Valuable Info from our Vice President
I took the action item at our recent board meeting to see what was happening in the world of zebra mussel abatement. Here's what I found out - primarily from the Minnesota DNR and MAIRSC websites.
Since 2015 the DNR has permitted pilot projects aimed at killing zebra mussels in public waters - there has been success killing them in closed systems like power plants using pesticides. These projects are considered "experimental" and have not led to positive results. The projects have involved using copper products (EarthTecQZ) in six lakes around the state. The most well-known project was in Christmas Lake near Lake Minnetonka. Another project was in Ruth Lake in Crow Wing County. All projects involved prior assessment of zebra mussel invasion, application of copper products, and post-measurement of recurrence. In all six lakes, zebra mussels and/or veligers were found post application. The DNR has strict guidelines for the approval of pilot projects including having a lake surveyed to establish monitoring protocol. The project also needs to be sufficiently resourced - e.g. have a Lake Improvement District, Lake Association, county support/involvement, or state support. MAIRSC completed a pilot project in 2019 to establish a method for estimating the density of zebra mussels in a lake. This method involves two SCUBA divers using underwater survey methods - it was developed/tested in 30 Minnesota Lakes. Another method that is being assessed is using potassium chloride in open waters but that would need the approval of the US Environmental Protection Agency. The MNDNR and MAIRSC have developed a handout outlining what can be done to monitor lakes for zebra mussels (link below). The handout lists the current veliger testing we are doing on Bass Lake and another method for allowing zebra mussels to "settle" in areas around the lake over a period of months. This may be another measurement we could use on Bass Lake. However, it is discouraging that if we do find zebra mussels there is really no way to eradicate them at present. One thing in our favor is that we don't have a lot of rocks or hard surfaces underwater for mussels to cling to - that can lead to growth of populations. https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/invasives/aquaticanimals/zebramussel/zebra_mussel_monitoring_2015-09-10.pdf Nancy Geiger 10/17/21 By-Laws (Adopted 2010; Amended 2014, 2018 and 2021)
Treasurer Reports
2021 Memberships=30
2020 Memberships=30 2019 Memberships=30 2018 Memberships=30 2017 Memberships=30 2016 Memberships=27 2015 Memberships=32 2014 Memberships=28 2013 Memberships=26 2012 Memberships=29 2011 Memberships=19 2010 Memberships=23 Membership dues are $20.00 Interested in being a member? Complete the application below.
Upcoming EventsJune 4, 2022 Spring Social August 13, 2022 Annual Meeting Mission Township NewsMission Township is excited to announce it has been awarded a grant by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Recreation Grant Program to assist the township with improvements to Mission Park. The grant is intended to assist local governments throughout the state with developing or redeveloping recreational areas and facilities. Under the terms of the grant, the township will match the funds provided by the state.
Key improvements and additions to the park include dedicated pickleball courts, new playground equipment and surfacing, resurfacing the basketball court, new roof for the pavilion, and several other items. Work will commence in the fall of 2021 and be completed by mid 2023. So watch for more information and join in the fun as our park grows and provides exciting opportunities for all ages! The Mission Township Transfer Station is open every Saturday. New Hours 9am – 3pm Open April until the end of October. The Transfer Station is located on East Horseshoe Lake Road. Monthly township meetings held the first Monday of the month (unless it is a holiday). Meeting schedule, minutes and agenda can be located on the township website--missiontownship.org Mission Township Park (Michael Blassey) The shelter is available to Mission Township residents for use by reservation. Contact town clerk, Anna Anderson, at 765-4377 Also, please call Michael if you have questions or issues about the trail system at (612) 240-7985 People spread Aquatic Invasive Species, people are the solution.
