Aquatic & Hydrology Committee Report May, 2012
Aquatic Vegetation Management Committee
Project Team: Michael Waghorn (Team Leader), Andres Peenka, Robert Hardy, and Stephanie Boutsikakis
The warm water temperatures enabled us to start early this year. After a successful bidding process, the contract to service the treatment of the invasive aquatic plants was awarded to Stantec, Inc.
Stantec’s pretreatment survey on April 2nd determined that up to 55 acres of waterway would be treated for the Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) and Curly-Leaf Pond (CLP) invasive plant species and that up to 70 additional acres of treatment was necessary to manage navigational/recreational areas. There was no evidence of EWM and CLP in Tichigan Lake indicating that previous efforts were successful. However, substantial invasive species growth was found in the bays off of the Fox River . The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) endorsed the plan and awarded the permit on April 24th and the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) treatment was completed on April 26th. The first treatment for nuisance vegetation overgrowth of navigational/recreational areas will occur May 21st.
Control of the aquatic plant growth has been a very challenging effort for the past three years, due to a few obstacles: flooding, dam drawdown, and warmer than normal temperatures. Our patience is required. With this said, we are hopeful that the situation will improve. The board is behind this effort increasing the budget 30% this year to $70,000.
Aquatic & Hydrology Committee Reports April 28, 2012
Aquatic Vegetation Management Committee
Project Team: Mike Waghorn, Robert Hardy, Andres Peeknes, John Bostrom
Report by committee member Mike Waghorn
Hydrology: Eco-System Restoration Project Team:
Don Baron, Paul Kling, Jim Pindel, Andres Peeknes, John Bostrom, Dick Kosit
- Graef USA engineering met with DNR project team to develop the test site plan
During March and April
Submitted our expanded area mapping plan to DNR
DNR reviewed and provided initial test sampling site request
Graef submitted alternative sampling approach to save $12,000 to $15,000.
Negotiation discussion with DNR who was receptacle to plan adjustments
Received test sampling plan from Graef 4/18 for team review.
- Graef invoices submitted through February included extra services charges for expanded Services provided, documented at $2846.00
Additional work was justified by the project team as work completed, however going forward Graef will need to advise prior to any extra service cost accumulation.
Request provide amendment to the original agreement to cover estimated $4000. Cost
Respectfully,
John Bostrom
Project Team Leader
Aquatic & Hydrology Committee Report February 11, 2012
Hydrology: Eco-System Restoration Committee
ESR Project Team,
Jim Pindel, Don Baron, Andres Peeknes, Paul Kling & John Bostrom, Team Leader
Dick Kosut advised his retirement from the ESR project team effective end of January. • Graef USA. our professional engineering firm (PEF), has assembled field data to complete the first draft of preliminary dredging application and has provided the document to the WDNR.
• Discussions with WDNR project team began to confirm application content and Graef confirmed the necessary elements are included in contents to allow WDNR to begin review.
• USACOE (ARMY Corps of Engineers) will be part of regulatory review approval team.
• WDNR water specialist team will provide initial sediment testing plan requirements in 30 – 45 days after the preliminary dredge application is signed by WDNR management.
• Discussions will continue with Graef and WDNR to identify land fill sites to store sediment soils, depending on elements identified within the sediment.
• Test reports of sediment samples will provide information on approved storage methods.
• Gift finance funding sub-committee – no report
• Grant finance funding sub-committee – no report
Project work is now on hold pending WDNR application approval, gathering field test samples when weather permits and obtaining sediment test reports from core samples.
Aquatic Vegetation Management
--the WWMD Aquatic Plant Management sub-committee has accepted two volunteer owners to serve on the committee and nominate Robert Hardy, past Commissioner and Chairman, along with Commissioner Andres Peeknes, for confirmation by the WWMD Commission.
--Commissioner Bostrom initiated contact with engineering firm Crispell-Snyder, engineer firm (C-S) who has provided bidding services to WWMD for several years.
--C-S will provide legal notices in publications to seek bids, provide bid packages to certified chemical herbicide applicators to bid on our aquatic plant control for 2012.
--Confirmed agreement with C-S to provide Aquatic Plant Management bid advertising, bid acceptance and bid reviews that meet the State of Wisconsin legal requirements for
bid processing. C-S service contract fees remain at the same amount of $1500.
--C-S will place advertising for bids in two successive legal notice advertisements during the next two weeks, receive bids as advertised, attend bid opening at 2:00 PM on 3/2/12.
--The WDNR advises there are a total of six (6) certified applicators in their records in Wisconsin. The APM team will contact them all to request bids for this service.
Aquatic & Hydrology Committee Report January 18, 2012
Hydrology: Eco-System Restoration Committee
ESR Project Team,
Jim Pindel, Don Baron, Andres Peeknes, Paul Kling & John Bostrom, Team Leader
Dick Kosut advised his retirement from the ESR project team effective end of January.
• Graef USA. our professional engineering firm (PEF), has assembled field data to complete the first draft of preliminary dredging application and has provided the document to the WDNR.
• Discussions with WDNR project team began to confirm application content and Graef confirmed the necessary elements are included in contents to allow WDNR to begin review.
• USACOE (ARMY Corps of Engineers) will be part of regulatory review approval team.
• WDNR water specialist team will provide initial sediment testing plan requirements in 30 – 45 days after the preliminary dredge application is signed by WDNR management.
• Discussions will continue with Graef and WDNR to identify land fill sites to store sediment soils, depending on elements identified within the sediment.
• Test reports of sediment samples will provide information on approved storage methods.
• Gift finance funding sub-committee – no report
• Grant finance funding sub-committee – no report
Project work is now on hold pending WDNR application approval, gathering field test samples when weather permits and obtaining sediment test reports from core samples.
Aquatic Vegetation Management
No current activity
2012 planning will begin this month
Aquatic & Hydrology Committee Report November 14, 2011
Hydrology: Eco-System Restoration Committee
ESR Project Team, Dick Kosut, Jim Pindel, Don Baron, Andres Peeknes & John Bostrom, Team Leader
The GIS sediment mapping services contracted for with SEWRPC earlier this year are completed and they have delivered the initial sediment volume estimates along with transect maps of the navigational areas measured; information required to obtain a sediment core sample plan from the WDNR.
Graef USA, our professional engineering firm (PEF) began meetings with SEWRPC members to obtain data, began discussions with the WDNR project leader to develop the initial engineering plans and submittals to the WDNR project team.
WDNR project team leader has assembled their project working team, who are auditing sediment data and reviewing the waterways essential attributes to provide oversight required to approve to then issue the initial dredge permit in 2012.
ESR team has approved purchase of a non-motored, pontoon boat deck for project use for $200.· Gift finance funding sub-committee – no report
Grant finance funding sub-committee – no report
Our thanks and appreciation to the ESR project team members for the many, many hours they have volunteered since our ESR team was assembled by Chairman Kosut early in 2009 to now reach this project’s progress milestone. Prior to this teams’ effort the WDNR had no intention to consider any dredge project, until they were provided the information needed to assess our current state, to then understand our need for restoration.
Many thanks as well to all those previous waterway commissioners, for their selfless volunteering of their time year after year, planning the many waterway district’s improvements to mitigate surface areas and runoff, manage the district to improve to make this current phase a reality. Never before has so few advanced so far.
Aquatic Vegetation Management
No current activity
2012 planning will begin in January