WORKSHOPS (FRIDAY) Aquatic Plant Ecology and Identification George Knoecklein, NEAR, Mansfield Center, CT and Jim Straub, MA DCR, Boston, MA [email protected], [email protected]
In this Aquatic plant workshop we will focus on aquatic plant ecology and identification. Participants will learn to identify aquatic plants common to New England using fresh specimens and simplified plant keys. We will focus on the visual clues to distinguishing the frequently found pondweeds, milfoils, and submersed invasive species. Participants should bring a hand lens or magnifying glass if possible although some will be available. A number of plant identification books will be available for use and with which participants can become familiar. Handouts will be provided that give an overview of aquatic species typically found in our regional lakes as well as simplified methods of identification. Participants will be provided with a framework for future identification of plants, especially invasive species, in their lakes.
George Knoecklein began his limnological career at Michigan State University in 1978 where he worked on US EPA Clean Lakes projects at Lake Lansing Michigan and Skinner Lake Indiana until graduation in 1981 After finishing his MS degree, George moved to the desolation of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where he was involved in quantifying impacts to St. Mary’s River ecosystem due to Great Lakes shipping traffic. In 1985, he moved his family to Connecticut where he has been investigating and attempting to slow eutrophication of lakes ever since. After finished his PhD in 1997 from the University of Connecticut, George founded Northeast Aquatic Research a consulting firm based in Connecticut specializing in studying/managing lake water quality and aquatic plant communities. Jim Straub works with lakes through the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation. He has been involved with invasive species detection and management for many years.
Harmful Algae Ecology and Control. Ken Wagner, Water Resource Services, Wilbraham, MA [email protected]
Algae are found in virtually all water, but unless they get very abundant, we don’t notice them. Yet when they are abundant, they can interfere with multiple uses of that water. This workshop will illustrate the common nuisance forms and provide time for participants to look at examples under microscopes. A framework for understanding algal ecology and why algae sometimes become too abundant will be provided. We will then discuss methods of control of algae, including techniques for nutrient limitation, biological controls, algaecides, and physical approaches. Participants do not need prior training in algae and will receive printed materials to help with information retention. The focus of this workshop will be on improving familiarity with the types of algae that can cause problems in lakes and the methods that can be used to control those algae. Possible monitoring approaches, algal bloom prevention, and contingency planning for addressing algal problems will be covered.
Dr. Wagner holds degrees from Dartmouth College and Cornell University, and has 40 years of experience working on a variety of water resources assessment and management projects, including lake, reservoir, river and watershed assessment, rehabilitation, and management, regulatory processes, and educational programs. In 2010 he started Water Resource Services, a small company with a focus on water supply protection and lake management consulting. He is a former President of the North American Lake Management Society and former Editor in Chief of Lake and Reservoir Management, a peer-reviewed journal.
Low Impact Landscaping for Lakefront Homeowners Robert Hartzel and Dan Bourdeau, Geosyntec, MA [email protected], [email protected]
This session will present ways that homeowners can beautify their property while protecting the water quality of our lakes, ponds and streams. The session will focus on “low impact development”(LID), storm water management practices that use hardy (and attractive!) native plants and promote soil infiltration and evaporation. Bob Hartzel and Andrea Braga will provide an overview of LID and Green Infrastructure (GI) concepts and a step-by step guide to building rain gardens, “bioretention cells”, porous pavement, rain barrels, and other LID landscaping techniques that use native shrubs, annuals and perennial flowers to minimize storm water impact on water resources. The session will also discuss techniques for erosion control and restoration of eroded shoreline and near-shore areas.
Bob Hartzel is a Certified Lake Manager (CLM) and wetland scientist with over 20 years of experience in managing lake, river and wetland restoration projects. Bob is also a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC) and led a variety of recent projects implementing Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater techniques in New England lake watersheds. Andrea Braga is a licensed Professional Engineer and CPESC with over 10 years of experience in LID and GI stormwater design and erosion control in New England and nationally. Andrea leads one of Geosyntec’s largest projects for nationwide construction stormwater audits and serves on the LID and Pervious Pavement Committees of the Environmental Water Resources Institute.
