Little Manistee Watershed Conservation Council

Little Manistee Watershed Conservation Council
Annual Report
July 10, 2010

Skinner Park, Irons, Michigan

Trustees in Attendance:  Greg Block, Dan Sernick, Gordon Lewis, Roger Buckingham, Dave Gendler, Kaye MacDonald, Tim Phillips, David Spruance, John Gorys, Jim Squier, Tom Bastion (Water Quality), Joyce Durdel (Website & Bug Specialist), Evelyn Furman

 Secretary’ Report:  Request for approval of the July 2009 Secretary’ Report made by Tom Bastion, seconded by Stacy McKee.  Hearing no dissentions, motion carried.

 Treasurer’s Report:  Request for approval of the 2009 Treasurer’s Report was made by Stacy McKee, seconded by David Chism.  Hearing no dissentions, motion carried.

Projects Report by Tim Phillips:

• Fish cover above Fox Bridge:  Forty (40) feet of cover were added to river last year in August.  Two more sections of fish cover will be added above Fox Bridge during the month of August as volunteer projects.  Another 100 feet on the north side of the river will be contracted out.  This will complete the Fox Bridge access projects.
•  Next year’s project at Sayers Creek requires NEPA approval since it is on USFS land.  We are currently in the process of preparing the plans and permits for the implementation of this project (this is a contracted site).  This project is from M37 Bridge downstream to the confluence of the river approximately 400 feet (cost about $5000.00).  About 10 fish covers will be installed to improve this otherwise barren stretch of brook trout water.
• The next project is the Indian Bridge DNR access site.  This project is a sterile water issue and no cover.  We are planning a fish cover project for this area that will take approximately two years to complete.
• Sand traps are no longer considered cost effective by the USFS.  The new thought from the National Forrest Service is that woody debris, Bank restoration and road crossing improvements are more beneficial to the ecology of the river.  There are two sand traps which the Forest Service has maintained at Olde Grade Campground and Cool Creek.  They will not be excavating sand from these sites any longer.
• Stronach Crossing Bridge is currently in the process of being replaced.  The tubes are being removed which will provide fewer problems for kayaks, fisherpersons, and create a better flow for the river.  During storms debris will pass through without creating blockages.  The bridge will span the river and the parking lot will be maintained.
• Salmon in the Classroom reported by Evelyn Furman:  The students from Kaleva Norman Dickson Schools 5^th Grade were bussed to the weir in October, 2009.  The DNR provided an excellent presentation for the children.  After the presentation the children hiked to get a better view of the Eagle’s nest.  Following a quick lunch, the students settled down to complete the assignment Mr. Wojo (the student’s instructor) had given to them.  The students were then bussed back to school where the aquariums had already been prepared to receive the fertilized eggs obtained at the weir.  After observing months of progress in growth of the fish from eggs to smolt, in May the class ventured out to Spirit in the Woods and placed the smolt (from their aquarium) into Bear Creek where each one hoped they would have approximately 200 little wigglers return to the Little Manistee River.  Mr. Wojo hopes to once again take his next 5^th grade class to the weir this fall.  LMWCC funds the transportation costs for bussing the students on both occasions, as well as any aquarium maintenance.

Tom Bastion Report:  Since the river was treated with lamprecide in 2008, we expected our bug population would be down.  This year our study indicated the bug colonies were on the low side, however, they were not as low as in the past after a lamprecide treatment.  It appears the treatment did not have the impact of previous years because the lamprecide was introduced at lower concentrations and in more numerous locations.  This compromise is working as we found no eels and less harm was done to the river and the fishery as in the past.

SWAT Team Report:  Roger Buckingham reported that his team worked on clearing navigation channels and, over a two-day period, took out 29 sites, leaving the woody debris in the river in accordance with the new thinking from the Forest Service.  There were several areas that were blocked, however, due to the perseverance of the team; the river is open to kayakers and canoeists.

