NSTLRA News Flashes

Our Picnic Potluck assignments are: A-I Veggies or Salad J-R Desserts S-Z Meat or Casserole Carrie Mijal has graciously accepted the coordinator’s job for this and needs help. Please email or phone her to offer your help. or 708-383-1172 (home) or in season 715-545-2399 (Conover). Thanks

We are trying to organize a FUN SAIL DAY on our lakes.

There are a lot of sailboats on the lake, but they don’t seem to get a lot of hard use.  Probably because most all of us sailors are ‘recreational sailors’ and not too serious about ‘racing’ and such.  I sometimes see another boat out when I am sailing, and try to get over to introduce myself and say HI, but it’s usually a two minute deal, and then it’s over…….I’d like to get to know you other sailors better!

So, let’s have a day of FUN with our sailboats !

I’m thinking sometime the last week of August, just before Labor Day……We can get out some pontoon boats, anchor and lash them together somewhere by the Island,  use them as a base for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, etc…… and as a jumping off point for some sailing fun.  I’m thinking of an INFORMAL race around some simple course, and back to the pontoon raft for more cocktails and socializing.

I don’t envision a true racing regatta!  That would attract boats from other lakes and “too serious skippers”.  And, I don’t believe the recreational sailors on this lake would want to participate.  I would rather see all the sailors on our lakes come and have fun.  Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced sailors - IT WOULD NOT MATTER.  Sure, we could have prizes……..like………BEST DRESSED FIRST MATE, or BEST SKIPPER’S HAT, or BEST DISPLAY OF THE AMERICAN FLAG ON  YOUR SAILBOAT, or NORTH TWIN vs. SOUTH TWIN (number of sailboats from  your lake) ……………

Anyway, I’ve been here sailing for 20 years and don’t really know other sailors on the lake.  I’d like to change that.

If you would like to help me get this ‘event’ off the ground, give me a call and volunteer to help.

Tom Hickson  715 545-3736

Greetings,

Field crews from Onterra visited North and South Twin Lakes during the last week of August to conduct various surveys aimed at understanding the Eurasian water milfoil (EWM) population in the lake. A whole-lake point intercept survey was completed on South Twin Lake (621 total points, approximately 300 points within the range of plant growth) and 41 point-intercept sub-sample locations were visited on North Twin. These locations were visited to aid in the monitoring of the 2010 treatments. These same locations were sampled before the respective treatments took place and comparing the datasets will allow an understanding of treatment efficacy (is there less EWM) and collateral damage (were valuable native plants impacted). While the data has not been worked up yet, it will be included within the treatment report that will be provided later this winter. Herbicide use carries with it an inherent risk, especially to the native plant population of our lakes. Our data will be able to understand how the native plants reacted to these treatments and this data will also be provided within the upcoming treatment report.

The US Army Corps of Engineers and WDNR enlisted North and South Twin Lakes into a joint research project aimed at understanding the residual concentrations of the herbicide in the lakes at various times after the treatment. Once this data becomes available, it will be integrated into the treatment report provided to the association roughly in December/January.

South Twin Lake

In 2010, liquid 2,4-D (Weedar 64) was applied by Bonestroo at 2.5 mg/L over the treatment areas to achieve a calculated lake-wide concentration of 0.239 mg/L. This low-dose herbicide treatment was applied at a slightly higher concentration than was used in 2009. The preliminary results of the point-intercept survey indicate that EWM frequency of occurrence of the entire lake was reduced from 10% in 2009 to 0% in 2010. Also during August 2010, the entire lake was visually scoured by Onterra ecologists and no EWM was located during this survey either. We did locate a number of floating EWM fragments possibly originating from: 1) EWM that went undetected during our surveys, 2) EWM that had died and floated to the surface, and/or 3) EWM originating from North Twin Lake.

While this is great news for South Twin Lake, by no means do we want to indicate that EWM is gone from the lake. It simply means that EWM populations were reduced to a level where remaining occurrences were not detected during the August 2010 surveys. However it is safe to assume that no large colonies of EWM exist on the lake, the conditions that greatly threaten the ecological integrity of the system. Careful monitoring in 2011 will prove increasingly important in understanding the EWM population on South Twin Lake. At this point, it appears that an herbicide treatment will not occur on South Twin Lake in 2011.

North Twin Lake

Since past treatments on North Twin Lake have not been particularly effective, the association’s herbicide applicator suggested the use of Renovate MaxG (combination granular 2,4-D and triclopyr). This combination granular 2,4-D and triclopyr product is theorized to have synergistic affects compared with the respective herbicide components. The sub-sample point-intercept locations were placed over targeted EWM colonies, therefore all locations were within areas treated in 2010. This is not the case when looking at the whole-lake point-intercept survey results of South Twin Lake which were spread evenly over the lake. EWM frequency of occurrence was approximately 36% within the treatment areas on North Twin Lake before the treatment and was reduced to approximately 15% after the treatment.

