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~1icers and Board Members: sident: Wayne LeBlanc (651) 426-0168 Secretary: Jerry Lindner (612) 514-3047 Treasurer: Steve Marcello (651) 426-4679 Director #4: Paul Dentz (651) 429-1823 Director #5: Hal Wegner (651) 407-8256 t'eltier lake Association Newsletter. October 9. 2000. Vol 12 #5 Eurasian Water Milfoil Alert-This weed is now in Peltier Lake! . Background: It has been known that Eurasian Milfoil has been in Centerville Lake for the last several years. Precautions were taken (connection between two lakes was blocked off) to try to keep the milfoil out of Peltier Lake. In the last several weeks, the following items have transpired: A lakeshore owner on Peltier alerted a Peltier Lake Assoc. Board member, the DNR was contacted, the weed was confirmed as Eurasian Water Milfoil, and a lake survey was conducted by the DNR (see attached map on the back). The Eurasian Milfoil was found in scattered areas of the lake in depths from 2 to 5 feet. It was estimated that it just started growing within the last year. . Because of the harmful effects of this weed (grows in depths up to 15 feet, is very aggressive and overgrows all other vegetation, becomes as thick or thicker than curly leafpondweed and lasts all year) the Peltier Lake Board has decided to start immediate action. Discussion has occurred with the DNR, Rice Creek Watershed District, and many options were identified. The Peltier Lake Board met on Friday, October 6 and after extensive discussion about all of the identified options has decided to recommend the following: o Lowering Peltier Lake (for the winter months this year only) a maximum of 5 feet in an attempt to "freeze out" the Eurasian Water Milfoil with the following stipulations: 1. Peltier and Centerville Lakes must be kept isolated from each other, 2. An aerator be utilized to help maintain the fish population over the winter, 3. Harvest the rough fish while the lake is lowered, 4. Conduct a fish count study before and after the draw-down to help assess the impact, and restock if necessary, 5. Draw-down is a one-time occurrence only (will not be done every year-because of the large impact to the environment and ecosystem), 6. Request that a screen be installed in Clearwater Creek (preferably at the outlet of Bald Eagle Lake) to help eliminate one of the sources of Eurasian Water Milfoil, 7. Request investigating removal of sediment deposited at the mouth of Clearwater Creek. In addition, the "draw.down" option was recommended by the DNR because of the early detection (growth in only 2 to 5 feet) and the scattering of the weed in many areas of the lake. Also, the DNR believes the drawdown will also help control the curly-Ieafpondweed in depths down to 5 feet (we will still need to acquire a permit for cutting curly-leaf pondweed at depths below 5 feet next spring). . The Peltier Lake Board would like to stress that we have the opportunity to drastically reduce or eliminate the Eurasian Water Milfoil if we do something quickly. Ifwe don't do something this falVwinter, it will spread over the entire lake within the next year or the next several years (based on wind and water conditions). Also, it should be noted that the DNR is working with the Centerville Lake Association to conduct some type of draw- down as well, but as stated above, we will insist that the two lakes remain isolated from each other during and after this draw-down period. . We plan to proceed with the above recommendations based on time constraints and unanimous board approval. If anyone has any concerns or questions, please contact anyone of the board members. Weare not currently planning on an Association meeting for this issue. However, if enough people want an Association meeting to discuss this, we will organize it. Please see the back of this page for the DNR survey and also attached is the letter sent to the DNR . If you have an email address, please send me your address via e-mail so that we can communicate the Lake Association information and newsletters to all more easily. (gerald.lindner@medtronic.com) Thank you. Jeny Lindner - Secretary