It is so great to see our lake looking good and so many of you out on the water!
Last Tuesday 6/2, we had our 2nd visit from Solitude Lake Management and I just wanted to give you all a quick update on the progress made.
First I have to say when the lake specialist came on Tuesday he was blown away by the great results of only 1 treatment, that is really good news!
It was really interesting as I observed the effects of the herbicide treatment over the last few weeks. Each day I could see the Milfoil deteriorating until there was nothing left except the long thin stalks which are now floating away and easily scooped up to be cleared.
With the Milfoil gone the algae had nothing to grow on so the algae is also gone!
This is all great news, but there is still much work to be done. As the weather gets warmer we will continue to stay on top of any overgrowth.
The next area I would like to focus on are the shallows and corners of the lake where many things tend to collect and grow.
If you look at the lake right now you may notice some very small green plants floating on top of the water. This plant is called Duckweed, or sometimes Water Meal, and it is one of the smallest flowering plants known. Individual plants consist of a single, flat oval leaf no more than ¼ of an inch long that floats on the surface of still-moving ponds, lakes.
Fun Facts:
Duckweed is found all around the world and is edible for humans. Duckweed resembles in taste to watercress or spinach. (Although please do not eat the duckweed from the lake.)
Duckweed provides food for wildlife, especially waterfowl. It can be used to feed fish, poultry and cattle and it can also purify and concentrate nutrients from wastewater.
However, a dense cover of duckweed on the surface of water inhibits oxygen from entering the water because it causes poor light penetration. The water can become largely anoxic, which in turn favors denitrification.
For this reason we will keep a close eye on the duck weed and remove or treat as needed. For now, I see the frogs and turtles are enjoying it for cover and maybe the ducks and geese like to snack on it too!
Below I have attached our most recent Lake Assessment. All is looking pretty good and is what to be expected after a herbicide treatment. It is typical for dissolved oxygen and clarity to be affected temporarily as plants die off and deteriorate. I fully expect this to balance out in the coming weeks.
Well that’s all for this update, and I will be sure to keep you all posted as we move forward : )
Enjoy the beautiful weather,
-Sara
Lake Telemark Environmental Club