Application of Simple Geographic Information System Techniques Mary Kate Schneeweis, Beals and Thomas, Inc., 144 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA [email protected]
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are a valuable and versatile tool for mapping, data gathering, and planning for lakes and ponds. While powerful GIS programs and associated training may be cost- prohibitive for a small lake and pond association, simple GIS exhibits can be created with easy-to-learn skills at minimal cost using free and readily available web resources. This workshop will use Google Earth Pro as an example of a free GIS program to demonstrate the following: • examples of specific uses of GIS data for lake and pond management projects; • tools you will need to create GIS exhibits; • potential sources of local, state, and federal GIS data relevant to lakes and ponds (e.g. aerial photographs, wetland resource areas, rare species habitats); • creating exhibits using GIS data; and • basic concepts for creating your own GIS data: overlays, digitizing, and buffering. No prior experience in GIS is necessary. Participants will learn valuable skills for producing maps and related data presentations for their lakes, which can save money and time when seeking professional aid or seeking grant assistance.
Mary Kate Schneeweis graduated from Wellesley College with an educational experience focused largely on coastal processes, such as oceanography, wetlands science, and sedimentology. She is currently an Environmental Specialist at Beals and Thomas, Inc., where she is responsible for generating and maintaining internal GIS protocols, as well as updating a GIS database compiled from various local, state, and federal sources. Her experience with ArcMap software and her familiarity with various sources of GIS data allow her to create graphics that convey a large amount of regulatory information in an easy-to-understand format. OPENING SESSION (SATURDAY)
Welcome Elizabeth Herron, RI Watershed Watch, NECNALMS Executive Committee Chair Jacki Amante, ESS, MA COLAP Executive Director
The Three Legged Stool of Lake Management: Science, Economics, Institutions Ken Wagner, Program Chair, 2016 COLAP and NECNALMS Conference [email protected]
The analogy of lake management as a three legged stool appropriately captures the interdependence of science, economics and institutions in successful management of our lakes. The science leg embodies the technical aspects of lake management, and while there is always more to learn and applications are fairly site specific, the science of lake management is fairly well known after about 50 years of practice. The biggest problem here is misinformation and the tendency of people to want an easy, inexpensive fix when it may not exist. The economic leg is the common denominator; everyone can grasp the economics of lake management. Managers can tell you what it will cost, and you can tell them if it can be afforded. There are options and limitations on funding sources, and trade-offs are made between duration of benefits and upfront costs. Capital expenses and operational costs must be considered in the long run, but everyone tends to understand how this part works. The institutional leg embodies all of the organizational aspects of lake management, including lake associations, towns, conservation organizations, state and federal agencies. This is actually more complicated and less well understood than the economic and science legs, and we have not made sufficient progress in 30 years. The role of institutions should be to help set and prioritize goals, resolve conflicts, promote sound management, and facilitate successful action, but fragmentation of responsibility and lack of big picture thinking have hampered progress. This conference is about making all three legs of the lake management stool solid. It is not just a technical conference, but rather an effort to balance all the needs of successful lake management and provide participants with perspectives to help get the job done.
A Water Utility’s Approach to Prioritizing work in the Sebago Lake Watershed Paul Thomas Hunt, Environmental Manager, Portland Water District [email protected]
Sebago Lake is Maine’s deepest and second largest lake, is a popular recreation destination, and is used by the Portland Water District (PWD) to provide drinking water to nearly one in six Maine residents. The water quality of the lake is so outstanding that is exempted from the filtration requirements of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. It is also surrounded by a 450 square mile watershed which can be comprises 34 subwatersheds. Protection is a critical need. In the past 15 years more than thirty watershed surveys and erosion control projects have been completed in subwatersheds. These projects have been funded in part under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, and projects were often initiated based on interest by citizens or other organizations, rather than prioritized based on where erosion control work would most benefit Sebago Lake. In 2014, PWD partnered with the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District and other stakeholders to develop the Sebago Lake Subwatershed Assessment and Prioritization project. The assessment evaluated each subwatershed and ranked them in order of importance to the overall water quality of Sebago Lake. The method primarily used existing data and took into account present water quality, water quality trends, land use, and the engagement of local organizations. The results will be used to guide future erosion control work in the watershed to lakes that most benefit the quality of Sebago Lake, and embody a complete approach that includes technical, economic and institutional aspects of water resource management.
Paul Thomas Hunt holds degrees in geology and chemistry from the University of Maine at Farmington and the University of Oregon. For more than 20 years he has been involved in drinking water protection in Maine. He is presently the Environmental Manager for the Portland Water District and in that role is responsible for administering the District’s Sebago Lake Watershed Control Program. He is a certified geologist, a licensed water system operator and a licensed wastewater operator.