Newsletter Editor Report:  David Spruance reports the plan is to publish two newsletters a year, one in the spring and one in the winter.  The newsletters will contain updates on projects, results on water quality and bug surveys, an explanation on what the numbers from these surveys mean and what chemicals do to the water (good and bad).  If you have any suggestions we are open to your input.  If you wish to contribute something to the newsletter, please send your ideas/input to LMWCC, PO Box 52, Irons, MI 49644.

Web Site Report:  Joyce Durdel reports that the web site is up and functional thanks to a new program.  Please check LMWCC.org for information.

River Steward Report:  Gordon Lewis reported that volunteers are still patrolling the river, cleaning up trash and are continuing to be the eyes of the river, looking for situation that need to be addressed.  Blockages, eroding sites that need repair, trees that could cause an eroding bank or that could fall into the river are all things the River Stewards look for.  If you see a suspected violation, report it to Tim at 616-780-0954.

Volunteers Report:  Kaye MacDonald reports that if anyone wishes to work on fish cover activities, please notify him by calling 231-266-5979.  Each time you volunteer your name is entered into a drawing held at the next Annual Meeting.  (The two $50.00 volunteer prizes drawn at the July 2010 Annual Meeting went to Len Gorys and Jack Puff.)

Election of Trustees:  Six trustees, whose terms had ended, were reelected unanimously.  They were; Greg Block, Dan Sernick, David Spruance, John Gorys, Jim Squier, and Dave Gendler.

Other Information:  

·        Winners of the mail-in raffle prizes!

o   3^rd Prize (Little River Eagle framed print) went to Tom Biggs and Eileen Ilers

o   2^nd Prize (Wolverine apparel/footwear valued at $300.00) went to Barry Wainman

o   1^st Prize (2 Kayaks and all accessories) went to Linda O’Neil of Cedar, MI

Tim closed the meeting at 11:00 am and Gordon Lewis introduced the keynote speaker, Professor Devon Shendler, who spoke on Invasive Species Asian Carp.  (See synopsis following.)

Respectfully Submitted: Evelyn Furman, Secretary LMWCC

In 1972 Bighead Carp were first brought from China to the United States by a private fish farmer in Arkansas in order to improve water quality and increase fish production in culture ponds.  The Carp began to appear in public waters in the 1908’s due to their escape from these ponds during high water or hurricanes.  They are now reproducing in 18 states along the Mississippi.  They are known to be present in many waters and reservoirs.  These numbers are great and commercial fisherman’s nets cannot lift their immense weight (they weigh upwards of 100 pounds) and sites have become abandoned.  The carp utilize open water, moving around in large lowland rivers, consuming algae, plankton, and aquatic insect larvae and adults.  They are in competition with paddlefish, bigmouth fish, shad and all larval and juvenile fishes and native mussels.  These fish have an unusual habit of jumping out of the water at the sound of outboard motors.  The problem is so severe on the Missouri River that water skiing is no longer a sport.

The silver carp is also a native of China.  They look and act very similar to the bighead.  They have a keep on the belly that extends only partway to the head and have dark blotches along the back.  The head is smaller and so is the mouth when compared to the bighead.  They are an eating machine, devouring anything and everything.

The Asian Carp has a great appetite.  They are non-native whose arrival is nearing Lake Michigan daily.  If they are allowed to migrate into Lake Michigan through the Chicago Sanitary Canal they could cause irreparable damage to the Great Lakes Fishery.

Currently, five states are requesting a federal judge to take emergency action of closing two shipping locks and installing barriers in order to prevent the fish from entering the Great Lakes.  At this time nothing is being done, however, a hearing is set for September to hear testimony in the case.  This hearing will include scientists’ testimony about the environmental DNA testing that has found genetic material in waterways near Lake Michigan.

If some solutions and compromises to the carp problem cannot be agreed upon the Great Lakes, rivers, streams and inland lakes will continue to be in peril.  Many other problems are apparent, including commercial and sport fishing, travel and tourism decline, swimming and water skiing no longer being safe sports.  All money spent in Great Lakes improvement will be lost and the beauty of the Great Lakes and jobs are awaiting an answer to this looming catastrophe.