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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAquatic Invasive Species Committee - Minutes - 5/23/2018 Bayfield County Aquatic Invasive Species Committee MINUTES May 23, 2018 (to be approved) Present: Nan Olson-Chair, Jim Krueger-Vice Chair, Jeremy Oswald, Sally Pease; Andrew Teal-AIS Coordinator; Jeremy Bates-WI DNR/Water Resources Management Specialist; Robert Liebermann-Washburn Ranger District Ecologist; Melissa Kraft-LWCD Assistant 1. Call to Order: Nan called the meeting to order at 9:04 a.m. 2. Introductions: Brief introductions were conducted. 3. Public Comment: None. 4. Motion: Approve minutes from February 28, 2018 - AIS Committee meeting with one change to attendance noted. Pease/Krueger – carried. 5. Grant Updates: Andy noted that the remaining AIS grant funds should take us through 2018 and maybe a little bit into 2019. He is still unsure what direction the DNR may take for future funding opportunities. He hasn’t heard on whether they will continue to seek grant applications or allocate a set amount across the board to each county in WI. If they stay with grants then Andy noted that we would have to reapply this August. Two interns have been hired for CBCW-Lake Superior. Kyra, worked as an intern last year with CBCW and Codi was a CBCW intern in 2013 or 2014. Codi will begin June 1st and Kyra on June 8th. Jim noted that his Lake Association had advertised for part-time positions at the landing and even increased the wage to $15.00/hour; however, they still didn’t receive any applications. Sally stated she is trying to find one part- time person and one alternate person. It was noted that they are looking for individuals who are at least 17 or 18 years of age. 6. Discussion/possible action: Citizen Committee member search. Andy discussed that we will need to find a business representative to replace Sarah Boles as she informed us that she is unable to continue to serve on the AIS Committee. It is advertised on the Bayfield County website. Committee members said they will try and think of someone who may be interested. 7. Discussion: Jim and Andy were asked to attend a recent Town of Grand View board meeting for guidance in AIS programs. With 3 lakes (Trappers, Diamond, & Atkins) in the Town of Grandview and another campground starting up, they would like to get more information and get more involved with what is going on with the lakes. The possibility of forming an AIS Committee to direct funds to it was briefly discussed at that meeting. They are in the beginning stages of learning about what AIS is and what their options may be. Andy noted he may attend some more of their meetings to answer questions they may have. 8. Discussion: Purple loosestrife beetle monitoring in Bayfield County. If anyone is interested in being a part of the monitoring taking place next week, Andy asked they let him know as he will be participating in it. The purpose of the survey is to see how many beetles are around and which areas have the highest concentration of them. We will possibly collect some and move them to another area with purple loosestrife if needed. The beetle project has been very successful and have really reduced purple loosestrife plants in the area. 9. AIS Coordinator Report: Andy will be using the Kobo Toolbox, an open source data kit app, to collect data and create his own data collection sheets. He noted Ramona Shackleford, NCWMA Coordinator, has already developed her own data collection sheet for Garlic Mustard. Andy participated in and co-lead the macroinvertebrates module at LEEP Field Day (Lake Ecology Education Program Field Day) with the Drummond 7th grade science class on Lower Eau Claire Lake. In the afternoon, he led the aquatic plants module collecting plants in the lake. Andy noted it went well. C:\Users\mkraft\Desktop\AIS 8-29-18 Meeting\05-23-18 AIS Minutes.docx Pamela Toshner asked Andy to inspect equipment coming from Lake Owen, to make sure there aren’t any critters attached to the equipment and power wash it if needed. The boat wash unit was stored for the winter by the US Forest Service but may have been moved so it will need to be located. Robert stated he will track it down and let Andy know where it is currently being stored. Andy passed around a sample draft of his newsletter he is working on. He received a few partner articles this time which he will include in the newsletter. Highlights from the WI Lakes Partnership Convention in Stevens Point: Andy learned a lot about culverts and the effects of flow and potential to keep invasive species out and how to keep native species connected to their stream passages. Sally went to a class on how to recruit volunteers and to keep the energy going. She’s trying to get younger children involved in the lakes and to be concerned about effects on lakes and how to take care of them for their future. Discussion: How to identify Yellow Iris- mid-rib of yellow iris leaves is abrupt when sliding fingers crossways on a leaf; blue flag iris merely has a gradual thickening of the leaf as you slide your fingers across. You can also look at the seed: blue flag has D-shaped seeds and yellow iris has round seeds. Then of course, there is the obvious flower color difference. Drain Campaign weekend is June 1-3. Many lake associations will be participating and handing out ice packs to anglers. CBCW training will be on June 7th in Barnes, at the Barnes Town Hall at 2 pm. Andy noted that prior to Tim Kane retiring he highly encouraged