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Rice Lake 2004-2005 Drawdown Request

Rice Lake 2004-2005 Drawdown Request. Why do a Drawdown? Economical (City Public Works removing boards at the Elm Creek Dam and the cost of a DNR permit totals under $500) Environmentally safe Proven to control non-native aquatic plants such as Curlyleaf Pondweed and Eurasian Watermilfoil.

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Rice Lake 2004-2005 Drawdown Request

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  1. Rice Lake 2004-2005 Drawdown Request • Why do a Drawdown? • Economical (City Public Works removing boards at the Elm Creek Dam and the cost of a DNR permit totals under $500) • Environmentally safe • Proven to control non-native aquatic plants such as Curlyleaf Pondweed and Eurasian Watermilfoil • Does a Drawdown increase Fish Kills? • No, there have been no fish kills observed the season after a drawdown is conducted. Previous fish kills have occurred in non-drawdown seasons. RLAA aerates during drawdowns to help provide additional oxygen to the fish population, as recommended by the DNR. • Is a Drawdown supported by Rice Lake members? • Over 98% of all Lakeshore and Lake View homeowners signed a petition in agreement a Drawdown should be conducted

  2. Rice Lake 2004-2005 Drawdown Survey Results Survey conducted 8/24/2004 through 9/6/2004 by RLAA Volunteers

  3. Do lake management experts support a Drawdown? • City of Maple Grove consultant Steve McComas approves • Rice Lake consultant Jim Storland approves • Does the DNR approve of a Drawdown? • Yes, the local Area Hydrologist (Tom Hovey) and Fisheries Manager (Darryl Ellison) both approve • Does the City approve of a Drawdown? • Yes, City Head Engineer Ken Ashfeld supports a drawdown to help control non-native aquatic plants and clean up the lake • Has a Drawdown worked in the past? • 3 Drawdowns have been conducted in the past 10 years • Winter of 1996-1997 • Winter of 1997-1998 • Winter of 2002-2003 • Results in the latest drawdown of 2002-2003 were best conditions ever on the lake. Weed levels were best in 2 decades and algae levels were at their lowest. • Drawdowns being conducted throughout the state were possible with encouraging results

  4. Testimonial from Steve McComas of Blue Water Science B l u e water S c i e n c e 550 South Snelling Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55116 651.690.9602 Tech Memo Date: August 5, 2004 To: George Schneider, Rice Lake Association From: Steve McComas, Blue Water Science Subject: Rice Lake Drawdown Managing curlyleaf pondweed has been a technical and economical challenge for a number of years. The Rice Lake Area Association, in conjunction with the City of Maple Grove, has implemented a successful curlyleaf pondweed management program using a lake drawdown. This has proven to be an effective curlyleaf and Eurasian watermilfoil control technique. From my observations, it appears that a drawdown for Rice Lake over the 2004-2005 winter is warranted based on the regrowth of curlyleaf pondweed in the spring of 2004.

  5. August 8, 2004 Wade Quale RLAA Recommendations for Rice Lake Drawdown for Curlyleaf Pondweed Management Drawing down the lake during the winter is the least expensive and probably the most effective way to control the reproductive potential of curlyleaf pondweed by freezing the turions in the area exposed from the drawdown. However, since the turions float and reinfest the area of the drawdown from plants unimpacted by the drawdown, I recommend several consecutive years of drawdown along with treatment of the non-drawdown area with Aquathol-K each year to control those plants as well. After about three or four years of using this combination of drawdown and chemical treatment the curlyleaf pondweed should be at low enough levels to allow for the regrowth of native aquatic vegetation which should improve the water quality and fishery of Rice Lake. Also it is critical for successful fish spawning to restore the lake to its normal level as soon as possible in the spring, especially for northern pike which spawn on the emergent vegetation at the edge of the lake as soon as the ice melts and the inlets start to flow. Jim Storland Environmental Lake Management Consultants, Inc.

  6. The Rice Lake Area Association thanks you for your consideration to approve conducting a drawdown this fall/winter 2004-2005. All residents living along the lake will be sent notification that the drawdown will begin during the first week of October with recommendations to remove their boats and prepare their shoreline accordingly. Rice Lake Area Association Visit our Website at: http://www.ricelake.homestead.com

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