Lake Restoration Using Aeration and Alum: When Watershed Management is Not Enough Patrick Goodwin, Research Biologist, Vertex Water Features and Aquatic Systems Inc. [email protected]
Bahia del Mar is a 14 acre, 50 foot deep, man-made community lake located in St. Petersburg, Florida. It has a developed but small watershed and a history of nutrient and organic matter loading that has resulted in an extreme case of hyper-eutrophication, the symptoms of which included algal blooms, extensive fish kills and persistent objectionable odors. Previous attempts to fix the lake’s problems through air-driven circulation were inadequate, in part due to undersizing and suboptimal diffuser placement. In January, 2012 a management strategy was devised to restore the lake to a healthy and stable state. The strategy recognized limits to watershed influence and management and the long-term build-up of organic matter and nutrients in the lake, incorporating an upgraded aeration system for an extended period to improve lake water quality, followed by two alum treatments to reduce the extremely high levels of nutrients in the water column and increase the phosphorus binding capacity of the sediment. One day after the aeration installation, stratification in the deepest part of the lake was completely eliminated. Over the next several weeks, oxygen levels increased while turbidity, BOD and nutrient levels decreased markedly. Once conditions in the lake stabilized, two alum treatments were applied, resulting in further and large reductions in phosphorus levels and increases in water clarity. The results of this effort illustrate the importance of in-lake treatment options for lake restoration and management when watershed management is clearly not enough to meet goals.
Patrick Goodwin holds a degree in biology from the University of North Florida and is currently perusing a MS degree in Lake Management at SUNY, Oneonta. Patrick has worked as a research biologist for a Florida based Lake management company, Aquatic Systems and for an international aeration company, Vertex Water Features. He has worked on multiple in-lake restoration projects throughout the United States.
Breakout Session 1 A: Technical Lake Management
Herbicide Choices for Rooted Plant Control Marc Bellaud, President, SOLitude Lake Management [email protected]
Herbicides have been used to control aquatic plants since the 1950’s. Products used in aquatics must now be registered by the EPA and State regulatory agencies, necessitating extensive studies and documentation of effects. Treatments are usually performed by licensed aquatic applicators in accordance with site-specific permits issued by State and local authorities, and in some cases by Federal agencies. Over the past 20 years there has been significant research and development in the aquatics industry and the number of active ingredients registered for use in aquatics has more than doubled. Most of these advances followed the discovery of fluridone-resistant hydrilla in Florida. This presentation will outline the history of aquatic herbicide use and detail recent advancements in the field. Current treatment programs usually focus on species-selective control of invasive and nuisance aquatic plant growth. The difference between contact and systemic herbicides will be discussed, along with recommendations on which products should be considered for control of common nuisance plants found here in the Northeast.
Marc Bellaud is the President of SOLitude Lake Management. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Vermont. For over 20 years his work at SOLitude Lake Management, formerly Aquatic Control Technology, has focused on applied invasive species control programs and related lake management issues. He has authored several lake management plans and feasibility studies. He is a licensed aquatic pesticide applicator in six northeastern states and has considerable direct experience with chemical and non-chemical lake management strategies. Marc has served as the President and as a Director of the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society and as a Director of the New York State Aquatic Managers Association and is active with several other regional and national industry trade groups.
Running an Effective Hand Harvesting Program Mercedes Gallagher, Center Pond Weed Project Coordinator, Becket, MA. [email protected]
Center Pond became infested with Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) over 15 years ago. With very clear water and a maximum depth of 18 feet, all of this 125 acre lake is susceptible to its growth. A contact herbicide was applied as a whole-lake treatment in 2000, and twice subsequently for spot treatment in selected areas (2004 and 2008). A handpulling project was developed early on and adjusted over 13 years, employing surveys of plant location, volunteer and professional divers, and surface support that includes fragment skimming and shallow water plant removal. Milfoil has been reduced to a minor component of the plant community lakewide. Additional invasive plants, Curlyleaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) and European naiad (Najas minor), also became established in the lake but hand harvesting has kept populations low. Analysis of the amount of invasive plants harvested, hours of effort, and costs will be presented. Techniques for improved effectiveness and efficiency have been developed and additional measures are being tried. Eradication is illusive, but a healthy native plant community exists and milfoil does not impair lake use. Tips for an effective hand harvesting operation will be shared.
