2012 LMPA Annual Meeting Slides

Attached below are the slides presented at the LMPA Annual Meeting on April 24, 2012. These include the slide packages from DNR watercraft inspection coordinator representative Heidi Wolf and LMPA president Steve Gunther

DNR Lake Minnewashta Talk 4.24.12 2012

FINAL Lake Minnewashta Annual Mtg slides 4.24.12

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LMPA Meeting Minutes – May 2012

May 22 2012 Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the May 22, 2012 LMPA Board Meeting.

Attendees: Judy Berland, Helen Gunther, Eileen Sternard, Steve Aldritt, Jim Ginther, Steve Gunther, Scot Lacek, Keith Paap

Approval of last meeting’s minutes (All)

  • No meeting minutes were presented.

Finances

Financial report (Steve Gunther)

  • The current balance of funds in our Beacon Bank Money Market account totals $16,539.65 as of 4/30/12.
  • We have been awarded grants from the DNR for two projects thanks to the efforts of Scot Lacek:
    • A Zebra Mussel Awareness campaign – Up to $7,424 for reimbursement of expenses incurred.
    • Invasive Aquatic Plant treatment – Up to $6,000 for reimbursement of expenses incurred for our 2012 AIS treatments.
    • While we have a good balance of funds in our account, we decided to do a much larger than normal treatment of invasive weeds this season. Therefore we agreed that an outreach for donations would be required to replenish our funds for 2013.

ACTION: Steve Gunther to work with Scot Lacek to include our newsletter and donation request in an electronic blast planned for early June as part of the Awareness Grant

ACTION: Scot Lacek to drive the mailing of our newsletter and donation request as part of the Awareness Grant.

Lake Stewardship report

Zebra Mussel Awareness Plan update (Scot Lacek)

  • Scot gave a verbal update to the status of our Awareness Plan.

ACTION: Two interns will be hired to take on the duties of the plan under the direction of Scot Lacek.

Weed treatment update (Pete Plucinak)

  • Pete was unable to attend the meeting but reported prior that our permit to treat is in process and should be completed by late May.
  • Approval for treatment of a  total of 40 acres was requested, the most ever
  • Weed treatment is to be scheduled with Lake Restoration for early June

ACTION: Pete Plucinak to drive issuance of permit and completion of weed treatment

Lake Management Plan update (Paul Quarberg and Pete Plucinak)

  • Former LMP leaders Paul Quarberg or Pete Plucinak were not in attendance.
  • Jim Ginther volunteered to take the lead on this project.

ACTION: Steve Gunther to ask Paul Quarberg and Pete Plucinak to coordinate the knowledge transfer to Jim

Coalition of Lake Associations update (Steve Gunther/Steve Aldritt)

  • A group has been assembled from to develop a West Metro Coalition of Lake Associations and one kickoff meeting held
  • Next session is planned for Tuesday June 19th.

Membership

Neighborhood captain organization status (TBD)

  • Judy Berland suggested that her husband Rick was willing to serve in the leadership role for Neighborhood Captains

ACTION: Steve Gunther to confirm with Rick and ask Dave Peterjohn to coordinate the knowledge transfer to him

Communication and Education

  • No new input

Social Activities

  • No new input

Administrative Activities

2012 Annual Meeting Recap (Steve Gunther)

  • Steve briefly recapped the results of the annual meeting.
  • We were disappointed in the small turnout at the meeting with only 12-15 non board members attending.
  • We were successful in raising over $800 in donations with the use of the Square credit card processing device provided by Helen Gunther.
  • A lot of very good dialogue occurred, revolving around the coming Aquatic Invasive Species threats and other similar topics.

ACTION: Presentations by Steve Gunther (LMPA president) and Heidi Wolf (DNR) will be posted on the LMPA website

 New Business

Election of Officers for 2012

  • The duties and responsibilities of the Officers of the board were reviewed and discussed.
  • No candidates stepped forward to serve in these positions so the election of officers was deferred until the May 2012 board meeting.

ACTION:  Attendees were urged to reach out to potential board and officer candidates and invite them to the next board meeting.

Date, time and place for next meeting

  • Tuesday or Wednesday June 19th or 20th was proposed

Adjourn

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Carver County Commissioners Vote to Authorize an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Inspection Program at Lake Minnewashta

I am very happy to report that the Carver County Commissioners voted in favor of the LMPA’s request to authorize an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) inspection program at Lake Minnewashta Regional Park, to allocate $15,500 from the County’s Year End Savings Account for the program and direct staff to develop a contract with Minnehaha Creek Watershed district for financial participation in the program.

Details of the 2012 Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) inspection program at Lake Minnewashta Regional Park include:

· The outlined AIS program would begin May 15, 2012 and run for 89 consecutive days ending September 19, 2012.

· Boaters entering Lake Minnewashta through the regional park would be inspected for AIS at Boat Access #1.

