Question about lake associations and weed spraying

I have noticed around the local lakes around here there seem to be more aggressive weed spraying of the lakes and in my opinion the fish sizes on these lakes in general seem to be declining, so my question is, do you think the spraying is killing off the fry, the blood worms and small forage base they need to grow? do these lake association have to apply for permits and through what agency? And with the EPA stance on any foreign material in fresh water, how to they allow any chemicals being put in a natural lake?

You have to allow spraying. How else will you control the weed growth from all the fertilizer run-offs from the lawns.

Dutchboy wrote:

You have to allow spraying. How else will you control the weed growth from all the fertilizer run-offs from the lawns.

No one have any answers to my question?

I know that the lakeshore people on Island lake spray – i dont know what permission is involved. They asked us who live close but not on the lake for donations. I can ask but it will likely be a while.

From the MN DNR website.

Some aquatic plants in Minnesota are not native and they may cause problems. Control of these species may be done to reduce interference with boating or swimming, to reduce the risk of spread of invasive species to un-infested water-bodies, or in some situations to attempt to produce ecological benefits such as increases in native plants. Learn more about permits to manage aquatic invasive plants.

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/index.html

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/eco/aquatic_plants.html

If it is being done by an lake association it is probably permitted by the DNR. Hope this starts you down an informed path. Lake shore owners have many rights that you may not be aware of. Their riparian right are deeply seating in the law. A 50 ft wide path from the shore to navigable water can be cleared of weed mechanically by hand. This is just a for a start.

Beast wrote:

I have noticed around the local lakes around here there seem to be more aggressive weed spraying of the lakes and in my opinion the fish sizes on these lakes in general seem to be declining, so my question is, do you think the spraying is killing off the fry, the blood worms and small forage base they need to grow? do these lake association have to apply for permits and through what agency? And with the EPA stance on any foreign material in fresh water, how to they allow any chemicals being put in a natural lake?

Lack of weeds also removes places for fry to hide from getting eaten. Removing weeds is for mans benefit only. I can’t think of a reason where less weeds would help fish.

Djshannon has some great information posted with regard to weed removal.

Personally I’d like to see the DNR have a group of bonded, licensed specialists that are registered with the state as being those who can administer chemicals to control weeds and/or fish and require those applying for permits to draw from that group for the service they seek. I have little faith in lakeshore associations, especially in following laws when they don’t get entirely what they wanted.

Tindall says….”I know that the lakeshore people on Island lake spray – i dont know what permission is involved. They asked us who live close but not on the lake for donations.”

I’d tell them to apply for a grant, available thru the DNR. But then they’d have to follow rules set out by the dnr and maybe those are rules they don’t want to abide by.

I agree with the DNR and bonded weed sprayers, I think that would be a great place to start, Myself, with the way the EPA views runoff and contaminants in a
fresh water system I would think would take a more active role in what
is being put into these lakes.

Beast wrote:

I agree with the DNR and bonded weed sprayers, I think that would be a great place to start, Myself, with the way the EPA views runoff and contaminants in a
fresh water system I would think would take a more active role in what
is being put into these lakes.

I agree 100 percent. It’s crazy to me what these selfish people put in to the waters so that there area can be more pristine.

Don’t blame the homeowners. They are like a 4 year old kid. If you allow them to sneak a cookie they will.

many years ago my parents went through the process of getting permission to kill weeds on the cabin lake. it was a long drawn out ordeal. it lasted fine for about 2 years then the weeds came back. we haven’t done it since and we have a lot of fish hanging around the dock which is neat to see.

personally I would never do it. I’ve also heard people putting in softner salt to kill weeds, I wouldn’t want to be busted by the DNR for that either.

We pushed off the business of forest lake one day back to a quieter area about 25 yards off of some ones dock. The lady friend and kid and I began jumping off the boat having fun swimming and playing in the water. The home owner of the dock we were near flipped out telling us that’s her space and they put chemicals in the water so they recommend no body near the dock. I was pissed to say the least. You selfish —– really. You poison the lake and add so many chemicals you wouldn’t even recommend your grand children swim.
After all said and done I called the dnr and gave them a address , but never received any feedback. And I doubt anything happened with all the big money this lady had.

Well groomed green lawns,beaches to waters edge,gutters draintiled to the water,pumping water for green lawn,removal of native plants and trees to enjoy the view,spraying chemicals,grass clippings and leaves blown into the water,junk septic systems.Yep Ive seen it all plus some.Pretty tough to convince me that many of the lakeshore owners truly care about the lakes and rivers they reside on.