Mercedes Gallagher was the executive director of Del-AWARE Unlimited in Bucks County, PA in the 1980’s and the director of administration at the Kushi Institue in Becket, MA in the 1990’s. She joined the Becket Conservation Commission just before the first diquat treatment of Center Pond was proposed. Her search for alternatives came to fruition when she learned about hand-pulling and two SCUBA divers offered to volunteer their services. Since 2003 she has coordinated the grassroots non- profit hand-pulling project at Center Pond as a volunteer. She works at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, MA.
B. Costs and Funding
What is a Lake District and Why Do You Want One? Elisabeth C. Goodman, Esq., Cain, Hibbard and Myers, and Dr. Michael Germain, Friends of Lake Garfield, [email protected], [email protected]
It is not easy to protect our lakes. Managing marine vehicles, control of invasive species, and monitoring water quality can be costly. Relying on volunteer organizations and donations might not work well in every situation. Lake Districts are governmental bodies created by special acts of the state legislature. This workshop will present information on the creation, funding and operation of a lake district. Dr. Michael Germain has participated in spearheading the transition from a volunteer group on his lake to the creation of a lake district. Attorney Goodman has experience in drafting these special acts. She is counsel legal to a number of lake and road districts. We will discuss benefits of organizing a lake district, compliance with public bidding, and other requirements of action by a governmental entity. We will review benefits of a lake district, such as enhanced grant eligibility and elimination of fees for permit applications.
Elisabeth C. Goodman is an attorney who has practiced in the area of environmental and real property law for more than thirty years. She represents a number of governmental and nonprofit organizations, including the Sherwood Forest Lake District and the Sherwood Forest Road Maintenance District. Ms. Goodman is a partner at the law firm of Cain, Hibbard & Myers, P.C. with offices in Williamstown, Pittsfield and Great Barrington, Massachusetts. She graduated from the American University, Washington College of Law, JD, magna cum laude, in 1983 and from Rutgers College at Rutgers University in 1979, with Honors (Phi Beta Kappa). She is admitted to the bar in Massachusetts, New York and the District of Columbia. She was a visiting lecturer in Environmental Planning at Williams College and taught various environmental courses at Bennington College from 2011-2015. See www.cainhibbard.com for more detailed information about Ms. Goodman and her law firm.
How to Perform a Tax Value Evaluation of Your Lake. Dr. Michael Germain, President, Friends of Lake Garfield [email protected]
Lakes provide many benefits, not all of which are amenable to easy valuation, but an estimate of the contribution of a lake to the local tax base can be derived by use of tax records for a community. This presentation will walk you through the steps to derive that tax value. Having a defensible estimate for the tax value of your lake can be very useful when asking for funds at town meetings or convincing everyone in a community that they have a vested interest in the quality of the lake.
Michael Germain is a physician in Western Massachusetts and a resident on Lake Garfield in Montery MA. His family has lived on the lake since 1964. His parents were active in the Friends of Lake Garfield (FLG) for many years in those early days. For the past 5 years, Dr. Germain has been the president of FLG. The lake and association have had many challenges: fund raising, participation, and a recent increase in milfoil. A comprehensive 5 year plan for the lake has been developed and there is a plan to create a Lake Tax District.
C. Institutional Structures
Permitting Panel: How Does One Get a Permit for Drawdown, Herbicides or Dredging in Your State? After brief presentations by state representatives, an interactive discussion is intended.
Amy Picotte, VT - Amy is the Vermont Lakeshore Manager overseeing outreach to shoreland owners to encourage and guide them to develop and manage their properties with practices that are known to be protective of the lake. She has written over 20 Fact Sheets on lake friendly development, ranging from native tree buffer plantings to driveway waterbar installations, and established the Lake Wise Program, an awards based initiative for exemplary management of shoreland property. Before working in lakeshore management, she monitored Vermont lakes for 20 years as Coordinator of the Lay Monitoring Program. Here undergraduate degree is in Plant and Soil Science and she has a Masters in Science Education.
Amy Smagula, NH -Amy is a freshwater biologist with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, where she coordinates the Exotic Species Program.
Tom Flannery, MA - Tom is MA DCR Lakes and Ponds Program's aquatic ecologist and manages a wide variety of lake and pond restoration projects including aquatic plant management, small dredging projects, erosion control, freshwater beach replacement, and others. Although these projects occur on State properties, they are not exempt from obtaining local, State, and Federal permits. Tom holds degrees from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and has been working professionally in the field of lake and pond management for over 14 years.
