Status of Aquatic Invasive Species in Lake George, and ... invasives-jlf.pdfStatus of Aquatic...
Transcript of Status of Aquatic Invasive Species in Lake George, and ... invasives-jlf.pdfStatus of Aquatic...
J E R E M Y F A R R E L L ,S A N D R A N I E R Z W I C K I - B A U E R ,
D A R R I N F R E S H W A T E R I N S T I T U T E
Status of Aquatic InvasiveSpecies in Lake George, and Effectiveness
of Control and Management Methods
Current Known Invasive Species In Lake George
Plants Myriophyllum spicatum
(Eurasian Watermilfoil) Potamogeton crispus
(Curlyleaf Pond weed) Fish
Osmerus mordax (Rainbow Smelt)
Mollusc Dreissena polymorpha
(Zebra Mussel) Corbicula fluminea (Asian
Clam) Bellamya chinensis
(Chineese Mystery Snail) Viviparus georgianus
(Banded mystery snail)
Status: Myriophyllum spicatum (Eurasian Watermilfoil)
Managed. Discovered in 1986 To date cost to control
this plant ~
Status: Potamogeton Crispus (Curlyleaf Pond weed)
Established. Records indicate
establishment by 1970’s Ogden at the time
declared it non invasive as it did and still only grows marginally in Lake George
Status: Osmerus mordax (Rainbow Smelt)
Established. Intentionally introduced
in 1918 and 1929 without success
Intentionally introduced in ~1970 with success
Status: Dreissena polymorpha (Zebra Mussel)
Discovered 1999 in front of Neptune's Restaurant.
Hand harvesting operation commenced to eliminate this species.
Success in this location Discovered in ~10
locations since with hand harvesting management in each of these locations.
Status: Corbicula fluminea (Asian Clam)
Discovered at Lake Avenue Beach August 2010
LGACRRTF Formed in an attempt to eradicate this invader.
Status: Bellamya chinensis (Chinese Mystery Snail)
Discovered August 2011 in Middleworth Bay
Management conducted with Asian Clam Project (suction dredging)
Status: Viviparus georgianus (Banded mystery snail)
Established. Management not an
option at this point.
New York Invasive Plants Not in Lake George
Other Invasives Not Known to be in Lake George
HemimysisBloody red mysis
New Zealand Mudsnail
Quagga Mussel
Alewife
Snakehead
E A S I E R A N D C H E A P E R T O D E A L W I T H I N V A S I V E S B E F O R E T H E Y B E C O M E A
P R O B L E M
Prevention
Education
Literature for boaters Websites Lake Steward Program Floating Classroom Signs, Signs, Signs Kiosks
Prevention Boat Washing
Newly acquired mobile boat washing station will provide a good prevention of boats that are washed by it.
Reclamation system of water will provide a way of sampling effectiveness of washing boats if desired.
Prevention Case Study: Upper Peninsula
2/3 of survey takers had not properly washed boats before launch.
Macrophytes: inspection/hand removal and high pressure washing were statistical similar removal rate for (~85%)
Small bodied organisms: high pressure washing significantly better than inspection or low pressure washing.
***From Rothlisberger et al 2010
Prevention Case Study: Otsego Lake
All boats entering the public launch are inspected 1 Public 1 Cartop 2 Private
1300-1400 average launches
Detection
Public Reporting
A Mmember of the general public calls one of the interested parties and DFWI typically will “take a look”
Example last summer Fund for Lake George was called and within 5 hours DFWI surveyed the area and determined no AIS were present
Tributary Delta Surveys
For several years DFWI was funded by Fund for Lake George to assess macrophyte communities near tributary as EWM is often found in close proximity.
Long Distance Swim Survey
Over 150 locations identified as potential habitat for Asian clam were surveyed.
Funding for additional surveys for this year are being sought now.
Plankton Surveys
12 Locations sampled bi weekly during summer months
200 liters concentrated and examined under cross polarized microscopy
Hydroacoustic Surveys
00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.911.11.21.31.4
PlantH
eight(m)
285 m160 m
Environmental DNA
In development… Small sample of water
sampled with molecular techniques.
Provides presence information of target species.
O R A T L E A S T C O N T R O L / M A N A G E M E N T
Elimination
Hand Harvesting Suction Dredging Benthic Barrier Chemical Treatment
Eurasian Watermilfoil Control Cost
Cost In Relation To Other New York Lakes
Lake Years of Treatment Primary Approach Primary Plant Cost
Chautauqua 2001-2010 Mechanical harvesting Eurasian watermilfoil $ 5,000,000.00
Lake George 1985-2010 Hand harvesting, suction dredging, benthic mats Eurasian watermilfoil $ 4,581,000.00
Saratoga 1990-2010 Mechanical & biological Eurasian watermilfoil, Curly-leaf pondweed $ 980,000.00
Saratoga 2007-2010 Herbicide treatments Eurasian watermilfoil $ 900,000.00
Upper Saranac 2004-2010 Hand harvesting Eurasian watermilfoil $ 710,000.00
Lake Champlain 1982-2010 Mechanical harvesting Waterchestnut $ 8,968,000.00
Eurasian Watermilfoil Control Effectiveness
Since 1986 the number of sites in the Lake has grown from 3 locations to 191 locations
The number of cleared locations is now at 173
This leaves 18 sites left that need management
0
50
100
150
200
250
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Nu
mb
er o
f S
ites
Year
Number of Sites Cleared Sites
Zebra Mussel Control
Hand harvesting operation contained and the eliminated the zebra mussel population in Lake George Village
Over 20,000 animals were removed individually by SCUBA
Asian Clam Control Pilot Project 2010
Percent Mortality
100%80%60%40%20%
Asian Clam Control 2011
Initially only matting Lake George village site but treatment expanded to Norowal
Middleworth Bay suction dredging project also added
Matting proved effective in areas where it can be deployed well
Suction dredging was ineffective with methods employed
Asian Clam Control 2012
Lake Champlain Maritime museum conducting intensive 5m grid surveys 25 meters beyond the extent of previous known boundaries
Boon Bay matting operation has commenced
Acknowledgements