This map outlines the 121 acres for the Metropolis of Sturgeon Bay to mechanically harvest aquatic crops within the bay. Submitted.
The Metropolis of Sturgeon Bay is finalizing a brand new five-year aquatic plant administration plan after town’s Aquatic Plant Administration Plan Revision Advert Hoc Committee met twice final month with Tim Hoyman, lead aquatic ecologist from Onterra, the agency employed by town to replace the plan.
“The objective of placing a plan collectively like that is getting a five-year harvesting allow,” Hoyman mentioned.
The Bay of Sturgeon Bay is about 4,000 acres, however the undertaking space is just 1 / 4 of that at a bit of over 1,000 acres, Hoyman mentioned.
“The opposite half is that we actually solely handle a small share of the undertaking space,” he mentioned.
He mentioned a number of native and non-native species of aquatic crops noticed “statistically important adjustments,” between the 2016 and 2023 surveys of crops within the bay, that are probably pure cycles introduced on by altering water ranges and interactions amongst species.
With 44 various kinds of aquatic crops within the bay, and solely 5 of these non-native, Hoyman mentioned Sturgeon Bay has a nuisance plant drawback reasonably than an aquatic invasive species (AIS) drawback.
Although an invasive species generally known as curly-leaf pondweed “elevated considerably” in comparison with 2016, and certain introduced on early-season issues navigating within the bay the place it was current, Hoyman mentioned the invasive plant dies again in early- to mid-July, so these points don’t final all through the summer season.
Town has been managing the expansion of aquatic crops within the bay by harvesting them in designated reducing areas, in addition to spraying herbicides utilizing a allow from the Wisconsin Division of Pure Assets (DNR).
Administration Technique
Within the mechanical harvesting areas, the draft of the brand new administration plan requires reducing them within the designated areas to half the water depth or 4 toes, whichever is shallower.
The plan provides two areas for mechanical harvesting – the Lama Wamah lagoon north of Sundown Park, the place a 20-foot-wide entry lane could be reduce as much as twice every summer season, and at Bullhead Level on the west facet, the place a 10-foot-wide entry lane for kayaks could be maintained as wanted all through the summer season.
Harvesting crews may also choose up aquatic crops harvested by enterprise and personal pier homeowners, and in instances the place residents place aquatic crops on the finish of their docks, the draft of the brand new administration plan states the pier homeowners ought to contact the Municipal Providers workplace to make sure crews are notified of the piles to select up.
Town additionally needs to have the ability to apply as much as two herbicide therapies to aquatic crops in marina areas, in comparison with one having been beforehand allowed by the DNR.
The second therapy, if required, would comply with the identical pretreatment inspection process as the primary, comparable to whether or not the realm to be handled poses a present or anticipated nuisance with aquatic crops.
The therapies would happen in mid-June to early July and late-July to mid-August, if required.
Subsequent Steps
Along with the draft of town’s aquatic administration plan being supplied to the DNR for evaluate, Hoyman mentioned it should even be posted on town’s web site for a 21-day evaluate, after which period relevant feedback from the general public and the DNR will probably be built-in earlier than finalization.
District 1 Alderperson Helen Bacon, who chairs town’s Joint Parks and Recreation Committee and Board, mentioned the committee/board will subsequently think about the administration plan earlier than recommending it for approval by the Widespread Council.
