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Posts: 13
Location: Pewaukee, WI | I don't post here as often as others, but I must say how greatly dissapointed I was to the turn out of my fellow fishing brothers of Pewaukee lake. The meeting last night was an opportunity to stand up and be counted and there I sat greatly outnumbered by those in favor of treating areas of the lake with 2-4D. Mike Koepp along with his parents were about the only people I knew in attendance that were apposed to the idea of chemical herbicides. Thanks for being there Mike. There were others there against this plan but in the end we were outnumberd by a 3 to 2 margin. 2 double Early Times and diets in me after this meeting and I'm still pissed! The format of the meeting was write your questions down on a note card and if you were lucky they might read and answer them. I do agree that something different should be done to combat the Eurasion Millfoil in this lake but I dont think herbicides are the answer. Last year the millfoil was back up in treated areas three months after application of 2-4D. Chemical Bob the head of the Pewaukee Lake Improvement Association dismissed the Milfoil Weevil as "expensive fish food". My questions were never asked nor answered. I did however pass on the information that I obtained from enviroscience.com onto my neighbor and know that he will give it a fair and unbiased look. Don't piss and moan in my vicinity about the the chemical weed treatment that will take place on Pewaukee Lake if you did not attend this meeting. One more "double" should shut me up and put me to sleep. Thanks for letting me rant, I feel cleansed. Good night.
Sanks |
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Posts: 336
Location: Lino Lakes, MN | Sanks,
Sorry I couldnt make it up there. Im stuck on the couch for a while here and really wanted to get to the meeting. What was the outcome of the meeting? Are they going through with the plan for sure? Any alternatives or ways to block or hold them off until the DNR can look at the negative effects that Chemical Bob's proposed plan will have on the lake? I dont understand why they would want to go with the same treatment if it did nothing but kill off the milfoil for a short period of time. One would think that the DNR would step in and stop them before they go overboard. If you or anyone else hears of another meeting or public hearing, please let me know. Thanks for attending and trying to get our voices heard fellas.
Eric |
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Posts: 1438
| Mark-
Couldn't make the meeting but I did send a two page letter to each council member a few months back.
Maybe I should resend it?? I think that was right before the elections and I know a few seats have changed.
Sounds like this is a done deal already though. Is that the case?
Does the council even have the ability to do anything about it?
Scott |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | I stuck around after the meeting and talked to Bob for a while. I also talked to Sue B. the DNR fishory spokeswoman about the effects on the spawning beds of Bass and panfish since they appy the chemicals with a salt spredder type machine into the spawning areas during the spawn. Sue had no answer to what it does to the reproduction process. I would have to think it hurts it.
I also talked to the chemist and the DNR guy that worked with the chemist. They assured me it would only kill the milfoil and not the other weeds.
Last year they killed all the weeds along the North East shore. They came back in two months and back to the top by three months. 20 out of 20 residents that paid $80.00 said they will do it again and were satisfed with the weed kill. Thats the start of what is to come.
Numbers for it out numbered the people who were against it.
The long time residents who opposed it, know the lake is far better than it was in the past, WITH OUT THE CHEMICALS !!!
From what I watched last night WE the FISHERMEN are way out numbered. Concerned guides, fishermen, bait shops, long time lake users and property owners seemed to let the few speak for them. WELL, DON'T COMPLAIN when you don't like the areas that you used to fish when they are bare of weeds and fish.
NUMBERS ARE LOUDER THAN WORDS.
SANKS, your one of the good guys!!!
Thanks for being there to vioce your opinion. It's kind of funny how only the pro questions got the most time.
I hated to look around at all the yuppy rich lake home owners who just sat and smiled while the meeting was going there way. I did get to look at a map of all the people who did pay for the treatment. Some have little to no milfoil to be treated. Stupid, just stupid. |
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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | So much for the concept of, "they only own the land, and the water belongs to everyone".
They applied the same chemical to 8 acres on Wissota hear at home this year. In a stained water system where no weeds grow below 5-6 feet due to lack of light penetration it seemed senseless to add chemicals to the lake.
If you read the fish consumption advisories posted for the state, you would think the last thing the DNR would approve is more chemicals in the water....BUT Once again shows how powerful those with the $$ are.
Sadly, I rarely see boaters check their trailers for weeds, so the spread of this stuff is only a matter of time across the whole state.
Self government doesn't work without self discipline...
Mike, Sanks... I understand your frustration. |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | Mike or Sanks,
Who could we send an email to. I can't make it up that way for meetings unfortunately, since I work down in Illinois, but I will definitely send an email as this is unnecessary. It may be too late, but you never know. Give me a call, or shoot me a message.
