Flowering Rush
The second year of removing flowering rush by hand from Lake Minnetonka's Smith's Bay suggests that the removal technique was effective in some situations. Preliminary results showed that in sandy or mucky areas of the lake, after hand removal from two sites in 2011, there was 83 percent less of the invasive aquatic plant (by wet weight) available to remove this year. Hand removal didn't make a significant impact in areas of the lake with a rocky bottom. Read the final report here.
Winter Zebra Mussel Veliger Study
It's commonly believed that larval zebra mussels aren't present in the winter, so state law currently doesn't prohibit moving water during the winter months. The MCWD will assist in a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) study of the topic this winter. The DNR will be taking and analyzing samples from zebra mussel infested lakes between January and March, and the MCWD will provide the samples from six sites on Lake Minnetonka. The study will shed light on any potential dangers of transporting waters during the winter months.
USGS Zequanox Trials
The MCWD is in early discussions with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) about becoming a partner on the Survey's Zequanox treatment study. Zequanox is a non-chemical treatment used to kill zebra mussels, which the USGS tested last year in a laboratory environment in northwest Minnesota. The treatment is now ready to be tested in open water environments.
2013 AIS Stopgap Plan
The AIS Task Force will present its plan for 2013 stopgap activities to the MCWD Board of Managers on December 6. It includes:
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Bolstering the inspection program
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Promoting early detection of zebra mussels
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Establishing a volunteer monitoring program
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Arranging for convenient boat cleaning stations
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Additional outreach and education opportunities
Specific details of each initiative will be determined after the Board acts on the plan.
Developing Long Term Plan
With the 2013 plan nearly finished, the Task Force has refocused its attention on developing the District's long-term AIS Management Plan, which will govern the MCWD's AIS activities in 2014 and beyond. The group is now reviewing draft chapters of the plan, and once a general consensus is reached, it will be sent to the Board of Managers for approval.
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