LAKE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT No. 4

SKAGIT COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS CLEARCLEAR LAKELAKE && BEAVERBEAVER LAKELAKE LAKE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT NO.4 NEWSLETTER WINTER 2017

The following information has been provided by Skagit County Public Works Department and the Advisory Committee for Lake Management District No. 4 (Clear Lake and Beaver Lake) with the intent of increasing public awareness and involvement related to lake management issues. Lake Management District Expires - 2017 Lake Management District No. 4 (LMD4) for Accomplishments 2007— 2016 Clear and Beaver Lakes is set to expire the end Clear and Beaver Lakes have a long history of of 2017. LMD 4 has been in place since 2007 invasive aquac weeds. Eurasian watermilfoil to finance the management of invasive and (Myriophyllum spicatum) was first discovered noxious aquac plants in Clear and Beaver in Clear Lake in 1994 and in Beaver Lake in Lakes. The lakes were combined into one 1999. Brazilian elodea (Egeria densa) was dis‐ LMD because they are hydrologically connect‐ covered in Beaver Lake in 2005. Accomplish‐ ed, and invasive aquac plants can easily get ments during the ten year duraon of LMD 4 transported from one lake to the other. include the following:  Implemented the Integrated Aquac Vege‐ The overall goal of LMD 4 is to eradicate Eura‐ taon Management Plan (IAVMP), a com‐ sian milfoil from both Clear & Beaver Lakes, prehensive guideline for managing Clear eradicate Brazilian elodea from Beaver Lake, and Beaver Lakes. prevent the spread of the noxious weeds to  Provided a lake stewardship training work‐ downstream water bodies during flood events, shop and installed invasive aquac species and control fragrant water lilies (Nymphaea signage at the boat launch. odorata)Brazilian in both Elodea lakes to facilitate increased  Eradicated Brazilian elodea in Beaver Lake. Photograph: Clayton Antieau INSIDE THIS access to the lake for recreaonal users.  Eurasian watermilfoil has been greatly re‐ ISSUE: duced in both Lakes. Now there are just a What is a Lake Management District? few plants that can be seasonally con‐ LMD Overview and 1 A Lake Management District (LMD) is a special trolled. Accomplishments assessment district formed by lake communi‐  Fragrant water lilies have been greatly re‐ es who vote to charge themselves a special duced by 20 acres. Aquatic Plant Man- 2,3 assessment to finance lake management acv‐  Noxious aquac plants are no longer domi‐ agement Program ies in accordance to RCW 36.61. In Skagit nant or problemac in either lake. County LMDs are typically formed for a 10  Nave aquac plants are starng to be‐ 2005 Clear Lake 4 year period. There are currently four LMDs in Diver Survey come problemac in Clear Lake, but can be Skagit County: 1. Big Lake; 2. Lake McMurray; seasonally controlled as needed. Eurasian Milfoil 5 3. Lakes Erie & Campbell; and 4. Clear & Bea‐ Survey Maps ver Lakes. Skagit County Public Works Depart‐ LMD Reformation Survey ment staff provides Water Lily Control 6 Enclosed (pg 7) is a survey to help gage Aerial Photos technical and adminis‐ whether or not there is enough interest to trave assistance to reform LMD4. The reformaon process will LMD Reformation 7 LMDs for the control of take several months, involve at least two pub‐ Survey invasive and noxious lic hearings, and vong ballots mailed to aquac weeds. property owners. PAGE 2 Clear Lake & Beaver Lake Newsletter Winter 2017

Aquatic Plant Management Program Noxious Aquac Weeds Why Manage Aquac Plants? Annual Lake

