(Orleans)– Crews are again this summer keeping a close eye out for invasive aquatic vegetation in the Iowa Great Lakes. Mike Hawkins is a Regional Fisheries Management Supervisor with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources…
“Our teams are out doing hundreds of point sampling with rakes to try to categorize and count the number of species and look at the native diversity but also be on the lookout for those invasive species because if they do appear, we do have a few tools in the toolbox with some of those species to try to suppress them and try to knock them back before they were to get a start in the lake.”
Hawkins says some of that work also involves shoreline inspections…
“Trying to keep sediment and soil and other pollutants from entering into the lakes. Those things can cause those blue-green algae blooms that can shade out native aquatic plants. It’s also important to note these lakes are home to many native plant species. Last count somewhere around 50 to 60 native aquatic plants have been found in and around the Iowa Great Lakes. I don’t think people quite understand that diversity and how important that is to keeping and maintaining a healthy lake. We don’t have that diversity any more. A lot of species have disappeared over time and so if there’s anything we can do to help improve water clarity, water quality, shoreline health, all of those things help to get that native diversity of aquatic plants that keep our lakes healthy.”
Anyone with questions or concerns should contact the DNR’s local office at the fish hatchery in Orleans at 336-1840.