Sanks, have a cocktail for me too.  |
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| I would have been there if I had known about it. Sure wish somebody would have mentioned it at the Pewaukee Classic Tournament. |
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Posts: 13
Location: Pewaukee, WI | It is a done deal after the way the meeting went last night. Theedz thanks for taking the time to write and send a letter, I know you live a long ways away and would have been there if you could. Esoxlaser just heal up man so you can get out and fish soon, hope recovery is swift for you. Mark H. you are right about us fisherman being part of the problem of spreading milfoil from lake to lake via our boats and trailers. I will make it a point and change my behavior to try and minimize the amount of milfoil I distribute with boat and trailer. I will when fishing toss the milfoil that is snagged on my baits into my spillwell instead of back into the lake. I will dispose of it at the boat launch on shore or in my flower beds. We may not realize it but we are part of the problem and can be a part of the solution. As I get older Iv'e come to realize the one constant in life is that things change. There will be chemical weed treatments in Pewaukee lake this year and in the future, hell I can forsee them doing this twice a year. I have to accept that. I do ask all of you to take a look at companys like Enviroscience.com and the Midfoil process. I sent them an e-mail and received an informational packet that was worth the read.
There are even documented cases in Wisconsin were the milfoil weevil was employed and crashes in milfoil populations were seen. I think this may be a possible long term solution and have a better feeling about "biocontrol" than using herbicides such as 2-4D. All I would like to ask you is that you check this out and when this issue comes up again next year, (and it will) that we speak loudly together so that are voices are heard. |
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| there are treatments for milfoil that do seem to work, will have to look at what is used on my lake... I do not think it is 2 4-d, but need to check to be sure... native weeds were up in larger patches then in recent years in a number of places where milfoil was getting bad... many areas that were infested pretty good with it are now pretty clear... of course it remains to be seen what a couple more weeks will bring... |
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| Sanks
we have the same problem in Minn too with particapation,,'we actually love milfoil" Muskies anglers are VERY generous when it comes to supporting things financially,, This has been proven many many times with all the benefits and fundraisers that the many clubs and internet sites have for causes, ,,habitat,stocking,Ill people, etc,,and thats great that they do that,,However when it comes time to get off the couch and put the key in the ignition Muskie anglers just dont do it!!,,,Keep up the good work and dont get discouraged |
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| PLease contact me and see my sit at lakewatcher.net
[email protected] Mark Washa against 2, 4-D in Minnesota and elsewhere, see my site for more. Weevil projects:
Weevil
Eagle Landing lake residents have experienced a increasing problem with a non-native invasive aquatic species of plant called Eurasian Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) . This plant forms thick mats of weeds which entangle boat props and shades out other native plants. Eurasian Water Milfoil is usually introduced into a lake from plant matter not properly cleaned off boats coming from other infested lakes. As little as 1/4" of stem will grow a new plant.
The plants go dormant in the fall, and regrow each spring. A contact herbicide which is non-toxic to fish and wildlife has been repeatedly applied, but this herbicide is short acting and requires respraying several times a season making it expensive to apply.
Various other means of eradication have been considered. After much research it was decided not to use sterlized grass carp because milfoil is the least favored plant of these fish. The carp will eat all the other lake plants before eating the milfoil. Additionally, a representative from Texas A&M University states that carp can undermine the stability of an earthen dam by pulling out vegetation by the roots. Harvesting by a machine is ineffective and too expensive. One lake resident proposed trying a natural solution in the form of a specific weevil.
The Eurasian Water Milfoil Weevil (E. leconlei), native to the US, feeds upon Eurasian Water Milfoil exclusively. The 1/8" weevils bore into the stems, deposit their eggs, and the larva riddle the plants with holes interrupting the plants nourishment transport system which causes the plant to wither and die. The weevils do not bite, sting, swim, or fly. They simply crawl from one plant to another.
Weevil eyesite is excellent. When a fish is spotted they quickly crawl around to the backside of the stem to hide, much like a squirrel does on a tree. A study done in New York for the Lake Boneaparte Conservation Club, where there was a large blue gill population in the lake showed that within a given sample of 90 fish there were less than 2% of weevils in the stomachs of the fish. There were also sprigs of milfoil in the fish stomach contents which could indicate the weevils were accidently injested along with the plant. It was concluded the weevils are not a major food source for fish.
Once the weevils have the milfoil under control in a lake, usually between 3-5 years, the weevil population dwindles to a count that is proporationate to the remaining milfoil. The weevils will not remove all the milfoil but they will keep it under control and eliminate the need to spray a herbicide for milfoil. The adults overwinter in the lake mud. The life cycle of adult weevils is about 2-3 years.
