lost mail) in
exchange for a relatively small cost. The rental cost for a small
post office box usually ranges between $24 and $40 per year.
Some organizations even have their own websites
and email addresses to keep things consistent and to provide
members and others with an easy way to contact the organization.
Websites can also be good locations to publish information about
projects, upcoming meetings, or to post meeting minutes.
So next time you are updating contact information
for your lake organization, consider a post office box. It might
be one of the best (and easiest) investments your organization can
make.
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Who's Who In Citizen-Based Monitoring?
A new publication called "Who’s Who in
Citizen-based Monitoring" lists over 150 citizen monitoring groups
that exist in the state and describes their intended uses of data.
The UW-Extension Volunteer Monitoring Team surveyed monitoring
programs last year, and along with the DNR, created an interactive
website that is easily updated as more programs are added across
the state. You can access the information at
http://ATRIweb.info/cbm/whoswho.
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Paying for Plants: First Citation for Plants on Boat
Earlier this fall, the first-ever citation in
Wisconsin for not cleaning aquatic plants from a boat trailer was
given out by a conservation warden. The story begins in September
of 2001, when new legislation was passed that significantly
changed Wisconsin’s aquatic plant management laws. Wisconsin State
Statute sec. 23.24 relates to aquatic plant management and a
second law, sec. 30.715 Wis. Stats., prohibits the launching of
boats, boating equipment or trailers in navigable water if the
person has reason to believe that the boat, boat trailer, or
boating equipment has any aquatic plants or zebra mussels
attached. It was this second law that was the subject of national
news lately.
Until now the DNR’s policy has been one of
education on the costs of moving invasive plants and critters from
lake to lake. The storyline took a turn when volunteers from the
Clean Boats Clean Waters watercraft inspection program on
Pelican Lake near Rhinelander said a man refused to remove plants
from a trailer carrying a personal watercraft after a volunteer
asked him to do so. The volunteer called a DNR warden who issued a
citation that could carry a forfeiture of $250. Even though the
citation method was used, the DNR still sees education as their
first line of defense against aquatic invasives for folks that
clearly are not aware of the law.
The loss of natural shorelines and the increase of
invasive species continue to remind us about the important
benefits of aquatic plants. As more boaters become aware of the
laws and costs of transporting invasives, what will this story
bring us next?
To get involved in boater
education and watercraft inspection efforts, the Clean Boats,
Clean Waters program is again scheduling another round of
training workshops for 2006. Locations, dates, and times will be
announced in January through Lake Tides, Lake Connection,
and the CBCW website. For more information or to schedule a
workshop in your area, contact Laura Felda-Marquardt,
715-365-2659, laura.felda@dnr.state.wi.us.
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Calendar
November 9-11
- 25th Annual International Symposium of the North American Lake
Management Society. Lake �ffects: Exploring the Relationship
between People and Water. Monona Terrace, Madison. See
www.nalms.org for details and registration.
January 7, 2006
- Stream Ecology Workshops, Waupaca. 8:30 am to 4 pm. Contact Kris
Stepenuck at kris.stepenuck@ces.uwex.edu or 608/265-3887 for more
information.
February 18, 2006
- Wisconsin Association of Lakes Southeast Region Lakes Workshop.
See www.wisconsinlakes.org for information.
April 20-22, 2006
- 28th Annual Wisconsin Lakes Convention. KI Convention Center,
Green Bay.
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Reflections
Anything else you’re interested in is not going
to happen if you can’t breathe the air and drink the water.
Don’t sit this one out. Do something. You are by accident of
fate alive at an absolutely critical moment in the history of
our planet.
- Carl Sagan
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Editors: Mary Pardee, Robert Korth,
Tiffany Lyden
Design Editor: Amy Kowalski
Contributing Editor: Carroll Schaal, DNR
Photos by: Robert Korth
(unless
otherwise noted)
Illustrations by: Carol Watkins, Chris Whalen
The contents of Lake Tides
do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of UW-Extension,
UWSP-CNR, the Wisconsin DNR or the Wisconsin Association of Lakes.
Mention of trade names, commercial products, private businesses or
publicly financed programs does not constitute endorsement.
Lake Tides welcomes articles, letters or other news items for
publication. Articles in Lake Tides may be reprinted or
reproduced for further distribution with acknowledgment to the
Wisconsin Lakes Partnership. If you need this material in an
alternative format, please contact our office. No state tax
revenue supported the printing of this document.
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