Aquac plants are a crical component of Maintenance Acvies a healthy lake. The plants provide food, A licensed contractor conducts the following Fragrant Waterlily dissolved oxygen and habitat for inverte‐ lake maintenance acvies for the LMDs each (Nymphaea odorata) brates, fish, and wildlife; prevent shoreline year: erosion; and improve water quality. A di‐  Pre‐Treatment Survey: idenfy and map Eurasian verse healthy nave plant community is noxious and problemac aquac plant Watermilfoil also more resistant to invasion by oppor‐ species that need to be controlled. (Myriophyllum tunisc noxious weeds. Noxious weeds  Herbicide Treatments: strict guidelines spicatum) tend to spread more aggressively in a lake are followed when applying aquac herb‐ than nave plants because they lack natu‐ icides. Treatment noces are mailed to ral control mechanisms. Occasionally, na‐ property owners and posted on docks, Brazilian elodea ve plants can grow out of control too. An (Egeria densa) shorelines, boat launches and swimming overgrowth of aquac plants can disrupt areas. Noces idenfy herbicides applied nature's delicate balance resulng in: and any water use restricons. The loss of fish and wildlife habitat  Post‐Treatment Survey: monitor the A safety hazard to swimmers and effecveness of the applied plant man‐ boaters by entanglement agement techniques and look for new Nave Aquac Plants Degraded water quality from reduced growth of invasive or problemac aquac dissolved oxygen levels and increased plants. Determine if follow‐up treatments nutrient supply, sedimentaon, tem‐ are necessary. perature and pH  Annual Report: includes a map of plant Potamageton growth and areas treated, summary of amplifolius What can you do to reduce excessive lake maintenance acvies and recom‐ Potamageton aquac plant and algae growth? robbinsii mendaons for the following year. Re‐ Maintain your sepc system to reduce ports can be found on the County web‐ harmful bacteria and nutrients entering site: hp://www.skagitcounty.net/ the lake. Departments/ Elodea Vallisneria Reduce the use of ferlizers Canadensis PublicWorksSurfaceWaterManagement/ Americana Plant nave vegetaon along the shore- clearlake.htm line

Utricularia LMD 4 Citizen Advisory Committee vulgaris Brian Adams LMD 4 has a cizen advisory commiee composed of volunteers Potamogeton who reflect various user interests and geographic distribuon zosteriformis Stan Buchanan within the boundaries of the LMD. The Commiee works in co‐ Potamogeton Stephen Burgess gramineus operaon with County staff, to provide cizen input on manage‐ Ron/Anita Davis ment decisions within the context of the LMD charter. The com‐ Nuphar poly- Rob Janicki miee meets annually, or as oen as needed, to review the pro‐ sepala gram’s progress, track the budget, and develop and approve Mike Janicki work plans for managing the lake. If you Aquac Plant ID Manual: Rita /Lee Johnson are interested in joining the Advisory www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/ Rick/ Michelle VanPelt Commiee, or being more involved in wq/plants/pland2/ your Lake Management District, contact index.html Ron Walt Tracy Alker: [email protected].

CLEAR LAKE & BEAVER LAKE PAGE 3 Clear Lake & Beaver Lake Newsletter Winter 2017

Aquatic Plant Management Program

Integrated Aquac Vegetaon Management Plan

The Integrated Aquac Vegetaon Management Plan (IAVMP) is a comprehensive planning document that evaluates and idenfies the most affordable and effecve soluons for controlling noxious aquac weeds in Clear and Beaver Lakes while maintaining a healthy ecological balance in the lakes and watershed. The IAVMP is available on the Skagit County Website: www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/PublicWorksSurfaceWaterManagement/clearlake.htm. All aquac herbicides that are applied are regulated under a permit issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology. Certain herbicides can‐ not be applied in Clear Lake unl aer July 15th due to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s fish ming re‐ stricons when salmon are least likely present. For more informaon about the different methods and requirements for managing aquac plants check out Ecology’s website: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/plantmgmt.html.