During our visual mapping surveys, EWM was not visible from the surface in many of the areas but random rake tows did pick up some small EWM sprigs. It is perceived that good control was observed within these areas. The site closest to South Twin Lake (E-10) was not as successfully controlled. While the mapping data has not been worked up yet, field notes from this site indicate that much EWM continues to exist within this site similar to last year, possibly even at a slightly higher density.

With the help of a volunteer on the lakes (Ryan Goetz), a few additional EWM colonies were located on North Twin Lake. A treatment strategy will be developed for North Twin Lake that will include targeting these new occurrences.

Thanks,

eddie

Eddie J. Heath

Aquatic Ecologist

Onterra, LLC

Voice: 920.338.8860

Fax: 920.338.8865

Email: eheath@onterra-eco.com

Web: www.onterra-eco.com

Ice out on South Twin was April 1, 2010. Not an April Fool’s trick, either. Ice out on North Twin was April 2, 2010. Is this the earliest ice has been out? Lake level is not too bad, but that’s relative. It is still low, but we have water at our rock wall where we had beach last fall. We really need some good steady rainfall. We got a tease on April 16. Pray for more.

.

April 15, 2010 In case you have not heard, NSTLRA got word March 26, 2010 that it received the 50/50 grant applied for in February. The amount of the grant is $ 68,730. This year Jim Scharl of Bonestroo is the applicator having been given the work by the NSTLRA Board. Onterra will be doing the pre-treatment survey prior to the application. Permits and checks have been sent to Kyle McLaughlin at WDNR. The public notice appears in the April 14, 2010 issue of the Vilas County News-Review. The application will be done approximately late May. Originally we were going to use the same chemical as last year on North Twin, but Onterra told us a newly registered herbicide named Renovate MaxG has been brought to their attention by Bonestroo. This herbicide is a combination of granular 2,4-D and granular triclopyr and appears to be very conducive to the sites in North Twin Lake. Research indicates that the combination of these herbicides have synergistic (greater than if added together) effects that hopefully will increase treatment effectiveness. There is also an indication that this herbicide will be conducive to these smaller treatment sites within a much larger lake basin. Board members agree and we will be using Renovate MaxG at 2.0 ppm this year on North Twin. South Twin will be treated with the liquid chemical at 2.0 ppm DMV IV, the same as was used last year.
We will continue our work with the Army Corps of Engineers as we did last year to track the residual chemical in the water column. This is a program that most lakes in the area are now doing. Tom Hickson will lead this monitoring for NSTLRA and will call volunteers for assistance. Call to help. 545-3736 or email khickson@newnorth.net Another project that was added to the grant for more point credits, is planting at the waterfront park in Phelps. Shelly Ray is doing the landscape planning and implementing at the park now that Highway 17 is completed. She will be using native plants. NSTLRA has offered to help with this project, so all you ³green thumbers², give Ginny a shout so it can be coordinated. 545-2496 or email gapar@newnorth.net, I have commitments from Mary Schindler, Priscilla Vanden Huevel and Joe Wallace. We may even need native plants. As in the past, our Clean Boats/Clean Water project continues. Volunteers are needed for this program, too. Contact Ginny or Jackie Fruth 479-6869 or email The Adopt-A-Highway crew could use new volunteers. Priscilla and Ben Vanden Huevel are the chairmen for this program. Contact 545- 2283 or email priscillavh_1@hotmail.com

.

Word has just been received from Susan Knight, University of Wisconsin, Trout Lake Station of a new position working with AIS. Maybe someone, a member of NSTRLA, knows someone who would fit the bill. Pertinent information is below.
The UW Madison Center for Limnology Trout Lake Station (TLS) is currently looking for an Associate Outreach Specialist, full time, for an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) project. The core function of the work is to assist the TLS and the WI DNR Statewide and NOR Region (Rhinelander) Lakes Partnership Team with activities designed to learn about and combat AIS. The successful candidate will be involved in AIS and other lake program activities such as AIS education, outreach, prevention and monitoring; aquatic plant sampling, data entry and data evaluation; site visits, presentations and coordination of lake community and citizen issues; evaluation of lake planning and AIS grants; lakes technical assistance and long-term trends water quality sampling. To review position description and application procedures please go to http://www.ohr.wisc.edu/pvl/pv_063522.html

.

Both lakes had freeze up on December 6, 2009. Please remember to be careful out there. In no way would the ice be thick enough to hold a person’s weight. Be cautious and safe.

.

dam & fish.doc

Those of you who are interested in Low Lake Levels: There is a workshop scheduled at The Waters of Minocqua (8:00 AM to 2:00 PM) on July 28th. Cost is $25 per person. Registration fee includes program materials, lunch and refreshments. Please register by July 21, 2009. More info at Wisconsin Association of Lakes website

.