FLLA Update, August 2010

Dear Friends of the Lake,

This Newsletter will provide an update on the aquatic weed control program for 2010 and the plans for 2011.


Update on the 2010 Program to Control the Invasive Species Curly Leaf Pondweed (CLP).

This past year your Association worked closely with the city in increasing the herbicide treatment levels from 100 acres in 2009 to 155 acres in 2010 as follows:
Lake 3…63 acres
Lake 2…37 acres
Lake 1…55 acres

With this years expansion to Lake 1 we now have active, aggressive treatment programs on all three lakes.

The total treatment cost of $31, 930 was funded as follows:
City ……$25,000
FLLA …$6,930

The Curly Leaf Pondweed was effectively controlled in the treated areas. However, we are also well aware of the significant problem with late season floating weeds as well as frequent and ongoing algae blooms on the lake. We have done some research on these issues and will share with you our findings in our next newsletter.


2011 Herbicide Treatment Plans to Control CLP

The herbicide treatment program for 2011 will treat 170 acres of CLP at a cost of $35,020. The specific areas to be treated will be determined by an early spring inspection and finally by the DNR.

The city has budgeted $25,000 and your FLLA has pledged $10,020. The proposed city budget must still go through the approval process and won’t be official until Dec 13th with a public hearing scheduled for Nov 29th. Your Board is working closely with the City Council to help insure the $25,000 budget remains intact.

2011 Weed Harvester Program

The city and the FLLA will again work together to implement a weed harvesting program for the 2011 season.

The Harvesting Program will focus on keeping the channels that connect the lakes open, maintaining open water paths to deeper water for the various bay entrances, clearing open water paths for public ramps and clearing paths through problem weed areas as they are identified.

The FLLA will provide and train volunteers to run the harvester and will also contribute $2,000 to the City for harvester maintenance. The city will set up the harvester and conveyors, haul and compost the weeds, provide timely and responsive operating maintenance and repairs, and store the equipment during the winter.

 Blake Dalbec (464-3135) and Jeff  Gosiak (248-3185) will be in charge of the program . We will need volunteers, so please call them if you can help. There is a very thorough “on the lake” training program.

The next two newsletters will focus on the following:

What’s with the floating weeds and algae blooms this past summer?
New information /data on lake usage and the economic importance of the lake to the Community.


Thank you for your continued financial and volunteer support.

FLLA Board Members &
Steve Schmaltz, President