Grove Lake Homeowners Guide

Transcription

1 Grove Lake Homeowners Guide

2 Grove Lake: Lake Size 379 acres Located Pope County Minnesota, Grove Lake Township Public Boat Access: Located on Southeast shore of lake off Co. Hwy. 39 Other Boat Access: Grove Lake Park on Northeast shore of lake off 200 th St Lake Inventory Number: Lake Notes: Specializing in Northern Pike, Bluegill and Large Mouth Bass. Walleye, Crappie and Sunfish also caught. Grove Lake is the Head Waters of the North Fork of the Crow River The Inlet (Judicial Ditch 1) to Grove Lake is located on the North side of the lake. The Outlet to Grove Lake is the North Fork of the Crow River located on the south east end of the Lake (by the DNR access). Grove Lake Association Website: North Fork Crow River Watershed District Website:

3 What can you do as a homeowner to protect Grove Lake? Best Management Practices (BMPs) Best management practices are practices that everyone on or around the lake can do to protect the water quality of Grove Lake. These practices can help protect the lake by reducing the runoff, this will reduce and filter the nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) and other pollution before it can enter our waterways. Below are water quality BMPs that you can implement on your property to protect Grove Lake. Native Shorelines Native plants can be a good way to decrease erosion and reduce runoff. Native plants have deeper roots than turf grass, which will help in reducing erosion on you shoreline. When most people think of native grasses they think of weeds, but many native grass and flowers can provide a visually appealing shoreline. Native plants also attract wildlife. Taller grasses and flowers will also deter geese from coming on your shoreline. No-Mow Zone (buffer zone) A cheaper version to planting a native shoreline, but will take a longer time for the native plants to grow. There is a seed bank in most shorelines, so even though your shoreline could be turf grass right now, if you stop mowing or weed wiping a stretch of shoreline (5-10 feet or more from the waterline), the native plants and flowers will have a chance to grow. This buffer will take a while to establish itself, but will help in reducing runoff. Rain Gardens Are gardens that placed to receive runoff water and let the water settle so that it can filter into the ground. Native plants can be planted in these gardens so they can absorb the water and help filter out the nutrients that are in the runoff. These gardens can be placed in many places; they can be used to receive water for your roof, your drive way or your city road (permits will have to be filled out depending on your city ordinances). These are a great way to add a beautiful garden to your property and at the same time reducing and filtering runoff. Rain Barrels Rain barrels are used to collect runoff from your roof, the barrel can be set up to collect the water from your downspout. This water can then be used to water your gardens and plants around your yard. This is an easy way to reduce runoff and can save you money on your water bill. Fertilizer management Never use fertilizer with Phosphorus in it. The fertilizer bag should have 3 numbers on it (eg ) make sure that the middle number is zero. When applying fertilizer to your lawn, if possible try to stay away from the waters edge. Also when applying, check the local weather forecast, if it is going to rain in the next couple days, you should wait to apply. If it rains right after you apply fertilizer on your lawn it can wash off your lawn into the lake with the runoff, decreasing the water quality in Grove Lake.

4 Other practices that you can do to keep Grove Lake clean for generations to come are: Mulch or bag your grass clippings so that they do not have a chance to get into the lake, which can increase phosphorus loading. Rake up fallen leaves, never rake leaves into the lake. Also do not burn your leaves in the fall. If you have exposed soil make sure to cover it so that runoff will not take the soil with it. If you have an erosion problem on you shoreline try to get it fixed right away (Contact the NFCRWD or Pope SWCD). Be careful when filling your boat up with gas, so you do not drop any into the lake. You can do this by filling your boat up with gas while it is out of the lake or by bringing your tank to shore and filling it up there instead of in your boat. If you are going to clean the hull of your boat do so before the boat goes in the water and not while it is on the lift. Try to keep invasive species out of Grove Lake by removing all vegetation from your boat after taking it out of any body of water. Also make sure your drain plug is pull out and all excess water is out of your boat (even you minnow bucket), so that you do not transport any invasive species (it is also the law). Driving your boat in shallow weedy areas of the lake can hurt the native plants in the lake, re-suspend phosphorus and sediment (increasing algae growth) and also will help in spreading of invasive species. Before doing work on your lake lot construction or landscaping contact your Local watershed (NFCRWD ( ), County (Pope SWCD ) and MNDNR ( ) to see if there is any permits that would need to be completed before work can begin. Lake Characteristics (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources) Lake Area (acres): Littoral Area (acres): 265 % Littoral area: 70% Maximum Depth (ft): 31 Water Clarity (ft): 10 Status of the Fishery (as of 06/11/2007) Grove Lake is a 379-acre basin located 12 miles southeast of Glenwood in Pope County. Approximately 40% of the lake is shallow, marsh habitat, heavily vegetated with emergent, floating-leaf and submerged vegetation. This area provides ideal spawning and nursery habitat for many fish species. The remainder of the lake has scattered beds of emergent vegetation and dense growths of submerged vegetation in shallow areas. Water clarity is very good.