· Hours of inspection operation would be from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

· Labor and material costs are estimated at $31,000.

· The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District has offered to participate at 50% of the cost of the program.

· Training for AIS inspectors and law enforcement is to be provided by the DNR at no cost.

Please extend your sincere thanks to our County Commissioners, particularly Tom Workman who led the charge for us and Randy Maluchnik and Gayle Degler who cast the supporting votes. Also to Eric Evenson from the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District for driving the MCWD’s financial support and Marty Walsh, Carver Parks Director for taking the lead to protect Lake Minnewashta. And special thanks to all of our friends and supporters from Lake Minnewashta, Lotus Lake, Christmas Lake, Lake Riley and others who were vocal and present in their support for this. Without all of you, we would have failed.

This is truly an example of great government and citizen cooperation toward a common goal. The LMPA will to continue to offer our help and support to get the program implemented.

Steve Gunther
President, Lake Minnewashta Preservation Association

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How You Can Help Stop Algae in Lake Minnewashta!

Imagine Minnesota’s 10.000 lakes full of clean, clear, fresh water for our children and grandchildren to enjoy. Fish are plentiful, birds line the shores, and there is water for recreation, industry and growing food. The Freshwater Society wants to help you make that vision a reality. The idea behind Community Cleanups for Water Quality is deceptively simple and cost-effective: locally-led groups of volunteers, rake, sweep, bag and remove loose dirt and leaves blocking sewer grates on city streets. The material is then composted to prevent pollutants such as phosphorusfrom entering lakes, rivers and streams.

Depending on the mix of materials, for every five bags (100 pounds) of leaves and other organic debris you collect, you prevent up to a pound of phosphorus from entering a local water body. Each pound of phosphorus can cause up to 1,000 pounds of algae. Your group or organization will be able to prevent thousands of pounds of algae growth in the lakes, rivers and streams near your home.

The Freshwater Society has assembled a toolkit to help you implement a Community Clean-Up for Water Quality in your area. For more information on Community Cleanups for Water Quality, or to download the Toolkit, visit our website:
http://freshwater.org

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Zebra Mussel Update – July 14th, 2011

Greetings!

Here’s an update on what is happening with the Zebra Mussel threat on our lake and what your Lake Minnewashta Preservation Association board is doing about it. While we continue to work hard on this, we need your help. Please read on for specifics if you want to protect your lake.  

 

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

  • Watch the video prepared by the DNR and follow the laws and practices on your own watercraft. Share it with your neighbors and publicize it at your private access launches. Here’s a link     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laoJ_NP-XFo 
  • Be trained in zebra mussel watercraft inspection by coming to the Lotus Lake launch on Saturday 7/16 at 1PM.
  • Either volunteer your time or apply for a paid position to inspect watercraft.
  • Donate money to the LMPA to help pay for every incoming boat to be inspected for zebra mussels.
  • Lobby the Carver County Parks Commission and eventually the Carver County Board to require 100% watercraft inspection immediately and to find a funding source that does not include the LMPA.  
  • Sign petitions as they are circulated to demand this.
  • Contact Steve Gunther if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

ZEBRA MUSSEL REFRESHER

  •  Zebra mussels are a non-native species that breed exponentially and can limit recreational activities and alter aquatic ecosystems by displacing native species.
  • Minnesota has enacted new laws in 2011 for Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention (bill 11-0190) with enhanced authority for inspections and increased penalties for violations.                                
  • They have been found in nearby Lake Minnetonka and Prior Lake and spread predominantly by unintentional transfer on watercraft/trailers, in water in the boat or bait containers.  
  •  Currently there are no environmentally safe methods to kill zebra mussels once they become established in a natural system.                                
  • Because of this, the DNR does not try to eliminate zebra mussels if they become established in a lake or river.
  • This is why it is important to prevent their spread, since once they arrive in a water body there is no way to eliminate them.               

 

THE FACTS ABOUT ZEBRA MUSSELS AND THEIR IMPACT:

  • Fact 1: Zebra Mussels will attach to almost any hard surface
  • Fact 2: A single female will lay over 500,000 eggs in a spawning season.
  • Fact 3: Zebra Mussels will attach to outdrives, boat bottoms, boat lifts and docks which will typically cost $600 – $900 per year in motor, dock, lift repair, cleaning and prevention
  • Fact 4: Zebra Mussels have a life span of 4-6 years.  After dying their razor sharp shells will wash up on shore. 
  • Fact 5: Zebra Mussels are filter feeders, which may increase water clarity… BUT 
    • Milfoil thrives in clear water and weed banks will expand
    • Fish population can suffer in an environment with fewer nutrients. 

