Posted: 5/11/05
By Cynthia Scott
If all goes as planned, there won't be much to see after the completion of Rush Lake Improvement Association's (RLIA) upcoming endeavor.
That's because later this month the RLIA will begin this year's curly leaf pondweed eradication effort. Success will be measured by not seeing the slimy, matted goo on the surface of the lake come mid-summer.
Curly leaf pondweed is an exotic aquatic plant that harms the lake's ecosystem (see bottom story).
Every year the RLIA partners with lakeside homeowners and Lake Restoration, Inc. to spray herbicide that controls the weed.
Lakeshore homeowners voluntarily sign up to participate in the program, and last year 149 homeowners out of 268 participated. In all, 14 sites totaling nearly 75 acres were treated. That was up from 71 acres the previous year.
Treatment occurs when the water temperature reaches 58 degrees. Last year that was June 8 and 9, later than usual because of the cool spring.
The curly leaf pondweed eradication effort is part of RLIA's exotics control program, which also includes management of Eurasian water milfoil and other weeds. According to Tom McKenzie, Project Rep. for RLIA, the Association has committed $20,000 this year to exotics control.
"We're trying to do what we can do," McKenzie said. He noted that over the years RLIA has collaborated with the state Department of Natural Resources on many water quality improvement projects in addition to the exotics control program.
For example, McKenzie said, "We have seined out about 1 million pounds of fish, mainly carp and sheephead."
Those fish dwell on the lake bottom and stir up sediment, a source of phosphorous that feeds harmful algae. In November, RLIA completed the channel maintenance project, a $129,000 endeavor that entailed installing almost 2,000 feet of rip rapping and dredging approximately 500 cubic yards of sediment from the channel entrances.
McKenzie is hopeful that more homeowners will sign up for the curly leaf pondweed eradication program next year.
"About 50 percent of residents participate in the spraying, and we'd like to get that up," he said.
McKenzie notes that recreational lake users as well as the anglers who will be trawling about in droves next weekend have a vested interest in keeping Rush a quality lake.
"As far as fishing goes, you can't find a better lake in the area. Rush has crappies, sunnies, perch, walleye, northern, bass. The reason it's as good as it is is the efforts of the Association."
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What is curly leaf pondweed?
Native aquatic plants, such as bulrushes, are essential for sustaining good water quality. Curly leaf pondweed, also called curly cabbage and crisp pondweed, is an exotic plant that grows to nuisance conditions in Rush Lake and has adverse impact on water quality.
Curly leaf pondweed, also called curly cabbage and crisp pondweed, grows from the shore to depths of up to 15 feet. It grows throughout the winter, under the ice. Maximum growth occurs in April and May, while other aquatic plants are just coming out of dormancy. It dies in late June and July, leaving large, dense mats of decomposing vegetation on the water. The die-off contains phosphorus, which feeds algae and crowds out beneficial native plants. Decomposition tends to deplete the lakeís oxygen, resulting in poor growth or death of numerous organisms and altering the lakeís chemistry.
Curly leaf pondweed was first noted in Minnesota in 1910 and currently occurs in 65 of the stateís 87 counties.
Eradication consists primarily of spraying herbicides. Lake users can help by inspecting trailers and boats to make sure they are not transporting the weed to and from the water.
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