Linda Bacon, ME - Linda has been working with lakes since the acid-rain era for a total of 33 years. She is currently the Lake Assessment Section Leader at Maine Department of Environmental Protection, where she wears many hats - too numerous to list. Linda is responsible for preparing the lakes section for the biennial Integrated Report to EPA, maintaining the Maine Lake Assessment Quality Assurance Program Plan including multiple lake monitoring Standard Operating Procedures, and is the DEP liaison and quality assurance officer to the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program.
Sue Kiernan, RI - Sue is a Deputy Chief in the Department of Environmental Management, Office of Water Resources.
Breakout Session 2 A. Technical Lake Management
Proactive Management of Harmful Algae Blooms Using In-Lake Phosphorus Inactivation Technologies Dominic Meringolo, Senior Environmental Engineer, Solitude Lake Management [email protected]
With heightened awareness about the potential adverse effects of harmful algae blooms (HABs) in general and more specifically about cyanobacterial (blue-green algae) toxins, the need to manage nuisance algae in our lakes and ponds has probably never been greater. The historically “reactive” approach of treating blooms once they form is also giving way to the need for a more preventative and “proactive” approach to algae management. Nuisance algae blooms in surface waters are a result of excess nutrients, usually limited by water column phosphorus concentrations. Phosphorus loading to lakes and ponds can originate both in the watershed and from the lake bottom sediments (internal loading). In lakes where watershed management is slow to produce results or for lakes where internal loading is prevalent, treatment with alum or the use of other emerging technologies like Phoslock and SeClear to reduce phosphorus concentrations may be a viable option to prevent or limit the type, frequency & severity nuisance algae blooms. In addition to providing a general overview of phosphorus reduction treatment methodologies, the presentation will also include case studies for projects performed at several lakes in Massachusetts.
Dominic Meringolo is currently the Senior Environmental Engineer and Territory Leader at Solitude Lake Management (formerly Aquatic Control Technology) and has worked on a number of major alum treatment projects across New England. Dominic received an MS in Environmental Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (1998) and has been with Solitude for over 20 years. In addition to alum treatment work, Dominic serves as project manager for numerous Aquatic Management Programs in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. These programs generally include assessment, permitting, monitoring and implementation of both chemical and non-chemical management techniques.
Shoreline Erosion – Are Those Ruts Impacting My Lake?! Carl Nielsen, Matt Ladewig, Jacqueline Amante, Gordon Perkins, Mike Mahoney ESS Group, Inc., Waltham, MA [email protected]
Shoreline erosion is a natural process that moves sediments from the shoreline via wave action, ice, and storm water runoff among others. In more natural systems shoreline erosion occurs gradually. However, when the shoreline is impacted by human use, shoreline erosion can be accelerated. Shoreline erosion has historically been viewed as a minor problem, particularly when compared to larger watershed-wide storm water issues. However, recent studies conducted in Massachusetts to quantify the impacts of shoreline erosion have found that lakes, even those with relatively undeveloped shorelines, can be impacted significantly by small and localized storm water discharges. A method for quantifying these impacts will be presented along with examples of four Massachusetts lakes (Flowering Pond in Newburyport, Lost Lake in Groton, White Pond in Concord, and Walden Pond in Concord) where shoreline erosion was a major component of the annual phosphorus load. The case studies will reveal the warning signs of rapid shoreline erosion and we will offer sustainable and cost effective solutions.
Mr. Nielsen has a BS in Biology from Colgate University and an MS in Fisheries and Wildlife from the University of Missouri. He has more than 26 years of experience in the assessment and management of freshwater and marine systems and is currently responsible for leading the Ecological Science and Environmental Permitting Practice at ESS. Mr. Nielsen is a Certified Lake Manager and an aquatic invertebrate taxonomist and specializes in the evaluation of lake and watershed systems with a particular focus on watershed assessment techniques, biomonitoring, and aquatic plant management. Should Lake Managers Worry About All Invasive Species? A Case Study on European Frogbit Bin Zhu, University of Hartford, Department of Biology [email protected]
European frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae L.) is considered to be an invasive floating plant in North America from Europe that negatively affects native plants in freshwater ecosystems. Results from studies on its ecological impacts show European frogbit does have some impacts on benthic invertebrates and submerged plants. European frogbit had positive effects on some macroinvertebrates associated with plants and may change population density and increase diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates. It can negatively reduce the growth of submerged plants. Therefore, the scale of negative impacts is not as what we previously thought. When three control methods – biological control, hand pulling and shading - were studied, results demonstrated no effective biocontrol agents are available and hand pulling is preferable to shading from the perspective of minimizing effects on the macroinvertebrate communities in the lakes. This case study of European frogbit suggests the need for a clear definition of what constitutes an invasive species. Organisms move into and out of lakes all the time and we need to be mindful of what change humans are causing that might have real impacts; addition of some species may not represent any real harm and might not be considered invasive. Some species capable of causing harm are not necessarily harmful in all cases or can provide some benefits; some control may be needed to avoid serious harm, but the level of control needed may be low. Early detection and rapid response are necessary to best management of introduced species known to be harmful, and monitoring the plant community of lakes is strongly encouraged.
