Thanks to Tim David for this. (Tim, as list members should know, was one of the most innovative city employees we have had and his work with the city's Management Analysis Division led to many improvements in City Hall). This sounds like the comprehensive and aggressive approach I'd like to see, but would love feedback from those of you who understand the implications. Love to hear your thoughts on this. R.T. Rybak Mayor and List Members Our Lake Association of Bald Eagle Lake in Ramsey County has been actively managing lake vegetation for over 15 years. We have been one of the more progressive metro area lake associations. We have eradicated Eurasian milfoil, removed 2 million pounds of curly leaf pondweed and over 600 lbs. of phosphorous to reduce algae blooms, and now are on the road to re-establishing the native vegetation of our lake. Our learning is that the lake ecosystem is very complex and for every action in the lake there is a reaction; and that it is imperative that you develop a strategy, and take action. We first instilled in our community the understanding that the lake is a very valuable resource that must be actively managed to maintain its value. With community buy-in, our efforts went through the following stages: 1. Utilized block captains to patrol segments of the lake to identify outbreaks of Eurasian milfoil and then used targeted chemical treatments to eradicate Eurasian milfoil. 2. Once milfoil no longer controlled our lake, curlyleaf pondweed overtook our lake and became a greater nuisance than milfoil, and a major contributor to severe algae blooms in the late summers. 3. Developed a 5 year curlyleaf cutting and harvesting program that was funded by contributions from area residents, local government agencies including municipalities, counties, our Watershed District, and DNR, and local businesses. 4. Cut and harvested over 2 million lbs. of curly leaf containing over 600 lbs of phosphorous. 5. With curlyleaf removed, we have a crop of a hybrid milfoil (not Eurasian - as confirmed through DNA testing by DNR) that is a small nuisance. We anticipate that this small nuisance will be overtaken by desirable, non-nuisance, native vegetation. We conduct extensive annual aquatic vegetation surveys, take lake bottom sedimentation fertilization samples, work with our local gov't agencies on upstream improvements, and we hired a lake specialist Steve McComas from Blue Water Sciences for the last 10 years to advise us. He was very key in our understanding the dynamics of the lake ecosystem and providing us with technical guidance on leading practices. Bottom line is we have improved water clarity, substantially reduced the nuisance vegetation, and have reduced the frequency and severity of the algae blooms. It isn't easy, and we are not done, however, this resource is manageable - and your lake resources are so valuable - you must manage them. Tim David REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
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