May 24, 2008

Aquatic Vegetation Lake Monitors

We held two organizational meetings, one on May 12th and repeated one for May 13th.
Mitchell Lake has been divided into four sections and Big Lake into five. Beginning in June, monitors will be sampling their assigned sections twice each month through September.
These volunteers will be collecting samples of all locations where Eurasian Watermilfoil is found. They will also be dropping a floating marker. These markers are painted white with pink rope. Should anyone see these markers, please stay away from them and do not remove them. They will be collected within 24 hours of their marking. To approach them or remove them would increase the possible spread of Eurasian Watermilfoil and prevent us from recording the location for treatment. The location of Curley leaf Pondweed will also be recorded on lake maps. At the end of the season, monitors will turn in up to 90 data sheets which will be recorded and reported on this web site.

January 11, 2008,

Currently Rob Christianson, Dick Erickson, Andrew Jordahl, and Sanford Smith are volunteering to serve on this committee.  We are looking for, and will welcome, any new members to join us.  When the springtime meetings are scheduled we will be asking for new members to assist in our aquatic plant sampling on the waters of both Mitchell Lake and Big Lake.

Our efforts have been focused on information gathering. We feel this will always be one of the strongest tools we can develop. Here is a web site that has the report of the aquatic vegetation of Big Lake and Mitchell Lake that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources did in 2004.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/water/lakes/vegetation_reports/71008200.pdf

During the 2007, year RMB Environmental Laboratories Inc. was used to analyze water samples collected from our lakes.  Data about water temperatures, Secchi Disk Readings, watercolor and erosion problems were also reported.  Please visit their web site to learn more and see the report about Big Lake and Mitchell Lake.

http://www.rmbel.info  

We need to be educated to develop objectives, actions, and goals through ongoing projects to systematically and purposefully become stewards for our lakes and watershed.  We plan on setting up workshops this spring and summer.

Here are some web addresses that hold lots of information

Invasive Aquatic Plants - http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/aquaticplants/index.html

Eurasion Watermilfoil Management Program - http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/invasives/ewmprog.html

Eurasian Watermilfoil Control Options - http://fwcb.cfans.umn.edu/research/milfoil/milfoilbc/controloptions.html

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - http://www.dnr.state.mn.us

Sherburne Soil and Water Conservation District - http://www.sherburneswcd.org/

This one is right from our own county.  There is a page and order form to select and buy native plants and trees specifically for our area.

Our consent forms are in the mail to allow treatment within 150 feet of the shoreland around both lakes. If you are a shoreland owner and do not have this form  please contact the BLCLA.

The presentation that Mr. Mark Basiletti gave is now on our web site for you to review.

Mr. Basiletti is soon going to have specific information as to how you can get cost share assistance for a project on you own property. Some projects are supported up to 75% of the total project cost. Projects have been rain gardens, shoreland revegetation with natural plant communities, filter strips, diversions and infiltration systems.

Please feel free to contact us and comment about our page.  
The information presented is as accurate and scientifically based as we can collect.