BLA Officers
President: Bob Steele Vice President: Nancy Geiger Secretary/Treasurer: Pam Berhow Website Administrator: Martha Steele |
Crow Wing County UpdatesNicole Erickson: Updates1/24/22
Thank you to all who attended and provided input on the CWC 2022 proposed AIS prevention plan on January 21st. You can view the recorded presentation by clicking the following link. 2022 AIS Prevention Plan Presentation January 21, 2022 - YouTube Reminder: The CWC 2022 proposed AIS prevention plan public comment period ends on January 31st at 5:00pm. Please visit the County’s website at www.crowwing.us/AIS for more information on the 2022 proposed plan and details on how to submit comments. The 2022 MN Traditions videos are on the website for you to take a sneak peek at! Please go to https://www.mississippiheadwaters.org/education.asp and click on the 2022 videos. 1/18/22
The proposed 2022 Crow Wing County AIS prevention plan is out for public comment. The 30 day public comment period will end Monday, January 31st, 2022 at 5:00pm. Please visit the County’s website at www.crowwing.us/ais for more information about the 2022 AIS prevention plan and how to submit comments. 12/30/21 The proposed 2022 Crow Wing County AIS prevention Plan is out for public comment. The 30 days comment period will end Monday, January 31st, 2022 at 5:00pm. Above is Crow Wing County’s proposed 2022 AIS Prevention Plan and press release briefly explaining the plan, and information on how to submit comments. The plan and press release are published on our website at www.crowwing.us/ais . 12/17/21 Crow Wing County started the planning process for the 2022 AIS prevention plan and hopes to have the plan complete by the end of the year. Please see the timeline below:
County AIS Information:
2021 AIS Watercraft Inspection and Decontamination Policy
Weather Alerts
Sign up for Crow Wing County ALERT: https://crowwing.us/1490/Crow-Wing-County-ALERT Residents can opt in and pick what weather alerts they wish to receive REPORTS Water Quality (Catherine McGoldrick): See separate water quality page for more info. Secchi disk readings (this tells us the clarity of the lake's water by measuring how deep one can see a white disk under the surface at the deepest part of the lake). Secchi Readings @ 23' lake depth 5/16 21.5' 6/20 19.0' 7/5 15.0' 7/14 12.0' 8/4 11.0' 9/19 11.0' Water level gauge set @ 5.22 on 5/5 5/16 5.16 5/23 5.10 5/30 4.96 6/6 4.90 6/13 4.80 6/20 4.67 6/27 4.70 7/4 4.60 7/11 4.60 7/18 4.50 7/25 4.44 8/1 4.32 8/8 4.26 8/15 4.14 8/22 4.16 8/29 4.22 9/12 4.10 9/19 4.06 9/26 4.10 10/3 4.20 10/10 4.30 10/24 4.16 (Each tenth of a foot is equal to a water elevation change of 1 1/5") Local Rainfall Report: https://www.cocorahs.org/ViewData/Station PrecipSummary.aspx?station=MN-CW-16 Membership Signs
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MAISRC (Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center)MAISRC's 2021 Research Report (1/21/22)
Over the last year, our research teams have worked tirelessly in the field, lab, and at their computers to generate and analyze data that is informing evidence-based decisions from the end of your dock to the State Capitol. The incremental steps are making a difference, leading to big wins, and eventually to real-world solutions to aquatic invasive species problems. This year, we're excited to share our past year's research highlights in the form of a story map—enjoy an interactive experience, watch project videos, click straight to project pages, and see exactly where research is happening on the map. Explore all the MAISRC research highlights from 2021: VIEW RESEARCH REPORT AIS Management 101 - Registration open! This online class is perfect for anyone who wants to be better informed about aquatic invasive species management strategies. Join us and learn more about what’s happening on your nearby lake, what lake management professionals are doing, and new AIS control efforts. More info > 1/5/22 New Projects Launching This Month Phase III: Validating Multibeam Sonar for the Early Detection of Zebra Mussels This project is a continuation of a laboratory study (Phase I) and a field study (Phase II) to test the feasibility and accuracy of using multibeam sonar from a boat to detect and map mussels and their supporting substrates. Phase III will apply the methods developed in Phases I and II to create maps of substrate and relative mussel densities in two different waterbodies at a large scale and will develop user-ready protocols and tools for translation of the research results to practice. Learn more about this project > Phase III: Genetic Control of Invasive Fish Species This project focuses on a novel method of biocontrol for common carp that will complement existing technologies by introducing a synthetic species-like barrier to reproduction. In Phase III, researchers will test implantation of immature primordial germ cells and embryonic stem cells into the gametes of sterile adult fish as a means to bypass the 12- to 18-month developmental time for juvenile carp. Researchers will also perform a formal Technology Readiness Assessment with international stakeholder research groups. Learn more about this project > Phase IV: Acoustic Conditioning in Common Carp to Accelerate Removal and Reduce Cost Researchers will test if the invasive common carp can be conditioned (trained) to associate sound with bait so that more of them aggregate at the bait stations from from larger areas and therefore enhance physical removal strategies. There is a need for effective, safe, selective and scalable technologies for removing common carp from lakes. Currently, simple bait- and-remove strategies can remove 20-40% of carp in one season. However, the efficacy of these strategies may be significantly increased by using acoustic conditioning to ensure that carp aggregations at the bait are more synchronized and that more carp are attracted to the bait from larger areas. Learn more about this project > Membership InformationMN Lakes and Rivers Advocates
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