April 11, 2013
8:50-9:50 am

Documentary Movie –Water is Life: Mother Earth Water Walk – Part 1 (with Part 2 shown at 10:30am)

Thursday, 8:50-9:50 am

In 2003, two grandmothers of the Anishinawbe people walked around Lake Superior. The following year they walked around Lake Michigan. In 2005 their walk circled Lake Huron and the next three years followed Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Michigan and the St. Lawrence River. As they walked they drew attention to the water in its many forms, waterfalls and mists, rivers and lakes, raindrops and dew. Their mission was to bring awareness about our water, our most needed element of life. The blue green algae blooms in the waters, the mercury, toxins and limited resources are telling them that our waters are neglected. The crisis of clean fresh water supplies for the future is at risk. This movie chronicles this growing movement.

Mitigation Options for Shoreland Property Owners

Thursday, 8:50-9:50 am

When we develop shoreland properties are there things we can do to offset some of the impacts of that development? In fact, there are. Learn what mitigation is and how it can be a part of your next shoreland development project, as it is a requirement in certain circumstances under State and County shoreland zoning rules. Numerous mitigation options will be presented and discussed, including several real-world examples.

 

Citizen Response to AIS Discoveries: Successful Eurasian Water-milfoil Control at Blackhawk Lake in Iowa County

Thursday, 8:50-9:05 am

Blackhawk Lake is a 220 acre impoundment with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Two small patches of Eurasian water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum or EWM) were found in June 2006. An aquatic plant management plan was prepared and implemented using a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Invasive Species Early Detection/Rapid Response grant. A combination of hand pulling and use of 2,4-D granular for larger patches effectively controlled the EWM in 2007. No EWM was found in 2008 and little in 2009. In June 2010, abundant EWM was found on 5 acres. Hand pulling and 2,4-D granular near maximum application rates allowed in 2010 effectively controlled the small EWM infestations. Only a few plants were found in 2011, and no EWM was found in 2012. Weather also appeared to play a role in its distribution and abundance.

 

 

Citizen Response to AIS Discoveries: Squash Lake Association - Pulling Together to Get to the Root of the Problem

Thursday, 9:05-9:20 am

In 2009 Eurasian water-milfoil (EWM) was discovered in the pristine waters of Squash Lake, located in Oneida County. Lakes management contractor Onterra LLC surveyed the lake and found EWM upwind of the boat landing, which totaled roughly 7.2 acres of the 394 acre lake. After carefully studying all treatment options, the Squash Lake Association voted to hand-harvest the EWM rather than use an herbicide treatment. The hand-harvesting project consists of two unique components: 1) hired SCUBA divers to harvest each plant by the root mass and 2) a Volunteer Milfoil Monitoring Program where trained monitors scout the lake for EWM, assist divers, and educate lake users. During the summers of 2010-2012, the combined efforts of the divers and the monitors have been successful at significantly reducing and managing the volume of EWM from the lake. Amazingly, this was done without using a single herbicide!

 

Citizen Response to AIS Discoveries: Rapid Response to Eurasian Water-milfoil & Zebra Mussels in North Lake of the Spread Eagle Chain of Lakes

Thursday, 9:20-9:35 am

Zebra mussels and Eurasian water-milfoil were discovered in North Lake of the Spread Eagle Chain in Florence County during an aquatic invasive species survey in coordination with a statewide Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative project. Following the discovery, lake management consultant White Water Associates, Inc. coordinated response efforts with the Spread Eagle Chain of Lakes Association (SECOLA), researchers at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, and WDNR. Response actions included using snorkeling and SCUBA diving to conduct additional monitoring, integration of the new zebra mussel discovery into a regional research project with the assistance of Citizen Lake Monitoring Network (CLMN) volunteers, and exploring a WDNR Early Detection and Rapid Response grant to develop a containment strategy.