Matt, to be fair if I bought lake shore momma would want a manicured lawn and a beach for the grandkids. However, I would man up and draw the line at jet ski’s & ski boats. If she would let me that is.

Might look nice,but at what cost?If what your doing to make your lake property more enjoyable to use and look at can cause water quality and fish populations to suffer is it worth it?Well the lawn and beach look nice,dont mind the algae bloom and dead fish.

I would like to ask few questions to you all:

“How many of the member commenting broad sweeping lake/shoreline abuse actually own lakeshore?”

“If you own lake shore, do you live there year round?”

“How is the lake in front/back of your cabin/home used? By you, by your neighbors, by rentals, by open access visitors”

My answers to those questions are as follows:

I have owned the piece of lake shore property that my year round retirement home sits on for 16 years and have been coming up to “my” lake for over forty years.

There are many kinds of lakes in Minnesota. I would broadly classify as Fishing destination lakes, Urban residential lakes, and Weekend recreational lakes. You can go on forever trying to refine my definitions but they boil down to a mixed usage.

The lake I live on is best described as Weekend recreational lake with cabins/homes about every 120 ft of shore line and covering about 2/3s of the shore. From Friday to Monday, on a normal summer weekend more than 1/2 of the properties are occupied with families and their friends. All of whom are in or on the water. Tuber, water skiers, jet skies, fisherman, swimmers, cocktail cruisers, water volleyball; the list of activities is never ending. For my first 25 years, I had a very generous friend that allowed me to be a participant at his cabin. We would work and play hard every time we were there helping in the upkeep. leaves, docks, downed trees, boat and cabin repair…

When the property next to my friend became available, I purchased it with the plan to have my retirement home sit there.

I have a manicured yard. I am very protective of the shoreline in front of me. I manually remove the submerged weeds in front of my home within the DNR guidelines.

For 3 1/2 days a week the lake is teaming with activity the other half of the week it is pretty much all mine.

As a property owner and a good steward of the lake removal of weeds is not on my bucket list of complaints. Weed growth is a never ending natural process. I will remove them this spring and they will be back in the fall. If I stop they will reclaim the lake, in the lakes slow evolutionary death process. It may take hundreds of years but ultimately lakes will turn into wetlands.

The biggest issue as a lake home owner that degrades the lake is the increase of power boat size. Forty years ago a big boat was 17 ft glass runabout with a 90 hp Merc. Today it is a 20+ ft Mastercraft/Mumba/Tri-toon Pontoons/Large Deep V Fishing boats with hundreds of HP creating huge wakes and waves taring up the shoreline as they race down and around the lake. They also stir up the bottom lifting and spreading natural sedimentary silt fertilizing weed growth.

The next big issue is septic system maintenance. If you are a lake home/cabin owner when was the last time you had your septic system pumped? Whether you are there or not it need to be pumped every 3 year. You don’t get to extend the time between pumping just because you are not there. Poorly maintained septic systems leech more nutrient into the lake than any other source.

Cabin/Home owners protect their shore line property, it is part of a very large investment.

djshannon wrote:

“How many of the member commenting broad sweeping lake/shoreline abuse actually own lakeshore?”
We own lake shore

“If you own lake shore, do you live there year round?”
We live here year round

“How is the lake in front/back of your cabin/home used? By you, by your neighbors, by rentals, by open access visitors”

The lake is used by us, our neighbors and open access. Lots of fishing in front of our place especially in the spring.

We have the weeds pulled twice a year because we do not get a lot of wave action and there is muck almost to your knees. The muck is caused by weed decay and it makes it a challenge for putting the dock and lift in and out but you learn ways around that issue.

The lake association has areas of the lake treated every year by a licensed sprayer, funding comes from lake shore owners and pull tab profits. Does this affect the fishing? It hasn’t for me but I have heard others say it has affected them.

A question for the DNR, lakeshore owners who contract spraying, and the companies doing the spraying.

1. Why are there countless dead fish floating near the clumps of dead vegetation within days of spraying?

2. How can it be “safe” to dump into our lakes, but then be required to post an orange plaque by your dock/property advising people that chemicals/herbicides have been used?

I subscribe to “safe” weed removal if they are in the water. Why not contract with the local sheriff’s offices to put water-proof shock collars with gps tracking limits on those non-violent crooks they feed and have them out there pulling the weeds and remove them from the water? If a crook wanders to far from the work area….bbbzzzzzap! Set the power at elephant stun. This would be cheaper than contracting sprayers and far more beneficial to the health of the waterways.