5 The fish community in Grove Lake is typical of small, densely vegetated lakes in westcentral Minnesota. Northern pike, largemouth bass, and sunfish support much of the fishing. Northern pike are abundant and slow growing. Average size of northern pike is small, averaging 2.0 pounds. Largemouth bass, bluegill, and black crappie populations exist at moderate to low densities. A high proportion of the 2007 bass catch was comprised of young fish. The largest bass measured was 17.4 inches. Mean length was only 9.7 inches. Grove Lake currently supports a high quality bluegill fishery. Reproductive successes were very good from 2001 through Growth is above average since the population is not overabundant. Seventy-four percent of bluegill caught in trapnets exceeded 6.0 inches. Eight-inch and larger bluegills were common. Walleye are stocked into Grove Lake, but success and contributions from stocking have been marginal and inconsistent. Gillnet catches averaged 3.2 fish/gill net, which is within the normal range for this type of lake, but few young fish were evident from recent stockings. Twelve of the nineteen fish captured in gill nets exceeded 17.0 inches in length. Average weight was 1.8 pounds. Water Quality (Information from RMB Labs) Phosphorus is a nutrient important for plant growth. In most lakes, phosphorus is the limiting nutrient, which means that everything that plants and algae need to grow is available in excess (sunlight, warmth, water, nitrogen, etc.) except phosphorus. This means that phosphorus has a direct effect on plant and algal growth in lakes the more phosphorus is available, the more plants and algae there are in the lake. Secchi Depth: a measure of water clarity that can indicate the overall health of a lake. A black and white metal disc is lowered into the water on a rope until it can't be seen anymore and raised to the point it can be seen. The depth of the disk to the surface of the water is the Secchi Depth. Nitrogen: a nutrient important for plant growth. Nitrogen can enter a lake through groundwater, surface runoff and manure. Chlorophyll-a is tested in lakes to determine how much algae is in the lake. Algae is important in lakes because it adds oxygen to the water as a by-product of photosynthesis. On the other hand, if there is too much algae in a lake it can produce a foul odor and be unpleasant for swimming. In eutrophic lakes where there is a lot of algae, so there needs to be a lot of decomposition and all the oxygen at the bottom of the lake gets used up. Tropic State Index - is a measurement of overall lake productivity (nutrient enrichment). The overall TSI of a lake is the average of the TSI for phosphorus, chlorophyll-a and secchi depth. Eutrophic: A lake that has low water clarity and high productivity (phosphorus and chlorophyll-1). Eutrophic lakes have a Trophic State Index between 50 and 70, an anoxic hypolimnion in the summer, algal and aquatic plants are prevalent, and can only support warm water fish.

6 Years monitored: (Data from RMB monitoring database only) Parameters Primary Site 201 (Primary) Site 5101 Site 5902 Total Phosphorus Mean (ug/l): Total Phosphorus Min (ug/l): Total Phosphorus Max (ug/l): Number of Observations: Chlorophyll-a Mean (ug/l): Chlorophyll-a Min (ug/l): < Chlorophyll-a Max (ug/l): Number of Observations: Secchi Depth Mean (ft): Secchi Depth Min (ft): Secchi Depth Max (ft): Number of Observations: Trophic State Index Mean (Primary Site): Trophic State: 50.7 Eutrophic Invasive Species (Information from MNDNR) Invasive species are plants or animals that are not native to Minnesota. They can affect the native plant and fish populations. They can also affect the water quality and the navigation on the Lake. There is ways to control populations and spread of these species but the easiest thing to do it to keep the invasive species out of Grove Lake. Zebra mussels: Impacts: Zebra mussels can cause problems for lakeshore residents and recreationists. Homeowners that take lake water to water lawns can have their intakes clogged. Mussels may attach to motors and possibly clog cooling water areas. Shells can cause cuts and scrapes if they grow large enough on rocks, swim rafts and ladders. Anglers may lose tackle as the shells can cut fishing line. Zebra mussels can also attach to native mussels, killing them. Zebra mussels filter plankton from the surrounding water. This filtering can increase water clarity, which might cause more aquatic vegetation to grow at deeper depths and more dense stands. If a lake has high numbers of mussels over large areas, this filter feeding could impact the food chain, reducing food for larval fish.

