New Zebra and Quagga Mussel Control Tool Announced

Please go to www.aquatechnex.wordpress.com to learn more about the new tool Zequanox to target these invasive aquatic species.  Zequanox is a biopesticide that is target specific for these two invasive aquatic species, it will not harm other components of the aquatic ecosystem.

Milfoil Treatment Tomorrow

About five acres in  Bear Creek Bay will be treated with Sculpin tomorrow to combat Eurasian Milfoil.  This past year, a liquid formulation of triclopyr had been used, but water exchange limited the impact on these plants.  This year Sculpin will insure that the material stays in contact with the target vegetation.  There are no swimming restrictions and this treatment site is adjacent to undeveloped shorelines so there are no impacts on irrigation or potable water use.

Priest Lake Volunteer Survey This Week

A number of folks will be taking part in the Milfoil Survey on Priest Lake this week.  This project should benefit the community and help to keep this invasive weed in check.

Eurasian Milfoil Update

Aquatechnex scientific divers and GPS mapping teams supported Bonner County Weed Department Staff in a extensive review of known Eurasian Milfoil areas in the lake.  The shorelines south of Granite Bay Marina had very sparse finds of newly rooted Eurasian Milfoil fragments.  These plants were from 2 to 4 inches long at the time of survey.  In Bear Creek, 35 acres were treated for Eurasian Milfoil last year using a liquid formulation of triclopyr.  The northern portion adjacent to the homes on the bay are very clean, there are scattered new fragments here and there that can be removed by diver efforts.  There is one area south of the developments that covers about 5 acres.  This zone has a few scattered clumps of Eurasian Milfoil scattered through those acres.  While the milfoil beds probably don’t make up a quarter of an acre total, the distribution of the beds would best lead to treatment. 

The County contracted diver team will be working on Priest Lake (along with a few other sites) this coming week according to the County Schedule. 

In addition, our team noted extensive water exchange in both of these areas.  There was an extremely strong current noted by the divers on the west shoreline area.  We deployed a few dye pellets and observed the food grade dye moving out of where they were placed in Bear Creek almost immediately. 

Based on this condition, this five acres will be treated with a granular formulation the week of August 17th.   More information and a treatment map will be posted in the near future.

The Priest Lake Volunteer Survey Team will be looking at additional areas in the lake this coming week.

2009 Eurasian Milfoil Efforts Kick Off July 7th

Aquatechnex biologists will be returning to Priest Lake to support Bonner County’s intensive survey for Eurasian Milfoil plants in portions of Priest Lake July 7th and 8th.  The objective of this mission is to evaluate control efforts from last year and map any plants remaining so they can be effectively targeted in 2009.  More information will be posted just prior to our mission.  Any plants found will be marked with a submeter GPS system and posted into ArcMap for analysis and presentation to the County Weed Department. 

We are also doing extensive treatment work on the Pend Oreille River and Lake Pend Oreille this summer.  A blog is set up for that project at www.pomilfoil.wordpress.com.  Part of that mission will be to publish an interactive map showing milfoil locations and treatment information on the river and lake.  If plants are found in Priest Lake, we will update that on line GIS map to feature those locations as well.

2009 Effort to Manage Eurasian Milfoil

Aquatechnex biologists will be working on Priest Lake this summer to monitor Eurasian Milfoil presence and target any plants found for control.  The first survey will be performed by Bonner County supported by our diver team just after Fourth of July.  Any plants found will be mapped using DGPS technologies.  That information will then be used to recommend control or treatment options.

Great Video on Mussel Invasion and Prevention

This video is made available from the Priest Lake Pecky Cox site, it is worth a look and reenforced why prevention is key for the Western United States. http://www.peckycox.com/omnibus/my-entry.html

Aquatechnex Selected for 2009 Bonner County Milfoil Program

The Bonner County Commissioners have selected Aquatechnex to assist them with the management of Eurasian Milfoil for 2009.  Our team will be working on Lake Pend Oreille, the Pend Oreille River and Priest Lake to combat this invasive weed.  We will use this blog to keep people at Priest Lake up to speed on what is going on there.  Interested parties might also follow us at pomilfoil.wordpress.com for the larger project.

Idaho Rep. Eric Anderson’s Invasive Species Protection Bill Passes

The Idaho State Legislature this past week passed a bill to help Idaho protect it’s waters from aquatic invaders heading their way.  Quagga and Zebra Mussels have plagued the Great Lakes and Mississippi River drainage since their introduction in the 1980’s.  One mussel can generate tens of thousands of offspring in one growing season and these mussels attached to hard surfaces, like the inside of drinking water deliver systems, power plant cooling systems, irrigation delivery systems and other key infrastructure systems.  Prevention will be key as once these organisms are introduced, they tend to be impossible to control.  Rep. Anderson has spearheaded the protection of Idaho’s water resources and this bill will provide funding from user fees to launch this program.  The main mode of spread is on boat trailers and this law provides for a yearly fee on boat owners to fund the prevention program.  For more information you can go to:

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/mar/31/boat-sticker-bill-goes-idaho-governor/

Aquatechnex Winter Newsletter Now Available

Our quarterly electronic newsletter is now available and has been sent to registered users.  If your interested you can visit http://newsletter.baron-co.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.home&id=10 to view those articles.  To sign up go to www.aquatechnex.com and  click on the Customer Service Center.  Thanks.