Milfoil in Moultonborough!

[Lakegeezer]

Indeed, NH Fish and Game requested that the treatment be kept 300 feet from suspected loon nests. The endangered species is the "Bridle Shiner". It apparently likes to breed in milfoil. The NHFG fish biologist feels getting rid of milfoil is impossible anyway, and doing so will disrupt the population of the Bridle shiner. A quote from the memo includes:

Milfoil fragments were abundant throughout the area. The argument that not treating an area due to the presence of loons or bridle shiners will result in an expansion of milfoil in subsequent years, does not take into account the abundance of milfoil in untreated areas and the prevalence of milfoil fragments throughout the lake. In other words, milfoil cannot be eradicated and will expand into suitable habitat unless it is treated year after year. This approach is costly, unsustainable, and actually destroys habitat for certain species (i.e. bridle shiners). The threat of extirpation of a sensitive species should therefore outweigh the temporary reduction in milfoil coverage.

Milfoil in this area of the lake is distributed among native plants and does not appear to be impacting fish and wildlife. It actually appears to benefit many fish species. It would be more cost effective in the long run to accept milfoil as a component of the ecosystem and to take a more conservative approach toward milfoil management that focuses on reducing conflicts with boating and swimming while taking into account the needs of fish and wildlife.

[phoenix]

maybe then the town should lower the property taxes of the areas affected and send the bill to the biologist. so let the whole lake go but we will have a lot of shiners

[hancoveguy]

Hey Bridle Shiners are people too!!! Unbelievable, another case of throwing the baby out with the bath water...Environmentalists and conservationists are ruining this country, they have gone way overboard and they are given wayyyyy too much power. The local governments are afraid of them and it just keeps getting worse..

[RI Swamp Yankee]

Bridle Shiners are endangered .... in Pennsylvania and "of concern" in MA. There is no issue in NH.

I also found this:

The densely growing Eurasian Watermilfoil aquatic plant hinders spawning areas for the minnow and may contribute to its decline.

LINK

[pcmc]

Where did the Bridle Shriner breed prior to the Milfoil?

Also, what type of treatment will be done, and how will harm the Loon?

[Shore Driver]

What method are they using for removal?

Here in CT, a local lake was competely rid of milfoil by a method called "suction harvesting", whereby a diver goes down with a giant vacuum, pulls the milfoil by hand, and sucks the milfoil up to a bag in a boat above. Expensive, time-consuming, and apparently highly effective.

The other option is 2-4D pellets, which are less effective.

[pcmc]

Suction harvesting sounds like the way to go if its that effective, the sooner the better!

+1 What method is planned for removal?

Shore Driver, how was it tackled in CT., via subcontractor, or do the lake regions, or State, maintain thier own equiptment, staff, and disposal of the weed?

[TomC]

since i got a letter from the town last week that said during treatment drinking from intake pipes would be prohibited (and no removal will take place within 50ft of wells) - it does not appear to be a mechanical removal...

[tis]

I believe they do the chemicals first and then the harvesting.

[Lakegeezer]

The chemicals kill the milfoil, but its phosphorus laden carcass needs to be removed or it becomes food for algae and other plants. After the large areas are treated, harvesting can control the small outbreaks. The weed watchers program is chartered with monitoring the treated areas for new colonies.

[AEM]

Due to rules of this forum, I don't want to get commercial. I will put something up in the classified section. In the meantime, you can go to our website, www.aquaticem.com and make contact with us there. Or PM me.

I am a senior member of this forum under my non-commercial moniker.

If you wish for me to add non-commercial information to this discussion, I would be more than happy to do so. I like the discourse that takes place here and do not want to impede it (or get in trouble). Let me know.

[Shore Driver]

Originally Posted by pcmc

Suction harvesting sounds like the way to go if its that effective, the sooner the better!

+1 What method is planned for removal?

Shore Driver, how was it tackled in CT., via subcontractor, or do the lake regions, or State, maintain thier own equiptment, staff, and disposal of the weed?

It was subcontracted out once the town council voted on it and approved the expenditure. Pretty much a no-brainer for any lakeside community.

[AEM]

I put company info in the Property Improvement & Maintenance section of Classifieds.

[trfour]

From the Citizen. Milfoil treatment appears successful, in Lake Opechee.
http://citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...909/-1/CITIZEN

Lets hope that this is the beginning of the end for milfoil in our Lakes.



Terry
______________________________________

[Tiger Lilly]

Horrors! You aren't kidding! We kayaked out or Lee's Mills and it was EVERYWHERE!!

Later in the week, we kayaked on Silver Lake. They had a person at the put-in place checking to make sure no boat was bringing in the dreaded stuff and it has worked. Silver Lake is clear and beautiful.

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by Tiger Lilly

Horrors! You aren't kidding! We kayaked out or Lee's Mills and it was EVERYWHERE!!

Later in the week, we kayaked on Silver Lake. They had a person at the put-in place checking to make sure no boat was bringing in the dreaded stuff and it has worked. Silver Lake is clear and beautiful.

There are people checking every weekend at Glendale as well. All boats launching or loading are checked.

[Sue Doe-Nym]

Originally Posted by Tiger Lilly

Horrors! You aren't kidding! We kayaked out or Lee's Mills and it was EVERYWHERE!!

Later in the week, we kayaked on Silver Lake. They had a person at the put-in place checking to make sure no boat was bringing in the dreaded stuff and it has worked. Silver Lake is clear and beautiful.

Unfortunately, NH Fish and Game doesn't share your view about the dangers of milfoil. They threatened Aquatic Control and Lycot which resulted in reduced treatments in Lees Pond and Greens Basin.

[phoenix]

The Moultonboro Milfoil Committee sent out a letter recently clarifying what happened. First the State body solely responsible for approval is the Dept of Agriculture. The approval was granted for June 22 treatment. On June 17th an employee Matthew Carpenter e mailed Lycott saying they could be sued for endangering the Shiners. Moultonboro didn't have enough time to get the State to indemnify the company so the treatment was stopped in some areas. Amazing to me that one employee could go around the State's approval process . They will try again in September.

[AEM]

I believe that NH Department of Environmental Services, Exotic Species Program is responsible for milfoil issues.

[Sue Doe-Nym]

Perhaps you should double check your sources. Phoenix is correct in his statement that neither DES nor F&G gives final approval, it is Dept. of Agriculture. Strange but true. F&G used to have veto power over approvals but they lost it and appear to be trying a new tactic. There is an important meeting scheduled for Friday, July 30th at 5:00 PM with the head of F&G.

Suggest going thru the Moultonborough Milfoil Committee information on the Town website.

[Lakegeezer]

Originally Posted by Sue Doe-Nym

Perhaps you should double check your sources. Phoenix is correct in his statement that neither DES nor F&G gives final approval, it is Dept. of Agriculture. Strange but true. F&G used to have veto power over approvals but they lost it and appear to be trying a new tactic. There is an important meeting scheduled for Friday, July 30th at 5:00 PM with the head of F&G.

Suggest going thru the Moultonborough Milfoil Committee information on the Town website.

Checking the M'boro website, found a notice for a meeting TOMORROW - THURSDAY for the meeting with F&G. There will be a special meeting of the Moultonborough Milfoil Committee and Fish & Game Director Glenn Normandeau on: Thursday, July 29th, 2010 From 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM in the Ernest Davis Meeting Room, Town Hall, 6 Holland Street, Moultonborough, NH 03254

[Lakegeezer]

Where is the milfoil in Moultonborough? An update to DES's site survey map is posted on the Milfoil Committee's web site. A better question to ask is, "where isn't it"?