Bayfield County members to attend the NW WI Lakes Conference. The next conference is scheduled for Friday, June 22nd, at 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., at the Spooner High School. Ramona and Andy attended NCWMA Herbicide training recently. There is a lot of garlic mustard in Ashland especially by the old Timeless Timbers location. Removing it will be a challenge as there are chunks of cement and metal pieces along with a lot of trees and brush. Several other activities are scheduled for the upcoming months and are listed on Andy’s staff report. (Andy Teal’s staff report was reviewed in detail and is on file.) 10. Partner/Department Reports: Jeremy Bates reported on DNR projects. Wastewater treatment plant sites (Red Cliff, Bayfield, and Washburn) this summer will begin replacement of the non-native Phragmites. DNR is in the process of searching for a location to get native Phragmites and looking at possibly the Bibon Swamp State Natural Area. Port Wing area will begin a wetland restoration project where there had been wastewater treatment ponds. Michelle Wheeler is heading the project. This year there will be more Warden LTE’s but no water guards. Law Enforcement AIS training has been set up for June 5th in Ashland and on June 7th in Spooner. They are going to learn more about AIS area concerns. Coastal wetlands detection and early response control work continues. Focus on queen of the meadow, cat tail, narrow leaf, and yellow iris removal along with some shoreline restoration. Bloody red shrimp organism was found in Lake Superior in the St. Louis River last year but it didn’t indicate any kind of established population but the US Fish and Wildlife Service is increasing their efforts to strain for it and clean out traps and watch the nets they found it in last year. Jeremy is working with the State of MN, Fish & Wildlife, and 1854 Treaty Authority, to develop a response plan, education outreach and monitoring. It’s been in all the Great Lakes except Lake Superior until last year when it was found. Two LTE’s will be working with Jeremy this summer, one is going to assist in field work and monitoring and the other in education outreach and can also assist Andy with CBCW if needed. Jeremy noted that the DNR meets on the 2nd Saturday of each month. C:\Users\mkraft\Desktop\AIS 8-29-18 Meeting\05-23-18 AIS Minutes.docx Sally informed the committee that the diver was out on Lake Tomahawk. He may try and remove some curly leaf in Upper EC Lake and Middle EC. The proposal for the CD3 System was forwarded to the AIS Committee for the Town of Barnes for approval to be used on the Tomahawk Lake due to the Eurasian watermilfoil issue. Jim reported that the Lake Management Plan on Namakagon is complete and is out for public review until June 28th. The evaluation of lakes will be done soon. Jim also reported that the landing cameras will be updated with magnetic sensors to help eliminate the wildlife movement that can set them off. Robert Liebermann-Washburn Ranger District Ecologist, stated he has worked in Alaska for the last 20 years, and is working on what his focus will be with his new position, picking up where his predecessor left off 1 1/2 years ago, and determining his role with the AIS Committee. Jeremy Bates noted that there is an upcoming Aquatic Plant ID day June 26 and June 27, 2018 at Kemp Station on Lake Tomahawk. 12. Future AIS Activities: a) Advertising, interviewing, and hiring of interns; b) Statewide AIS Coordinator/Cooperative Weed Management Area meeting, March 5-7, Beaver Creek Reserve in Eau Claire; c) Wild River Trout Unlimited Fishing Expo, March 31 (note date change), Ponzio at Northland College; Andy will be attending and invited a few other partners; d) Interviewing, hiring Clean Boats Clean Waters Interns; e) State level Citizen Lake Monitoring Network Train the Trainer workshop, 9am-3pm on May 10th, at the Arbor Vitae Town Hall in Vilas County; f) Invasive Species ID Days, Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, May 11th (Bayfield in Bloom), June 8th, July 13th, August 17th, September 21st, October 12th (October’s will be the Student Science Research Symposium. g) Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference, Rochester, MN: Oct 15th-Andy will be volunteering at the conference so the registration fee should be covered but lodging will need to be paid—may room with someone and split the cost. h) Kids Fishing Day, Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center on June 2, 2018-still looking for 1-2 people to volunteer at the AIS booth; i) Bayfield County Fair, August 9-12th, 2018, Iron River, WI (noted volunteers are needed as well); j) CBCW training, Barnes, June 7th at 2pm at the Barnes Town Hall. 12. Other business: Andy noted that he is working on a rewrite for Bayfield County’s ‘No Transport’ ordinance to include language stating that if a lake has a decontamination station that it must be used on your boat and equipment and to include language regarding not only removal of plants/animals from the boat but also to include removal of mud and other types of debris. He is still getting feedback from various Lake Associations for their thoughts on the rewrite. Burnett County has a model ordinance that he is comparing it to. 13. Next meeting date: Wednesday, Aug 29th, 2018 at 9 AM, in Conference Room A in Bayfield County Courthouse. Future AIS meeting date: Nov. 28th, at 9AM. 14. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 10:42 am. Krueger / Pease - carried.