District to test chemicals vs. mechanical harvesting
By Holly Neumann
The Lake Iola Lake District (LILD) will chemically treat four areas of Lake Iola.
The treatment is planned for this summer, in addition to mechanical harvesting of the weeds.
“I keep hearing how the lake was so much better when more spraying was allowed back when properties were being developed around the lake, but I am not sure if our two main invasive plants (Eurasian Water Milfoil and Curly Leaf Pondweed) were present then either,” said Lake District Chairman John Bertelson. “There are good reasons not to kill off native plants, but the DNR does recognize the need for people to be able to use the lake.”
According to Bertelson, the four areas to be sprayed are low flow areas of the lake in which chemical treatment works best.
“Only 20 and 30 foot wide navigation lanes will be sprayed this year so as not to open up too much potential for invasive plants to take over,” Bertelson said. “We will not harvest in these areas, which gives us more time to harvest and pick up debris on the rest of the lake.”
The hope is that this year will answer the question as to what is more effective for weed control, chemicals or harvesting.
In a study done last year by Onterra LLC Lake Management Planning, there was a low amount of invasive plants found but other native plants have reached levels that hinder summer use of the lake.
On a 4-1 vote, the LILD accepted the bid from Wisconsin Lake and Pond Resource in the amount of $2,446 to chemically treat 2.8 acres of the lake.
If for some reason Wisconsin Lake and Pond Resource cannot fulfill the commitment, LILD may go to the next bidder to get the project done.
Cliff Schmidt, of Schmidt’s Aquatic Plant Control, will do 160 hours of weed harvesting.
Weed harvesting will begin two weeks prior to July 4 and then again at the end of August.
Bertelson also said that in an effort to control the geese population on the lake, egg oiling and a goose round up will take place.
“Oiling the eggs stops development, while the roundup captures live geese during the time of year they cannot fly,” he said. “These geese are euthanized, with the meat from adult geese going to food pantries and meat from the young going to the MacKenzie Center to be used as food for other animals.”
The annual meeting will be held Saturday, June 2.