Bone Lake Comprehensive Lake Management Plan Bone Lake Management District June 2015 Plan Writing and Facilitation Harmony Environmental Tributary and Lake Modeling Ecological Integrity Services Board of Commissioners Bob Murphy Phil Foster Karen Engelbretson Mike Musial Patricia Schmidt Ron Ogren Lake Management Committees Lake Management Plan Wildlife and Natural Beauty Phil Foster, Chair Karen Engelbretson, Chair Cris Dueholm Watershed Wayne Wolsey Ann Miller, Chair Phil Foster Evaluation/Studies Bob Singer Bob Boyd, Chair Lyn and Cris Dueholm Waterfront John McCall Alex Chorewycz, Chair Mary Chorewycz Fisheries Cris Dueholm Mike Belich, Co-chair Phil Foster Bob Boyd, co-chair Bob and Sherri Singer Jan Belich Dave Smith Dan Boyd Noah Boyd Lake Monitoring Dave Boyd Bob Boyd, Chair Duane Butler Jan and Mike Belich Joe Cunningham Cris and Lyn Dueholm George Hess Cindy and Dale Gardner Jack Lachenmayer Gail Heller Ron and Mary Lachenmayer Kathleen and Tim Killeen Tom Lachenmayer Norma and Jack Lanners Kirk Larson Dick Mackie Andy McNattin Tony Manns Joel Starky Bob and Sherri Singer Glen Wahman Todd Sturgeon Jim Widen AIS Bob Boyd, Chair Dick Mackie Advisors Katelin Holm Polk County Land & Water Resources Jeremy Williamson Polk County Land & Water Resources Alex Smith Department of Natural Resources Bone Lake Management District Web Site: www.bonelakewi.com/ ii Table of Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 Plan Mission Statement............................................................................................... 1 Bone Lake Management Goals ................................................................................... 1 Bone Lake Aquatic Plant Management Goals ............................................................ 1 Needs Assessment ........................................................................................................... 3 Public Opinion Survey ................................................................................................ 3 Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee ................................................................. 4 Public Review ............................................................................................................. 4 Population Dynamics .................................................................................................. 5 Bone Lake Overview ...................................................................................................... 6 The Lake ..................................................................................................................... 6 Bone Lake Water Quality ........................................................................................... 7 Watershed ................................................................................................................. 10 Phosphorus Loading to Bone Lake ......................................................................... 15 Targeting Phosphorus Reduction .............................................................................. 16 Rare and Endangered Species Habitat ...................................................................... 24 Bone Lake Fishery .................................................................................................... 25 Wildlife ..................................................................................................................... 28 Lake Management ......................................................................................................... 31 Lake Management Activities .................................................................................... 31 Bone Lake Management Implementation Plan ............................................................. 44 Funding Plan Implementation ................................................................................... 54 Appendices Appendix A. Public Opinion Survey Results ......................................................... A-1 Appendix B. Basic Limnology – Understanding Lake Information ....................... B-1 Appendix C. Summaries of Previous Water Quality Studies ................................. C-1 Appendix D. Plan Implementation 2015-2017 ...................................................... D-1 Appendix E. References .......................................................................................... E-1 iii List of Figures Figure 1. What recreational activities do you enjoy at Bone Lake? ................................... 3 Figure 2. What is your degree of concern associated with each issue listed? .................... 4 Figure 3. New Septic Permits: within the Bone Lake Management District ...................... 5 Figure 4. Bone Lake Map ................................................................................................... 6 Figure 5. Bone Lake Deep Hole Secchi Depths 1990-2014 ............................................... 8 Figure 6. Bone Lake South of Island Secchi Depths 1999-2014 ........................................ 8 Figure 7. Trophic Status Index Bone Lake Deep Hole 1973-2014 ..................................... 9 Figure 8. Secchi Depths Bone Lake Deep Hole 2014 ........................................................ 9 Figure 9. Bone Lake Watersheds ...................................................................................... 11 Figure 10. Land Use in Bone Lake Watershed ................................................................. 12 Figure 11. Composition of Bone Lake Watershed Land Use ........................................... 13 Figure 12. Watershed Phosphorus Loading by Land Use ................................................. 13 Figure 13. Phosphorus Load by Subwatershed ................................................................. 14 Figure 14. Bone Lake Phosphorus Loading 2010 ............................................................. 15 Figure 15. Shoreline Composition at the Ordinary High Water Mark ............................. 22 Figure 16. Shoreland Buffer Composition ........................................................................ 23 Figure 17. Green Frog (Rana clamitans) ........................................................................... 29 Figure 18. Wildlife and Habitat around Bone Lake Map ................................................. 30 Figure 19. Potentially Suitable Locations for Rain Gardens ............................................ 34 Figure 20. Familiarity with Practices to Reduce Waterfront Runoff ................................ 37 List of Tables Table 1. Sources of Phosphorus to Bone Lake ................................................................. 15 Table 2. Waterfront Runoff Mitigation Progress to Date (2010 to 2014) ........................ 18 Table 3. Curly Leaf Pondweed Treatment History (2010 to 2014) .................................. 20 Table 4. Bone Lake and Georgetown Natural Heritage Inventory Sensitive Species ...... 24 Table 5. Factors Motivating Installation of Practices to Reduce Waterfront Runoff ....... 38 Table 6. Grants for Plan Implementation .......................................................................... 54 iv Introduction This comprehensive lake management plan guides the activities of the Bone Lake Management District. It was originally developed by the Lake District and approved by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in 2009. This current, updated plan will be implemented over a ten year period from 2015 through 2024. Plan Mission Statement Bone Lake is a precious resource and one of the premier recreational lakes in this area. The overall mission of this comprehensive lake management plan is to maintain the health of Bone Lake to support clean water, natural beauty, recreation, and sport fishing for decades to come. Bone Lake Management Goals The following goals will guide the Lake District management efforts for Bone Lake. 1. Improve Bone Lake water clarity. 2. Maintain safe navigation in Bone Lake. 3. Protect and improve the Bone Lake fishery. 4. Maintain and enhance Bone Lake’s natural beauty. 5. Protect and enhance wildlife habitat. An aquatic plant management plan was prepared for Bone Lake in 2008 and updated in 2013. Aquatic plant management goals were developed in 2008 and reviewed with no changes made in 2013. Bone Lake Aquatic Plant Management Goals Goal 1. Maintain recreational uses important to lake residents and users including swimming, fishing, and boating while balancing the need to preserve important native aquatic plant functions and their values. Goal 2. Prevent the introduction of Eurasian water milfoil and other invasive aquatic plants. Goal 3. Manage curly leaf pondweed to minimize navigation problems, prevent its spread, and protect native plant populations. Goal 4. Protect the natural functions of diverse native plants including fish and waterfowl habitat, sediment stabilization, protection against invasion by non-native species, and natural aesthetics. Goal 5. Educate lake residents and visitors about the role of aquatic plants in the lake, the management strategies found in the plan, and appropriate plant management actions. 1 The Bone Lake Management District The Bone Lake Management District (the District) was formed in 1977. A Bone Lake Association had been in place prior to lake district formation since approximately 1965. A public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district is a special