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Clearwater Conservancy




Lake Management Plan - 2021

2022

  • Invasive Species:
    • Eurasian Milfoil:  A Eurasian Water Milfoil survey in August to determine the continued success of the ProcellaCOR treatment from 2020.  Close attention will also be paid to where hand pulling was used in 2021 to determine the effectiveness of this treatment method.  This survey will also be used to determine where and what type of treatment may be necessary in 2022.  The results will be be posted on the Lake Reports Page when available.  
    • Curly Leaf Pondweed:  This invasive has only been reported on the norther shore of the south-western most bay.  Discussion with the experts indicate that chemical treatment for this small area (40x40 ft) is not a good option.  Hand-pulling is being considered.  The area is being monitored closely. 
    • Rusty Crayfish:  
      • Establishing a baseline for Crayfish population is our 2022 top priority.  The presence of this invasive has direct bearing on our spawning beds and the large small mouth bass population.  Protocols for a survey have been provided by the University of MN and a volunteer based project is planed for 2 weeks in July.  The survey includes 20-25 traps in various areas of the lake with daily counting of males for 2 weeks.  Look for the call for volunteers to help our lake obtain valuable information about this invasive.
  • Preditor slot limits:  
    • Pursue slot limits / catch and release with the DNR.  Our attempts last year were not successful.  With a better understanding of the fisher reports provided by the DNR, a 2nd attempt may be made armed with their own data. 
  • High Water / Beaver Management
    • Last year our water level spiked very high in the spring and very low in the late summer.   Weather and beaver both played a role in this.  A general question was put to the lake owners at the annual meeting about continued management of beaver.  The response was yes.  Volunteers to keep the culverts open will also watch for excessive beaver activity that the Conservancy board will address.

2021

  • Complete:  Water Quality:  RMB has been asked to do a Water Quality Survey in Aug / Sept.   This survey is scheduled to be repeated every 5 years.   The results are posted on the Lake Reports Page.  
  • Complete:  Aquatic Vegetation:   RMB will also be doing an Aquatic Vegetation Survey in Aug / Sept. This report is being ordered as a followup to the 2018 vegetation survey.    There is a general perception that native weeds are in decline.   This report will give the lake a fact based study to quantify this issue.   This report is scheduled to be repeated every 3 years. The results are posted on the Lake Reports Page.  Here is a comparison from 2018 and 2021.
  • Invasive Species:
    • Complete:  Invasive Milfoil Survey:  Freshwater Scientific Services, LLC will do a Eurasian Water Milfoil survey in July to determine the success of the ProcellaCOR treatment last fall.   This survey will also be used to determine if and where treatment may be necessary in 2021.   Lake owners / board members have observed very little EWM in the lake this summer.   The results will be be posted on the Lake Reports Page when available.  
    • Rusty Crayfish:  
      • Postponed:  Proposed research project with the MN DNR/ U of MN is on hold due to a sabbatical.   Topic will be revisited next year.    Please send feedback to the board on sightings and trappings of Rusties.   General impression is that they may be in decline. The board has researched if there is a way to determine Rusty density and have not found one. 
      • Complete:  Pursue Preditor slot limits / catch and release with the DNR.   This was not successful.
  • Complete:  High Water:  Early in the year our water levels were extremely high.    The Clearwater Lake Conservancy hired a trapper to remove a significant number of beaver from the Nokay Lake flow-age.

2020

Summer of 2019

  • Complete:  The 2018 board felt it was important to attract a larger, diverse cross section of the lake members to join the Lake Association board.   Our board was increased to 9 members in May representing Clearwater Forest Camp, Park Estates, Seasonal / Weekend Residents and Full time residents from all quadrants of the lake.
  • Complete:  Discuss the Milfoil situation at the annual meeting.  Allow the lake association members an opportunity provide input on the treatment of the lake and invite all members to join the lake management committee for continued input.    The general sense from the discussion was that we should consider treating the lake if the Milfoil has expanded.   Multiple people provided feedback that the more focused gradual approach would be both more effective and have less potential side effects.   Treating along the undeveloped lake shore was discussed.   
  • Complete:  Form a lake management committee after the 2019 Annual Meeting.   A lake management focus group was formed from the new board members and from other interested lake association members.  They have had several meetings / conference calls to review the lake status and to review the survey.
  • Complete:  Request a Milfoil Survey from Central MN Aquatics. The Survey was completed on July 19th and 20th.  See the 2019 Map.   Milfoil has doubled since not treating last year. 
  • Complete:  There an increasing number of reports showing a relationship between Rusty Crayfish and loss of native vegetation.   Since Clearwater lake is also infested with this invasive, the board felt it was important to address this issue as well.   A presentation was made at the annual meeting and the board provided 30 crayfish traps free of charge to any member that wanted to trap.  Information on how to trap and what to do with the crayfish was included with the traps.
  • Complete:  Determine the appropriate treatment plan, if any for the Milfoil on Clearwater lake.  The Lake Management Committee and Board met to discuss the results of the Survey and to discuss options for treatment.  It has been decided property owners in front of the proposed treatment areas will be notified and permission requested prior to any treatment.  Water Testing for residual chemicals and Professional Analysis will be done to ensure our treatment plan is not harming the lake.  See the 2019 Treatment summary on the Milfoil Treatment Summary.
  • Complete:  Continue to test for Zebra Mussels.  The test is complete and we are still negative for Zebra Mussels.

