Manitowoc County Lakes Meeting on Wednesday June 26th

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

Wednesday June 26, 2019

Manitowoc County Lakes Meeting; please mark your calendars and join us on Wednesday June 26th,  at the Manitowoc County Office building @ 4319 Expo Drive,

Room 300, at 6:30pm.

Public and Guests are encouraged to attend.

DNR Fish Manager Steve Hogler will be our guest speaker, Steve will be reviewing last year’s fish survey findings on Wilke and Shoe lakes in the County and discuss DNR’s plans for surveying lakes this year. He will shed some light on the fish die off of Bullheads on Silver Lake this past month. This will be an opportunity to ask questions regarding the fisheries of the area and discuss the special panfish regulations on Long, Bullhead, English and Harpts lakes.

Samantha Lammers, the newly hired Invasive Species Coordinator for Manitowoc and Sheboygan County, will present on the Starry Stonewort the next invasive species threatening our County Lakes. Starry Stonewort has been found in a number of lakes in South East Wisconsin and slowly spreading north. This invasive plant forms dense mats of vegetation and can greatly reduce the diversity of aquatic plants in a lake. It can also impede movement of fish and other animals, and can decrease successful spawning activity. Fragments of starry stonewort can easily be spread between lakes by boats, trailers, and anchors holding sediments. Local dispersal occurs by bulbils or fragments being transported by water currents or boats within the lake.

Manual removal of starry stonewort is difficult and may be impractical on a large scale. Abundant bulbils on the rhizoids can dislodge if disturbed, and will sprout new individuals. Chemicals have not been very effective in controlling this invasive. Starry Stonewort favors our highly alkaline lakes in eastern Wisconsin. Immediate identification-detection and action is necessary to prevent its spread once it enters a water body.

This plant needs to be on our AIS monitors watch list.

Samantha will also report on the boat inspection progress and AIS programming in the Counties.

                                      The MCLA business meeting will follow.

MANITOWOC COUNTY LAKES ASSOCIATION

“The Manitowoc County Lakes Association will protect and enhance the quality of area lakes and watersheds

for the benefit of all.”

www.manitowoccountylakesassociation.org