Bin Zhu is an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Hartford in Connecticut. He received his Ph.D. in biology and Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Syracuse University. Dr. Zhu was a post-doctoral associate at Cornell University and a research scientist at the Finger Lakes Institute. His research focuses on ecology and management of invasive species and assessment of water quality using physical, chemical and biological parameters. He has published articles in Ecosystems, Fisheries, and Freshwater Science. Currently he is also an Associate Editor for the Journal of Plant Ecology and Journal of Aquatic Plant Management.
B. Costs and Funding
Range of Unit Costs for Lake Management Options Will Stevenson, Solitude Lake Management, Shrewsbury, MA [email protected]
While an understanding of unit costs is useful, probably the key question from lake and pond residents in attendance is “how much should we budget to manage our lake?” This presentation will explore available options to manage lakes and ponds and the range of cost estimates to consider. The options discussed are regularly used in New England lakes and ponds. We’ll explore the types of services available, specific costs associated with each approach, and strategies lake associations, towns and individuals can use to manage their project costs. Management tools discussed will include surveys, hand harvesting, benthic barriers, suction harvesting, mechanical harvesting, hydroraking, dredging, aeration, sonication, herbicide controls and algae management. This presentation will encourage discussion between participants and peer-to-peer experiences.
Will is the Director of Business Development at SOLitude Lake Management. His primary focus at SOLitude is integration best practices across all of the divisions and bringing internal experts in various disciplines to leadership positions in the company. Prior to working with SOLitude he was President of Lycott Environmental, Inc. He has held numerous positions in Software and Real Estate companies. He’s earned a BS in Civil Engineering (Union College), Master of Environmental Management (Yale School of Forestry) and an MBA (Babson College). He enjoys fly fishing and photography in his limited spare time due to three sons’ various activities.
Section 319 Program for Lake Management Jane Peirce, MassDEP, 319 Nonpoint Source Program Manager, [email protected] Bob Hartzel, Principal, Geosyntec Consultants, [email protected]
Section 319 of the Clean Water Act is one of the few sources of funding that can be used for lake management projects. This double presentation will review the 319 program requirements and focus on strategies for developing lake management projects that are both eligible and competitive for 319 funds. Development a watershed-based plan (WBP) that includes the “9 elements” required by the USEPA is becoming a prerequisite for 319 grant funding . Bob Hartzel of Geosyntec Consultants will discuss and demonstrate a new web-based planning tool that will provide the building blocks of a WBP for thousands of watersheds across Massachusetts – instantly - by simply selecting a watershed by name or clicking a location on a map. The resulting maps, data, and analyses will provide useful information for preparing a WBP, and for many other planning efforts at the state and local level. This presentation will also provide a brief demonstration of the updated Massachusetts Clean Water Toolkit website, the state’s primary resource for public information/education related to nonpoint source pollution.
Jane Peirce is the Massachusetts 319 Nonpoint Source Program Manager, with responsibilities that include distribution of Clean Water Act funds to address protection and restoration of Massachusetts waters. The NPS program has many partners that also fund water-based projects, and coordination with those partners is an important way to ensure that holistic and effective work is being carried out. Helping stakeholders to develop good projects, identify funding sources, and access the funding is a personal and professional priority for Ms. Peirce. Jane has a degree in plant ecology from Hampshire College and an MS from Antioch University in Keene NH. She is also a Massachusetts Registered Sanitarian, Soil Evaluator, and Title 5 Inspector.
C. Institutional Structures
Building an Effective Lake Association: Experiences in Maine Peter Lowell, LEA, Bridgton, ME [email protected]
Lake associations are delicate systems which perform optimally if all of their parts are in place, functioning and healthy – a lot like the lakes themselves! A single issue can inspire or disable the entire organization and its productivity. This presentation will review the components of an effective association with a quick discussion of the “parts” and how they should work. Emphasis will be on procedures that maximize staff, volunteer and resource productivity in all program areas: board development, collaborations, education, fundraising, invasive plant control, membership, policy, public relations, research and water quality testing.