 

WHAT’S NEW WITH ZEBRA MUSSELS

  • The Zebra Mussel infestation that was observed in Lake Minnetonka bays has spread to many more bays. Here is a link to a recent article. http://www.startribune.com/local/west/125080804.html 
  • At this time, we have no known infestations on Lake Minnewashta but the risk remains very high. There are monitoring blocks in the lake that are to be used to assess the incidence of the mussels.
  • It is our belief that the education and random inspection system that was used in the past to prevent the spread of milfoil or curly leaf pondweed (which have fully infested our lake) did not work and will not work for zebra mussels and future invasive species.
  • Minnesota State law has been signed in June which significantly raises the penalties and fines for transporting invasive species. However, an audit of roughly 200 trailered boats launching at Lotus Lake indicates a 25% non compliance level with those laws. This included water in the boat or bait bucket and the drain plug in while transporting the boat.                  
  • The Lake Minnewashta Preservation Association board believes that 100% watercraft inspections are justified given the level of non compliance observed and the permanent impact an improperly cleaned watercraft can have on the quality of our lake and its ecosystem by transferring zebra mussels and their larvae into Lake Minnewashta.                                                 

WHAT’S UP WITH WATERCRAFT INSPECTION AT OUR PUBLIC LAUNCHES AT THE REGIONAL PARK

  • Watercraft inspection by DNR interns began May 14th but the inspectors worked only 25-30% % of available launch hours. Lack of funding and qualified inspectors was the gate. All DNR inspections at Lake Minnewashta have stopped due to the state shutdown on July 1st
  • Our attempts to implement 100% watercraft inspections at the Lake Minnewashta Regional Park with the financial help of the Lotus and Christmas Lakes homeowners Associations has not been successful to date. This is due to a number of entities questioning the legal authority to require a watercraft inspection at a location other than the lake into which a boater wishes to launch. We are appealing to the governor, the state attorney general and the commissioner of the DNR for help  

NOW WHAT?

  • Given that we cannot count on shared resources, your LMPA Board has voted to divert some of our current funds to pay for 100% inspections on our own at the Regional Park. We agreed to use approximately $5000 of money donated by residents to the LMPA and $5000 of money granted to us by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District.
  • The Carver Parks authority supports this inspection, as long as it remains voluntary.
  • The LMPA is now implementing a plan where DNR-trained volunteers/inspectors will man the boat launch to the best of our ability. A single inspection station will be implemented at the east launch to optimize our available resources. All incoming watercraft will be directed to that launch for inspection.               
  • We successfully negotiated an agreement with Lotus Lake homeowners association to use their Zebra Mussel Inspection manager to oversee our resources as well as many of their trained inspectors (who are willing) to operate our station.  span>    
  • We need more inspectors (volunteer or paid) willing to work and are advertising for inspectors (preferably DNR trained) to work the launch from 6AM to 9PM Monday to Sunday. See the Craigslist posting at: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/edu/2486816445.html. Contact Scot Lacek at scotlacek@hotmail.com.
  • Our next training session is Saturday July 16th at 1PM at Lotus Lake public boat access at 7610 South Shore Drive in Chanhassen. The training will take 20-30 minutes.                                                           

WHAT ABOUT 2012?

  • The LMPA board is taking the position that our homeowners association cannot (nor should they) afford to pay for the cost of preventing Zebra Mussels and other invasive species from entering Lake Minnewashta.                                                       
  • On July 13th, we presented to the Carver Parks Commission and requested an increase in park fees be implemented in 2012 and beyond to cover the cost of inspections by the DNR or its trained agents to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species into Lake Minnewashta. We believe that to not do so is to ignore Carver Parks’ responsibility to maintain the natural resources put in your care.
  • This will be presented to the Carver County Board on July 26th.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

  • Watch the video prepared by the DNR and follow the laws and practices on your own watercraft. Share it with your neighbors and publicize it at your private access launches. Here’s a link     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laoJ_NP-XFo
  • Be trained in zebra mussel watercraft inspection by coming to the Lotus Lake launch on Saturday 7/16 at 1PM.
  • Either volunteer your time or apply for a paid position to inspect watercraft.
  • Donate money to the LMPA to help pay for every incoming boat to be inspected for zebra mussels.
  • Lobby the Carver County Parks Commission and eventually the Carver County Board to require 100% watercraft inspection immediately and to find a funding source that does not include the LMPA.  
  • Sign petitions as they are circulated to demand this.
  • Contact Steve Gunther if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

Please send your tax deductible check to: LMPA, PO Box 304, Excelsior, MN 55331.

Or donate through PayPal by following the link on our website, www.lakeminnewashta.org :

Steve Gunther
Lake Minnewashta Preservation Association

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Local News Wrap – Lake Minnetonka Zebra Mussels

Here’s a news wrap up of local stories that were run recently regarding the fast spread of zebra mussels in Lake Minnetonka and their impact on the lake. Click on each story title to open the story in a new window.

MCWD has a program called Save Our Summers that provides information on what lakeshore owners and boaters should do to help prevent the spread of zebra mussels. If you or anyone you know are bringing a boat into Lake Minnewashta be sure to be aware of these steps to help prevent introducing this invasive species into the lake.

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