EnviroScience, Inc.(www.enviroscienceinc.com), an environmental company from Ohio, has been stocking northern lakes with weevils with much success for 20 years, under their Midfoil Project. When contacted, Marty Hilovosky, President, agreed to stock a test area in Eagle Landing to see if the weevils would survive in the warmer waters of the south. He mentioned that the Army Corp of Engineers has 7 test ponds near Dallas where they have been monitoring the weevils for the past 8 years. It was formerly thought that the weevils needed cold waters to overwinter, but lately native weevils have been found near San Francisco, CA, where the water does not freeze in the winter, so it is hopeful they will thrive here.
Eggs attached to milfoil Planting the weevil eggs & larva
On June 18, 2008, Marty Hilovosky personally brought 3800 weevil eggs and larvae to Eagle Landing for planting. A protected site was chosen at the far north end of the lake in a cove that has several underground streams feeding the lake and a large mat of milfoil. He carefully planted the eggs and larvae into the Eagle Landing milfoil by tying bunches of dying milfoil stems containing the weevil eggs and larvae onto the lake milfoil. He then placed an orange marker showing the seeded location. He said the eggs will hatch in about 3 weeks. Since the weevils reproduce a generation about every 25 days he expects 5 generations to grow during this season. One resident will monitor the results and report to him. He will return at the end of the year for an observation, and will bring additional weevils in the spring of 2009 to add to the existing weevil population. Since the weevils are sensitive to herbicides and need healthy milfoil to feed upon, and time to build up a sustainable population, there will be no spraying in the north end of the lake for several seasons. The south end of the lake will receive a standard treatment as needed.
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Posts: 1220
| I feel lousy that I didn't know about this, but I also am pretty darn curious why I didn't. I fished Pewaukee at least once a week (usually twice) all season long. Nobody at Smokeys ever said a word, I didn't see signs around the boat ramps, nothing on this site, the Musky Hunter or Next Bite. I care about that lake a whole lot and I would have shown up. I urge that anybody who knows about something like this publish it all over next time, so the dummies like me who missed it have no excuse next time. Marty Forman |
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Location: SE Wisconsin | Where was this advertised? I had no idea this meeting took place. . . |
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Posts: 412
Location: Waukesha, WI | guys, this was brought forward from 2006 by Mark Washa's post. However, there was a treatment done earlier this year and posted by Smokey's Muskie Shop launch. Likely worth revisiting this topic.
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Posts: 1030
Location: APPLETON, WI | Sam Ubl - 9/8/2009 12:21 PM
Where was this advertised? I had no idea this meeting took place. . .
Same here.
I've only fished Pewaukee once. Heck, I live in Oshkosh! But at the very least, I would've written the necessary letters and had another voice in our corner. |
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Posts: 258
Location: Mayville, WI | By law, they must put a notice in the paper before the treatment is to take place (if it's over 10 acres in size). This notice is usually in the legal section (probably why it wasn't really read or seen). ALL lake front property owners will also be sent a notice that includes a copy of the permit, treatment area map, labels of the pesticide used, and a brief letter describing what & why. This allows them (property owners) to "opt out" of the treatment if they are within a designated area & don't want their shore-front treated.
Here's the kicker: The notice to the public (in the paper) states that they have the permit, plan on doing it & IF 5 OR MORE PEOPLE REQUEST IN WRITING, a public meeting has to be held. 99% of the time no one EVER requests to have this meeting. This is your chance to question it. Some important questions to ask:
Why is this being done? What is the goal (nuisance treatment or to re-establish native plants)? If it's not to reestablish the natives, why? Ask to see their APM (aquatic plant management) plan. Does this treatment align with the goals within said APM plan. Ask when their plan was last updated (legally, it has to be done every 5 years or so). Who's paying for it? What determines treatment areas? And etc...
Now, if done correctly (meaning time of year) and at the specified label rates, chemical is by far the most effective option and, again, if done correctly should only be done once per year with following years showing a reduction in acres treated. It should be applied early in the year before native plants are up and growing. However, there is pretty much no chance of removing EWM within a system once it's in there. You can get it down to manageable levels, but not remove it. In lakes dominated by EWM, there is usually a small chance of re-establishing the lake to historical, native plant communities especially on high use, highly populated lakes like Pewaukee and in this case, some plants though not native, are better for the lake ecosystem as a whole than no plants at all. Weevils, IMHO, are more of a feel good type of action. I'm not sold on if they can be viable to be used to reduce large stands of EWM, maybe more of a control once in smaller areas, but I'd like to see more research, plus they're not cheap...
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