Summer of 2018


The board has
  • Complete:  Held several board meetings to discuss concerns and plan appropriate actions.
  • Complete:  Voted to Suspended treatment 7/2018.
  • Complete:  Held a general member meeting on to address concerns of lake association members.
  • Complete:  Commission a native vegetation report to be completed in August of 2018 (based upon availability of contractor). 
  • Complete:  Put out a call for volunteers to form a  Lake Management Committee to be chaired by Charles Lick.  Contact Charlie Lick if you are interested in helping:– charleslick@me.com.
  • Complete:  Developed a plan for moving forward to be review and implemented by the Lake Management Committee.

Clearwater Lake Association Board of Directors received the RMB Aquatic Survey and scheduled a conference call to walk  through the RMB Aquatic Vegetation Survey results.  The board was very happy with the results and the report.  The overall point of view from RMB is that our lake is VERY HEALTHY.    Without historical reports, there is no way to know how much vegetation we have lost.   But now we have a baseline to measure against.  

Next steps
  1. Complete:  Put the report on the web page
  2. Complete:  Send out an email with a link to the web page information and a call for members to join the subcommittee.
  3. Organize the subcommittee this winter.   Modified: The Subcommittee was formed after the 2019 Annual Meeting.
  4. On Hold: Have the subcommittee arrange a Panel discussion with the experts, where the lake association members can ask questions directly from the experts.  The committee will need to determine if this should be held over the winter (no snowbirds would be able to make it), in the spring before the annual meeting, or announce it at the annual meeting for an early June Date.   
  5. On Going: Pursue more in depth understanding of the Rusty Crayfish impact on our lake.  It was noted that the areas with known visible loss of native vegetation are high crayfish areas (rocky shorelines).  Added references for Rusty Research on the DNR / Other Resource page.


Lake Management Subcommittee

BOD approved establishing a subcommittee to lead work on a formal lake management plan over the next few years. Charlie Lick will chair. We have 3 people interested in being on the committee. Contact Charlie Lick if you are interested in helping – charleslick@me.com. Current issues: aquatic invasion species; fishery; high water- current beavers; overall lake health.

Native Vegetation - The Plan to Understand our Dynamic Lake

How can  we find out why native vegetation is decreasing? Eurasian water milfoil treatment / rusty crawfish / high water / other?
  1. Complete:  Brainerd DNR office unable to find any past data on native vegetation.  UPDATE 9/3/18: 2 Older reports were found for comparison.   They are listed on the Reports web page.
  2. Complete:  Native vegetation survey needed to assess current status. RMB Labs has provided a proposal. Awaiting proposal from Freshwater Scientific Services. UPDATE 9/3/18:  Freshwater Scientific Services was unable to do a lake survey this year due to scheduling conflicts.
  3. Complete:  Plan: conduct native vegetation survey asap in 2018.  UPDATE 10/4/18:  Report is available See the full report under Reports, Lake Vegetation.  UPDATE 9/3/18:  Clearwater Lake Association contracted RMB to do a survey at 80M with 223 points of survey.   This survey was completed by RMB during the week of Aug 30.   The initial report will be available soon with the full report following in a few weeks.
  4. Complete:  Contact University of Minnesota AIS researchers for info on rusty crayfish.
  5. Complete:  Eurasian water milfoil survey completed July 13, 2018.  See the Reports, Milfoil Areas.
  6. Organize the Lake Management Subcommittee and include them in the review of the data collected.
  7. Complete:  After native vegetation survey completed, meet with experts to discuss next steps.
  8. Complete:  BOD decided to suspend any further Amerasian water milfoil treatment pending further info-see above steps
  9. We have heard there may be homeowners with milfoil issues around their docs/swim areas who may be interested in milfoil spot treatment in 2018? charleslick@me.com if there is interest

Beavers

  1. Multiple beaver dams in lake outflow causing high lake levels
  2. Derrick Nord has a DNR permit to trap beavers in that area
  3. As of today, 7 beavers have been trapped –

Also see the article on Beavers and Bogs here under the High Water Report.

Eurasian Water Milfoil treatment and the DNR

Tim Plude from the MN DNR was contacted to help explain the treatment process for Eurasian Milfoil from the DNR's point of view.  See his comments on the DNR and Milfoil Treatment.