Peter Lowell has served as Executive Director of the Lakes Environmental Association since 1972. He was Code Enforcement Officer for the Town of Bridgton from 1984 to 1986 and has been Site Operator for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program Bridgton Acid Rain Station since 1981. Recently, Peter led the effort to establish the Maine Lake Science Center in Bridgton. Building an Effective Lake Association: Experiences in New Hampshire Tom O’Brien, President of the New Hampshire Lakes Association (NH LAKES) [email protected]
The formation of a lake (or pond or watershed) association usually begins in response to a problem - perhaps from the potential or actual loss of water quality, or from something that a group felt threatened the character and qualities of a lake that were held dear. But whether you are working proactively or reactively, organizing - identifying and working with people who share your concerns and goals - is the most important thing you can to achieve your environmental stewardship goals. Building and sustaining your lake association then becomes a function of fostering individual and organizational relationships, garnering the necessary resources, and understanding and applying the best achievable nonprofit governance and operational principles and practices on an ongoing basis. I believe that organizations, like any other human endeavor that I can think of, have a lifecycle and life stages. If we are intentional about moving through these life stages, we can be part of organizations that become effective and remain so for many, many years. This session will cover the most important of these life stages and discuss with you some of the attributes of highly effective lake associations.
Tom has been the President of the New Hampshire Lakes Association (NH LAKES) since 2011, having returned to his native New England from the Pacific Northwest, where he managed the Network of Oregon Watershed Councils. Previous to that, Tom served for six years as the Executive Director of the Watershed Agricultural Council in the New York City water supply watersheds, preceded by 20 years of public service in Massachusetts. Tom was co-founder of the Lakes and Ponds Association of Western Massachusetts (LAPA West). His professional passion is helping to improve nonprofit organizational capacity, effectiveness and sustainability. Lobbying for Your Lake, oh, MAMA! Dick Pinagel, MAMA, Michigan [email protected]
The mission of The Michigan Aquatic Managers Association (MAMA) is to assist in promoting the management of aquatic vegetation and to provide for the scientific and educational advancement of its members. MAMA encourages scientific research, promotes an exchange of information among members, and extends and develops public interest in the discipline. Additionally MAMA goes where many lake groups fear to tread; it participates in legislative procedures at any level of government that oversees the use and/or enforcement of the laws, regulations, policies, guidance, and funding governing forms of aquatic plant management in the waters of the State of Michigan. MAMA membership works with lake associations, lake boards, property management firms, and private lakefront owners in nearly every Michigan County.
MAMA represents its membership in contacts with state regulators and elected officials. MAMA initiated aquatic nuisance control permit streamlining legislation in early 2003. This land mark legislation requires the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) to issue aquatic nuisance control permits in 6 weeks or refund a portion of the permit fee. It also mandates the streamlining of the permitting processes. This legislation has proved to be a great benefit to Michigan lakefront property owners requesting an aquatic nuisance control permit in a timely manner from the MDEQ. Senate Bill 444, signed into law in 2014, establishes a 3 year Aquatic Nuisance Control (ANC) permit and automatic ANC permit issuance procedures among other things. Most recently, MAMA, through lobbying efforts, successfully sought additional funding for the MDEQ permit review section (ANC Unit) by actively engaging with State legislators during the budgeting process. This additional funding helps the MDEQ meet the legislative mandate of issuing permits in a timely manner. If you really want results for your lake, sometimes you have to get more involved in politics and organizations at the state level; there is a lot more than science involved in lake management.
