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Lake James Environmental Association
Summer 2019
Newsletter
Message from President Todd Bell
Over the last several weeks there have been numerous articles and posts about dogs dying from the toxins found in algal blooms in lakes and ponds throughout the southeast. To be clear, none of those articles pertain to Lake James. In order for an algal bloom to occur, there needs to be certain levels of nutrients (Nitrates and Phosphates) in the body of water for the algae to grow. We are fortunate in this matter in that Lake James is an oligotrophic lake and while there are certain levels of nitrates and phosphates in the lake, Lake James Environmental Association has seen no evidence of harmful algal blooms or other unsafe water quality conditions in Lake James.
Since 1973, Lake James Environmental Association has protected the lake from threats that could bring the nutrients in our lake up to levels that could cause an algal bloom. Among other programs, Lake James Environmental Association runs a monthly water sampling program to measure the nutrient, chemical, sediment, and oxygen levels in the lake and its tributaries. We also run biological surveys of the streams in the Lake James Watershed on an annual basis to make sure we are getting a good picture of the overall health of our watershed. Where we see anomalies, we work with the potential source of pollution and local and state agencies to make sure our water stays clean. You can see the results of these programs in our 2018 State of the Watershed Report. All of this is done to protect Lake James and it’s watershed and provides cleaner water for everyone, including our dogs, in the Catawba basin. These programs take hundreds of volunteer hours from our members, local university students, and professors annually.
We need your help! We need more volunteers for our water sampling program (one Saturday per month), our biological surveys, our educational programs (Kids in the Creek), or any other place you think you can help us. If you want to volunteer with us, let us know by emailing us at info@ljea.org. We also need financial support to continue and grow these programs as the threats to our watershed grow. You can help us by becoming a member at ljea.org/membership or by simply making a donation at ljea.org/contributing. 
Lake James Environmental Association is important. Just ask your dog.
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In Memory of Dave Oetjen
It is with great sadness that we share that Lake James Environmental Association and our community lost a fantastic Board member in July. Long time supporters of LJEA, Dave Oetjen moved to our lake with his wife Wendy upon Dave’s retirement from Proctor and Gamble in 2018 after 33 years of service and over 40 patents to his name. Dave joined our board officially in January of this year and immediately took a lead role  chairing our Citizen Science Committee. In Dave’s short tenure with Lake James Environmental Association, he made a real difference in our direction and momentum. Our watershed and our community have lost a wonderful advocate and a good man. He will be missed. |
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Citizen Science Committee Update
In early 2019, LJEA released the 2018 State of the Lake James Watershed Report. The general assessment is that the water quality of the rivers and streams in the watershed is good to excellent, but the report did point out some important concerns. One concern is sedimentation at the western end of Lake James (Burnette’s Landing area). Both the Catawba and North Fork of the Catawba carry suspended solids that are deposited when the rivers enter the lake. Land and streambank erosion are natural, on-going processes, but both of these processes are often accelerated by human activity. LJEA’s Citizen Science Committee has been studying erosion and the transport of sediment in our streams. Since a major source of sediment is streambank erosion, the committee plans to identify areas of bank erosion concerns in the watershed. Our actions this summer included a survey of the main stem of the Catawba river.
Several LJEA members paddled the Catawba from Parker Padgett Road (downstream of Old Fort) to the Greenway North Main access in Marion. This stretch of the river was in good shape from a bank erosion viewpoint. We visually surveyed the entire section of the river and stopped at 15 locations to quantify bank erosion on each side of the river, document bank organic cover, water turbidity, and condition of the riparian area, and take pictures. 77% of our observations graded the banks to be in “good-fair” condition and the rest were graded “fair-poor.” Examples of “good” and “poor” bank erosion condition are shown in the pictures below.
Stable Bank (Good) – Tree/Foliage Stabilizing Bank
Bank Erosion (Poor) – High Flow Cut-off 
Our primary next step is to act on a couple of erosion issues seen along the river. We plan to reach out to McDowell County and the Marion Trails Association to determine how to partner and obtain grant funding. We also plan to complete the Catawba assessment from the Greenway to the Lake in September or October. If you are interested in participating, (and we do need your help), please contact Marshall Taylor ( marshalltaylor@ljea.org).
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Yellow Floating Heart Plant Update
Contributed by Jack Raker, Board of Directors
On August 18, 2018, LJEA members, Community of Lake James members, and some local citizens were invited by the LJAWN chapter of the NC Wildlife Federation to visit a Lake James cove that contained a very invasive aquatic plant from Southeast Asia, Yellow Floating Heart Plant. When an attempt to physically remove the plant on August 26, 2018 failed, the volunteers persisted and secured the services of the NC Department of Agriculture, NC Department of Environmental Quality, and Duke Energy’s new Aquatic Weed Specialist to eradicate the plant in Lake James in the summer of 2019. The plant dies on the surface after frost but its roots can survive in up to 10 feet of water, so your help is needed to locate any locations where YFHP is growing.
Flash forward to July 30, 2019, when the plants had reached the proper maturity in the growing season. Through a cooperative effort by Andrew Gay, NC Department of Environmental Quality, Brett Hartis, Duke Energy’s new Plant Biologist, and Bridget Lassiter, PhD, Weed Specialist, NC Department of Agriculture & Services, and with the permission of the owner of the surrounding property, the known patches of Yellow Floating Heart were sprayed. They used the EPA approved aquatic herbicide, Procellacor (https://www.sepro.com/aquatics/procellacor). This is the first aquatic herbicide that has been given the “Reduced Risk” classification from the EPA. It is not toxic to any other aquatic organisms, insects, humans, dogs, or cats. And unlike other aquatic herbicides, which can take 3 to 4 years of applications, it reduces the infestation by 90% or more in the first year, and only requires one small application the following year for any survivors.
The following pictures were taken July 29, 2019, just before spraying, and then again on August 9, 2019. When the landowner was contacted on August 22, 2019, LJEA was informed that the plant was no longer visible (except in very shallow water where it could not sink). IT HAS SUNK! He also said that he has seen no dead fish or other aquatic life.
^Before spraying^
^After spraying^
In addition, we have received a note from Duke Plant Biologist, Brett Hartis, wanting us to know that his team has surveyed the entire Linville area to Canal Bridge and have not identified any other Yellow Floating Heart Plant population, nor any other species of concern. They collect submersed plant data at each sample point and complete visual surveys for emergent, floating leaf, and free floating species along the way. He will be glad to report out to groups once they finish the Catawba side by the end of August. Duke Energy’s aquatic plants website, which is a “major work in progress,” will soon have survey schedules, photos of activities, and maps of sites and progress. He included a Thank You to all for keeping a watchful eye on Lake James and added, “It takes the eyes of people like you all to catch things quickly!”
Bridget Lassiter, Department of Agriculture, Weed Specialist, reports that they are designing and printing educational signs about YFHP with NC Parks to post at private and public boat ramps along Lake James and other lakes in the Catawba Watershed.
This cooperative effort of citizens, organizations, government agencies, and companies has been a SUCCESS and a JOB WELL DONE. We have stopped a very invasive plant from ruining Lake James. MANY THANKS to all who worked on this project in so many ways!
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