7 Curly-leaf pondweed: Why is curly-leaf pondweed a problem? In spring, curly-leaf pondweed can form dense mats that may interfere with boating and other recreation on lakes. Curly-leaf also can cause ecological problems because it can displace native aquatic plants. In midsummer, curly-leaf plants usually die back, which results in rafts of dying plants piling up on shorelines, and often is followed by an increase in phosphorus, a nutrient, and undesirable algal blooms. Like other aquatic vegetation, the abundance of curlyleaf varies from year to year depending on environmental conditions, such as winter snow depth, and spring water clarity, which can affect its growth. Purple Loosestrife: Purple loosestrife invades marshes and lakeshores, replacing cattails and other wetland plants. The plant can form dense, impenetrable stands which are unsuitable as cover, food, or nesting sites for a wide range of native wetland animals including ducks, geese, rails, bitterns, muskrats, frogs, toads, and turtles. Many rare and endangered wetland plants and animals are also at risk. Eurasian watermilfoil: In nutrient-rich lakes it can form thick underwater stands of tangled stems and vast mats of vegetation at the water's surface. In shallow areas the plant can interfere with water recreation such as boating, fishing, and swimming. The plant's floating canopy can also crowd out important native water plants. A key factor in the plant's success is its ability to reproduce through stem fragmentation and runners. A single segment of stem and leaves can take root and form a new colony. Fragments clinging to boats and trailers can spread the plant from lake to lake. The mechanical clearing of aquatic plants for beaches, docks, and landings creates thousands of

8 new stem fragments. Removing native vegetation creates perfect habitat for invading Eurasian watermilfoil. Flowering rush: Flowering rush is actively expanding. It has spread from a limited area around the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River to sporadically appear in the northern U.S. and southern Canada. It competes with native shoreland vegetation. Reed Canary Grass: Reed canary is a major threat to natural wetlands. It out competes most native species. It forms large, single-species stands, with which other species cannot compete. Common Carp: Native to Europe and Asia, it was intentionally introduced into Midwest waters as a game fish in the 1880s. Common carp are one of the most damaging aquatic invasive species due to its wide distribution and severe impacts in shallow lakes and wetlands. Their feeding disrupts shallowly rooted plants muddying the water. They release phosphorus that increases algae abundance. Carp induced declines in water quality causes declines of aquatic plants needed by waterfowl and fish. Do your part to protect Minnesota s waters by following the state aquatic invasive species laws (information from MN DNR) You must Clean visible aquatic plants, zebra mussels and other prohibited species from watercraft, trailers, and equipment before transporting from any water access. 2. Drain water from bilge, livewell, motor, ballast tanks, and portable bait containers before leaving water accesses or shoreline property. Keep drain plug out and water-draining devices open while transporting watercraft. Q&A - Watercraft and bait container draining laws in Minnesota

9 3. Dump unwanted bait in the trash. You may not: Transport aquatic plants, water, or prohibited invasive species such as zebra mussels or Eurasian watermilfoil. Dump live bait into state waters, on shore, or on the ground. Launch, or attempt to place, watercraft, trailers or equipment with aquatic plants, zebra mussels, or prohibited invasive species into any state waters. MINNESOTA LAWS (information of MN DNR) It is unlawful to: transport aquatic plants (see: exceptions in statute), round goby, zebra mussels, or other prohibited species launch a watercraft with aquatic plants, zebra mussels, or prohibited/regulated invasive species attached transport water from designated infested waters transport water from lakes or rivers in boats, livewells, and bait containers transport watercraft and water-related equipment that hold water from a water access site or riparian property without draining them by removing the drain plug and opening waterdraining devices The DNR will begin developing the online AIS course soon to implement the new decal requirement for The penalty for not displaying the decal will be a warning, not a citation. Other new AIS laws will be instituted July 1, 2012, as a result of the new legislation: Civil penalties for violating the state's AIS laws will double. Fines that currently range from $50 to $250 will increase to $100 to $500, depending on the type of violation. For example, failure to remove a drain plug while transporting a watercraft will mean a $100 fine, instead of a $50 penalty. The fine for unlawfully possessing and transporting prohibited aquatic invasive species will increase from $250 to $500. Boat lifts, docks, swim rafts and other water-related equipment (except boats and other watercraft) that are removed from any water body may not be placed in another water body for at least 21 days. The drying out period is designed to kill any AIS that might be attached to the equipment that are high risk and difficult to clean. Two zebra mussel introductions occurred last year as a result of water equipment being sold and moved from one water body to another. Boat clubs, yacht clubs, marinas and other similar organizations are now considered lakeservice providers, requiring permits for the clubs and staff working there to take AIS certification training. Portable bait containers used while fishing through the ice do not need to be drained before leaving a water body, unless the water body has been declared to have viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), a virus that is deadly to fish. For the online version of the Lake Shore Home Owners Guide with additional information, including Minnesota burning regulations, Minnesota dog owners regulations, go to:

10 Contact information: Grove Lake Association President: Fred Vagle North Fork Crow River Watershed District 100 Prairie Ave. No. Box 40 Brooten, MN Pope County SWCD 1680 North Franklin Street Glenwood MN MN DNR st Avenue North Fergus Falls, MN