Dick Pinagel has been working in the nuisance aquatic plant management industry since 1988. Mr. Pinagel is owner and President of Aqua-Weed Control Inc. since 1995. Aqua-Weed Control is the oldest and one of the largest full service aquatic management firms in Michigan. Dick holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management from Ferris State University. Mr. Pinagel is licensed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture to apply aquatic pesticides in Michigan waters. Dick is a member and officer of the following professional organizations: Michigan Aquatic Managers Association (current President) Midwest Aquatic Plant Management Society (Past President and current President) Aquatic Plant Management Society (Board Member) Michigan Inland Lakes Partnership (Member of the Governing Council)
Concluding Session Introduction to Cyanobacteria: Types, Bloom Formation, Toxins Ken Wagner, WRS, Wilbraham, MA [email protected]
Cyanobacteria are a special type of algae, basically photosynthesizing bacteria. They come in a wide range of types, some associated with clean water, but most linked to algae blooms, taste and odor and even toxicity. Cyanobacterial taxonomy has been revised over the last decade and will probably undergo more revisions as genetic studies continue, but there are just a few genera that cause the vast majority of problems. Elevated phosphorus and increased temperature favor cyanobacteria over other algae, and we are experiencing more of both in New England. There are three primary modes of bloom formation: organic growth in surface water from a seed population with sufficient nutrients, growth as a layer at the thermocline with possible rise into the surface water, and growth at the surface-water interface with mass rise to the surface. This last mechanism appears to be the dominant mode in New England, and can cause blooms to seemingly appear rapidly in lakes that have relatively low surface nutrient levels. Long-term accumulation of nutrients in the surficial sediment, especially coupled with low oxygen induced by decay of organic matter, supports these blooms. Toxins come in three forms: dermatotoxins, hepatotoxins and neurotoxins, and certain cyanobacteria produce certain toxins, but not in all cases. Acute toxicity is rare for people, but dogs, cattle and other animals that directly consume water laden with toxic cyanobacteria have died. Based on currently available information, you have about a 1% chance of encountering toxins in a random set of lakes and a 20% chance in lakes with known blooms. We do not know nearly enough about toxin formation triggers, distribution and effects, however, and it is critical that we do the monitoring necessary to gain a better understanding and formulate successful management strategies.
A Multi-Tiered Approach to Monitoring Cyanobacteria and Documenting Algal Bloom Occurrences in New England Hilary Snook, USEPA Environmental Scientist – New England Regional Laboratory [email protected]
Cyanobacteria and their associated toxins are a looming issue in New England and elsewhere, and are of particular concern from a human and ecological health perspective. Increasing intensity and duration of precipitation events and development/land use pressures within watersheds are resulting in increasing nutrient loads to aquatic systems. These inputs set the stage for recurring algal blooms which can have significant social and economic impacts. Despite these risks, monitoring and understanding these algae has been elusive and often overlooked. Cyanobacteria concentrations can vary enormously in space and time, and their level of toxicity can be equally as variable. Regional monitoring efforts have been equally inconsistent, with entities utilizing different sampling approaches and methodologies, or opting out of monitoring altogether. These inconsistencies make it extremely difficult to aggregate data that will help in understanding the characteristics and behavior of cyanobacteria within a water body as well as across the landscape, or to share information across the region that can help to optimize water supply operations.
Over the past couple of years, the New England Regional Laboratory has convened a region-wide cyanobacteria monitoring and “bloom watch” workgroup that consists of public water suppliers, state environmental water quality and beach monitoring programs and departments of public health, tribes, NGOs, citizen monitoring groups, and academics, to collaboratively establish a uniform and consistent regional approach to monitoring cyanobacteria. This program has been developed to encompass all levels of expertise and budget capabilities from the most basic to advanced. Program architecture is designed so that participants can proceed from the most basic level to the most advanced depending on human and budget resources as well as program needs. Due to its design, the program can provide useful information to a broad range of entities; from lake associations to large drinking water suppliers.
This presentation will discuss the methods, tools, and data produced from the workgroups efforts to date and how others may become involved to fit their individual needs if desired. The presentation will cover monitoring of fluorescent pigments and tracking waterbody biovolumes using inexpensive field fluorometers, the use of smartphone technology in conjunction with on-site field microscopy and “bloom-watch” kits, and the development and utilization of smartphone apps to enable on-site data submissions and spot identifications of bloom cyanobacteria. Examples of how it is presently being utilized by water suppliers in the region to assist in managing their resources will also be highlighted. The presentation will also showcase the on-line “dirty dozen” cyanobacteria key developed by workgroup participants and key techniques for separating cyanobacteria from the myriad of other phytoplankton often found co-existing within a waterbody.
Mr. Snook is a senior scientist for USEPA’s New England Regional Laboratory and holds degrees from Montana State and Tufts Universities. His work involves the coordination and management of water quality and aquatic biological monitoring surveys for the region, and provides a supporting role for national aquatic resource surveys presently being initiated by the EPA. He has spent the past 26 years implementing water quality and ecological assessments of wadeable streams, large rivers, lakes and ponds, and near coastal waters with a focus on biological indicators for assessing aquatic resource condition, emerging contaminants, and the transport of contaminants through food webs and the environment.