Mirror Lake Management District Mirror Lake Management Planning - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Mirror Lake Management District Mirror Lake Management Planning Project Wrap-Up Meeting June 21, 2014 Brenton Butterfield June 2014 1

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Study and Plan Goals •Collect & Analyze Data •Construct Long ‐ Term & Useable Plan Onterra , LLC Onterra Onterra , LLC Onterra LLC LLC Lake M Lake M Management Management gement Pla gement Pla Planning Planning ning ning June 2014 2

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Project Timeline 2012 Growing Season & Winter 2013: Data Collection & Analysis • Water Quality • Watershed • Shoreland • Aquatic Plants • Fishery • Stakeholder Survey 2013/2014: Develop management goals and finalize plan Onterra Onterra , LLC LLC Lake M Management gement Pla Planning ning June 2014 3

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Overall Project Results • Water Quality (nutrients and algae) • Limited historical data makes analysis difficult • Phosphorus is the primary nutrient controlling algae and other aquatic plant growth • Phosphorus concentrations are high, but variable depending on precipitation events (large watershed), ranging from fair to poor • While phosphorus is high, free-floating algae are not excessive (high flushing rate/macrophytes) • Water clarity good to excellent for a shallow, lowland drainage lake Onterra Onterra , LLC LLC Lake M Management gement Pla Planning ning June 2014 4

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Watershed ~67 square miles Land Cover Types Forest Forested Wetlands Pasture/Grass Rural Open Space Row Crops Open Water Wetlands Rural Residential June 2014 5

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Shoreline Legend Natural/Undeveloped Seawall Developed-Natural Masonary/Wood Developed-Semi-Natural ÉÉ ÉÉ ÉÉ ÉÉ ÉÉ ÉÉ ÉÉ ÉÉ ÉÉ ÉÉ ÉÉ ÉÉ É Rip-Rap Developed-Unnatural Urbanized June 2014 6

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Overall Project Results • Watershed • Very large when compared to the lake (WS:LA of 302:1) • 43% comprised of forests; 36% comprised of row crops; 17% comprised of pasture/grass • Modeling indicates ~79% of lake’s phosphorus budget comes from row crop agriculture • Modeling predicted higher in-lake concentration of phosphorus than observed • Indication that watershed remediation is working • Modeling indicated even if watershed was entirely forested, lake would still be highly productive (eutrophic) • Shoreline • Majority is in natural/undeveloped state Onterra Onterra , LLC LLC Lake M Management gement Pla Planning ning June 2014 7

Appendix A 8 Aquatic Plants Wrap-Up Meeting June 2014

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Overall Project Results • Aquatic Plant Community (native & non-native) • Native aquatic plant community is of high quality for the region and comparable to other lakes state-wide • High native species richness (31 species) • High species diversity • 4 non-native, invasive species of concern: Eurasian water milfoil, curly- leaf pondweed, pale-yellow iris, and Japanese knotweed • Excessive growth of duckweed (high nitrate levels) Onterra Onterra , LLC LLC Lake M Management gement Pla Planning ning June 2014 9

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Floristic Quality Analysis Onterra Onterra , LLC LLC Lake M Management gement Pla Planning ning June 2014 10

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Duckweed & Watermeal June 2014 11

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Management Goal: Maintain and Enhance the Overall Ecological Health of Mirror Lake Management Actions 1. Update the Mirror Lake Management Plan in 2018 • 2012/2013 studies created baseline for future studies • Will reassess the health of Mirror Lake (water quality, plants, etc.) 2. Monitor water quality through WDNR Citizen Lake Monitoring Network • Continuation of current effort • Collection at regular intervals builds a database that can be used for long-term trends analysis • Also aids in early detection of potential problems Onterra Onterra , LLC LLC Lake M Management gement Pla Planning ning June 2014 12

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Management Goal: Maintain and Enhance the Overall Ecological Health of Mirror Lake Management Actions 3. The MLMD contracts with an environmental engineering firm to reassess the previously dredged sedimentation basin in Upper Mirror Lake, the sedimentation basins created above the gullies around Mirror Lake, and to quantify the growth and potential removal of sand deltas at the mouths of the gullies. • Navigational dredging and sedimentation basin created in 2008; remediation of gullies in 2010 • Reassess sediment trap (filling in?) • Reassess modifications made to gullies Onterra Onterra , LLC LLC Lake M Management gement Pla Planning ning June 2014 13

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Management Goal: Control Aquatic Invasive Species in Mirror Lake and Prevent Future Introductions to and Spread from Mirror Lake Management Actions 1. Initiate volunteer-based monitoring of Eurasian water milfoil and curly-leaf pondweed and other non-native species in Mirror Lake • Volunteer monitors to be recruited • Volunteers are trained in AIS ID by CLMN Program • Volunteers report findings to resource managers 2. Initiate Clean Boats Clean Waters watercraft inspections at Mirror Lake public boat landings • Volunteers attend CBCW training session & train others • Monitor boat landings during high-use weekends Onterra Onterra , LLC LLC Lake M Management gement Pla Planning ning June 2014 14

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Management Goal: Maintain Navigation in Open Water and Near-Shore Areas on Mirror Lake Management Actions 1. Use district-owned mechanical harvester to maintain reasonable navigation on Mirror Lake • District reapplies for multi-year harvest permit in 2017 • District harvests permitted areas of Mirror Lake as needed • District supplies summary report of harvesting activities 2. Selectively remove course woody habitat that inhibits reasonable navigation and recreational safety on Mirror Lake • MLMD and Mirror Lake State Park survey the lake annually and select pieces of course woody habitat for removal if they inhibit reasonable navigation or present safety hazard to lake users • MLMD contracts with tree removal service to remove selected trees Onterra Onterra , LLC LLC Lake M Management gement Pla Planning ning June 2014 15

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Harvesting Plan Proposed Harvesting Areas Primary Harvest Areas ~ 30 acres 30 ft Navigational Lane ~ 0.8 acres 50 ft Navigational Lane ~ 1.0 acres 30 ft Duckweed Harvesting Lane ~ 2.4 acres June 2014 16

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Additional Management Plan Items Management Goal: Assure and Enhance the Communication of the Mirror Lake Management District with Lake Stakeholders Management Actions 1. The MLMD and MLA will create and support a joint education committee comprised of members from both groups • Provide lake-related information including safe boating, water quality, public safety, AIS, catch and release fishing, and quality of life on Mirror Lake, etc. • Recruit volunteers from MLMD and MLA to form joint education committee • MLMD and MLA board will identify base level of annual financial support to fund education committee Onterra Onterra , LLC LLC Lake M Management gement Pla Planning ning June 2014 17

Wrap-Up Meeting Appendix A Thank You Many of the graphics used in this presentation were supplied by: Wisconsin Lakes Partnership Onterra , LLC Onterra Onterra Onterra , LLC LLC LLC Lake M Lake M Management Management gement Pla gement Pla Planning Planning ning ning June 2014 18