Lake John Association Annual Meeting June 18, 2016 Overview Water - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Lake John Association Annual Meeting June 18, 2016

Overview  Water Quality Metrics  Water Clarity (Secchi Disk Readings)  Chlorophyll A  Phosphorus  TSI (Trophic State Index)  Water Levels  Invasive Species  2016 Activity  Zebra Mussels  Hand Removal – Matt Riehm, Dockside Aquatics LLC  Water Levels and Resulting Bog Situation

Water Quality Overview  Water samples are taken every month May to September.  Additional Secchi Disk readings are taken and reported to MPCA (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency) annually. (Link on website)  Inlet water testing is performed twice annually  Secchi Disk, Chlorophyll A, Phosphorus and TSI are reported monthly on the RMB Website (Link website)  Full Support for North Central Hardwood Forest Region. Few algal blooms and high transparency exist throughout summer to support swimming (TSI <57)

Secchi Disk  Higher number is better. Maintain higher than 4 ft Secchi Disk Reading - Trending 20 18 16 14 12 10 feet 8 6 4 2 0 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Chlorophyll  Lower is better. Below 15. Chlorophyll Trending 14 12 10 8 µg/l 6 4 2 0 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Phosphorus  Another Component of lake “fertility”  Lower is better. Below 40 Total Phosphorus Trending 30 25 20 15 µg/l 10 5 0 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Trophic State Index (TSI)  Calculated from sechhi disk, chlorophyll and phosphorus  Lower is better. Below 57 TSI Trending 55 53 51 49 47 45 43 41 39 37 35 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

2016 CLP Treatment Area

2016 EWM Treatment Area

Zebra Mussels  Confirmed in at least 3 locations fall 2015  No current effective treatment strategies available  Effects on individual lakes vary and are not well understood  Feed on plankton at bottom of food chain  Fish population may be affected over time  Water clarity generally increases  Shells are sharp and may cut unprotected feet/hands  May plug irrigation systems and water intakes on boat motors left in water  Public access being monitored most days and times  Lake Sylvia pursuing $500,000 treatment plant by culverts on Cty Rd 3 for treating inlet water for ZM

AIS Activity Update and Plan  2015  CLP  27.6 Acres of CLP, $7513  EWM  NO treatment due to good survey results summer 2014  Zebra Mussels found Fall 2015  2016  CLP  Treated 19.3 Acres, 4/24/16, $5,412, (Survey $390)  EWM  Treated 12.3 Acres, 6/13/16, $5,961  Permit to treat 1 acre by rocky point  Request to treat down middle of finger denied by DNR

Water Levels  Water levels continue to increase  Water level on 6/15 was 6.36 inches above OHM  Water level on 6/17 was 5.64 inches above OHM  Lake John Water Levels 3/2012 - 6/2015 1054.2 1054 1053.8 Feet 1053.6 1053.4 1053.2 1053 WL OHW 1053.5 Linear (WL)

High Water and Resulting Bog Concern  Over 30 contacts with DNR and county since 4/2015  WCSWCD comments on 6/6  DNR hydrologist and IAS visited on 6/8  County inspected culverts on Cty Rd 3 again on 6/17

High Water – WCSWCD Comments  Satellite reception not the best during survey  Culvert is tipped the right way on 68 th street the flow line came up 1050.26 at the invert and 1049.64 on the outlet.  Elevation on lake 1054.01 ft  Elevation at culverts 1052.15 ft  1000 feet of cattail via aerial photos can account for difference.  Levels have steadily increased on average over the last 10 years. This likely a result of increase rainfall and groundwater inflow and perhaps obstruction to flow.

High Water – DNR Comments  Blockages requiring permits will not be granted until Lake Sylvia ZM treatment facility is operational  GPS coordinate on the lake indicated bogs at 1,900 feet away from the culverts at CR 3  Flow at CR 3 appeared to be slow. I could not see the culverts from either side – the area is inundated with water.

High Water – County Engineer  Most water ever saw flowing thru the culverts  Questions the 2 feet difference from WCSWCD assessment  Water is swirling by both culverts indicating flow  Culverts were “jetted” about 6 -7 years ago and nothing was in them except a little silt  Culverts are half full of water  Cattails definitely slow the flow down  Other lakes having problems - Sugar Lake is 8 -9 inches high