Eurasian Milfoil

Eurasian watermilfoil (Milfoil) is an invasive submerged aquac plant species that can spread quickly forming large dense floang mats. It primarily spreads by plant fragments that can be dispersed long distances by hitchhiking on boats, boat motors, boat trailers, and fishing equipment and can stay alive for weeks if kept moist. It is extremely difficult to perma‐ nently get rid of Milfoil. In 2007, when LMD 4 was first established, Clear Lake was dominated by 76 acres Eurasian Milfoil. Now, only a few single Milfoil plants have been found growing sporadically within dense stands of nave plants in both Clear Lake and Beaver Lake. Eurasian Milfoil no longer represents the most problemac species lake‐wide and can now be seasonally controlled with systemic or contact herbicides. Systemic herbicides are applied when specifically targeng Mil‐ foil to kill the plants at the roots. Contact herbicides are applied when controlling both Milfoil and problemac nave aquac plants at the same me. Contact herbicides do not kill the plants at the roots, but are the only opon for controlling both Milfoil and nave aquac plants at the same me. Lake condions can change from year to year so it is important to connue monitoring and keep Eurasian Milfoil under control.

Fragrant Water Lily Brazilian Elodea Nave Aquac Plants

Fragrant water lilies are floang leafed nox‐ Brazilian elodea is a prolific, non‐ Since 2012, dense stands of nave ious aquac weeds that produce white or pink nave aquac plant that can aquac plants have become prob‐ flowers and spread by rhizomes and seeds. crowd out nave plants and inhib‐ lemac around some docks and The most effecve way to control lilies is with it recreaonal uses. A small patch shorelines, restricng recreaonal a Glyphosate herbicide soluon sprayed di‐ of it was first discovered in Beaver use in Clear Lake. Nave plants are rectly on the lily pads. Treatments are per‐ Lake in 2005 along the northwest not targeted in Beaver Lake. Per formed in the late summer when the pads are shoreline. In 2006, divers re‐ permit restricons, only contact on the surface and producing flowers. Visible moved the noxious plants by herbicides can be applied and only effects occur within 3 to 4 weeks. Requests for hand. However, the plants were 50% of the shoreline can be treat‐ no herbicide applicaons applied to lilies difficult to see due to poor visibil‐ ed for nave plant control. Contact along some lakefront properes have been ity, and pulling the plants caused herbicides do not kill the plants at respected. When LMD 4 was first established, fragmentaon, making the prob‐ the roots. Annual spring surveys Clear Lake was dominated by 53 acres of fra‐ lem worse. In 2007, the systemic help determine whether or not grant water lily. Aer ten herbicide Reward was nave plant control might be need‐ years of control, it is now re‐ applied, and appears to ed. It is important to connue duced down to just 33 acres (a have completely eradi‐ maintaining a healthy balance of 20 acre reducon). cated Brazilian elodea. nave aquac plants in Clear Lake.

CLEAR LAKE & BEAVER LAKE PAGE 4 Clear Lake & Beaver Lake Newsletter Winter 2017

20052005 ClearClear LakeLake DiverDiver SurveySurvey (Prior to Implemenng the Lake Management District Program)

Fragrant Water Lilies ‐ 2005

Eurasian Milfoil ‐ 2005

CLEAR LAKE & BEAVER LAKE PAGE 5 Clear Lake & Beaver Lake Newsletter Winter 2017 Clear & Beaver Lakes Eurasian Milfoil — 2007

Red areas indicate Eur‐ asian Milfoil locaons

*75 acres of Milfoil

Green areas indicate Fra‐ grant Water Lily loca‐ ons

*53 acres of fragrant wa‐ ter lilies

Clear Lake Eurasian Milfoil — 2016

White Dots — indicate Milfoil plants and treat‐ ment locaons. Only a few Milfoil plants remain.

Red areas indicate maximum plant biomass occupying the enre water Milfoil & Nave column. Plant Treatment

Locaons Blue areas indi‐ cate no plant bio‐ mass.

Green areas indi‐ cate 50% plant biomass coverage.

CLEAR LAKE & BEAVER LAKE PAGE 6 Clear Lake & Beaver Lake Newsletter Winter 2017 Clear Lake Fragrant Water Lily Control Progress 2007—2015 (Lilies have been reduced by 20 acres)

CLEAR LAKE & BEAVER LAKE