 

Citizen Response to AIS Discoveries: Question & Answer Panel with Presenters

Thursday, 9:35-9:50 am

Presenters will answer questions from the audience and discuss their experiences in managing a new aquatic invasive species on their lake.

 

 

"Sedges on the Edges" Revisited - The Wetland-Lake Connection

Thursday, 8:50-9:50 am

This presentation will showcase the ecological connections and overlap between lakes and several wetland types: in-lake aquatic beds, marshes, bogs, swamps along the shoreline, and headwater wetlands upstream of lakes. Join us in a mini “workshop” to learn about “Sedges on the Edges”.

 

How Do Impervious Surfaces Impact Fish, Wildlife and Waterfront Property Values?

Thursday, 8:50-9:50 am

What happens when we add hard surfaces like pavement or buildings to the waterfront area? How are fish and wildlife affected? How much impervious surface is too much? Join wildlife biologist Mike Meyer and shoreland policy specialist Lynn Markham to learn about these topics, as well as how impervious surface regulations may be a fit for the shoreland zoning ordinance in your county. Two new publications about how impervious surfaces affect fish and wildlife will also be available to take home to your lake group.

 

Impaired Water and TMDLs: What's the Process and What's the Role of Citizens and County Staff?

Thursday, 8:50-9:50 am

This talk will take you through the steps needed to address the impaired water quality and degraded aquatic ecosystem in Park Lake, Columbia Co. Park Lake has high levels of phosphorus which resulted in algal blooms so heavy that aquatic plants struggle to grow and the lack of aquatic plants has altered the fishery. But, not everyone in the community agrees that this is a bad situation. Hear how citizens, elected officials from the Village of Pardeeville, Columbia County staff, Wisconsin DNR scientists, and UW-Stevens Point staff worked together to collect monitoring data, identify scientifically-based management options, and develop a community plan for Park Lake. Learn about how this effort started, what steps needed to be taken, the scientific results, planning process, management decisions related to the Total Maximum Daily Load for Park Lake, and where they are now in the process.

 

Stock Characteristics of Lake Whitefish in Lake Michigan

Thursday, 8:50-9:10 am

Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) support important recreational, commercial, and tribal fisheries in the Great Lakes, including Lake Michigan. Genetic analyses indicate at least six distinct lake whitefish stocks exist in Lake Michigan resulting in a mixed-stock fishery. Biological characteristics could vary among these stocks, which could result in stock-specific responses to exploitation. Initial results indicate that some biological differences exist among stocks; continued analysis will determine if these differences are meaningful from a management standpoint.

 

 

Largemouth Bass in Northern Wisconsin: Factors Regulating Recruitment and Potential Dietary Interactions with Walleyes

Thursday, 9:10-9:30 am

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) abundance has increased in many northern Wisconsin lakes over the last decade. While the exact causes of the recent increases in largemouth bass abundance remain unclear, past climatic conditions that promoted early hatching of largemouth bass could have resulted in higher first-year survival of bass. Additionally, largemouth bass populations could negatively influence walleye populations through predation or competition for prey resources. In discussion of this study we expect to see a significant positive correlation between hatch date and total length of largemouth bass and we expect that weekly survival will be higher for early hatched cohorts. Lastly, because largemouth bass and walleye are both piscivores, we expect to see significant diet overlap between the two species.

 

 

Evaluating Harvest Regulations for Lake Sturgeon in the White Rapids Section of the Menominee River

Thursday, 9:30-9:50 am

The Menominee River currently supports some of the largest stocks of lake sturgeon associated with Lake Michigan and some of these stocks have supported hook-and-line fisheries for decades. Enacting harvest regulations that prevent overfishing of lake sturgeon in the Menominee River has been a challenge for fishery managers because of lake sturgeon life history. We will present the results of our ongoing simulation exercises and discuss future projects designed to better understand lake sturgeon dynamics in the Menominee River system, including the use of ultrasound technology to identify sturgeon sex and maturation status.

 

 

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