WARNING

On August 29, 2023, part of Lake Arrowhead will be treated with herbicide to control the growth of Variable water-milfoil (Myriophyllum heterophyllum), an invasive aquatic plant.

Herbicide Applied: florpyrauxifen-benzyl (Trade name: ProcellaCOR_TM EC)

Certified Applicator: SOLitude Lake Management® 

590 Lake Street, Shrewsbury, MA 01545, tel. (866) 480-1271

 

The following water use restrictions on the ProcellaCOR_TM EC label apply to the treatment area:

• Do not use lake water for hydroponic, greenhouse or nursery irrigation before contacting Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP, see contact information below) to confirm the herbicide has dissipated
• Do not use lake water for any residential or non-agricultural irrigation (such as shoreline property use for irrigation of residential landscape plants and homeowner gardens, golf course irrigation, and non-residential property irrigation around business or industrial properties) for 3 days following treatment. Turf may be irrigated immediately after the treatment.

There is no label restriction on recreational uses, including swimming, but Maine DEP advises against swimming and boating in the treatment area on August 29, 2023 as an added safety precaution.

Map showing areas to be treated:

 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

 John McPhedran, Biologist                                               

Maine Department of Environmental Protection

(207) 215-9863; [email protected]

August 22, 2023

To: LAC and LACC Members

RE: DEP Update: ProcellaCOR is slated for Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Hello Folks:

I’ve been in contact with the DEP the past week regarding the second herbicide treatment schedule for Lake Arrowhead to treat the Variable Leaf Milfoil infestation.  We’ve come to an agreement on the area to be treated along with a price that LACC can afford to pay from funds that have been raised through our fund raisers and membership donations.

The map attached highlights the area to be treated.  As stated by the DEP’s John McPhedran “The objective of the treatment is to knock-back growth of Myriophyllum heterophyllum in an area where manual removal has been very challenging.  Reduced growth here will reduce fragments coming from the area around Brown Brook inlet into the rest of the lake.  There is potential for treating adjacent areas in subsequent years under a revised management plan.”

LACC would like to have treated to the area where the Naiad treatment began in July, effectively linking the areas.  Unfortunately, the cost to do this was 120K.  This is why we now have the revised area in yellow on the map.  The DEP noted in correspondence, “As this treatment is management of an existing established infestation, LACC is paying for the treatment. The approximate cost of the treatment including herbicide concentration analyses is $55,600.  The contract for treatment services is between DEP and Solitude Lake Management.  DEP will initially pay for the treatment and will execute a MOU through which LACC will reimburse DEP for treatment and herbicide analyses.”

As with the Naiad treatment, the DEP will be sending notices to the abutters of the area to be treated.

I will be posting the DEP notices at LAC Beaches along Leisure Lane that are in the treatment zone along with both boat ramps contained with this note.

Future treatments of milfoil in other areas of the lake will also need to be funded by LACC.  As we look to expand fundraising activities to raise these dollars, we look to you our members to help us with creative ways to reach our goals and continue our DASH program.

See you on the lake.

Mike Fitzpatrick

VP-LAC

 

New law impacting boaters, paddlers, anglers, and any other watercraft users: 

To reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species in Maine, a law was passed by Maine Legislature that requires boaters to take specific actions to encourage water to drain from their watercraft prior to entering a water body or leaving a launch site (PUBLIC LAW 2023 CHAPTER 190). Aquatic invasive species are any fish, wildlife, or plant species that spreads to a water body where they do not naturally occur. These species are often transferred to new locations on watercraft, watercraft trailers, and other equipment associated with water recreation, and they impact the health of our waters, fish, and wildlife.

Effective June 16, 2023, boaters are now required to do the following:

• Prior to entering a water body and when preparing to leave launch sites, boaters are required to remove or open any devices designed for routine removal/opening (for example, hull drain plugs, bailers, live wells, ballast tanks) to encourage draining of areas containing water (excluding live bait containers). This must be done in a way that does not allow drained water to enter any inland water of the state.

This puts into law what the Clean, Drain, Dry educational and outreach campaign has already been encouraging boaters to do. By ensuring that all boaters are draining water when it is from a different source than the inland water body they are about to enter, the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species including some that are not always visible by eye, to new areas is drastically reduced. Similar laws are already in effect in more than 20 other states, including neighboring New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. This law will limit the spread of aquatic invasive species we already have in Maine while proactively limiting potential for the introduction of aquatic invasive species that would be new to the state such as quagga mussels and the spiny water flea.

Learn More   Emerging threat! Zebra Mussel infestations in nearby New Brunswick and Quebec are a threat to our Maine waterways! Invasive Zebra mussels have been found within the Saint John River drainage in both Quebec and New Brunswick, with the nearest visual confirmations less than 30 miles away from the Maine/Canada border and even closer potential infestations in the Madawaska River. This places the Saint John River at high risk for infestation and as a potential source for transport on watercraft of zebra mussels into other Maine water bodies. Zebra mussels have not yet been confirmed in any water of the state of Maine but represent a high threat level to the health of our waters, fish, and wildlife. Zebra mussel infestations result in irreversible negative impacts on native species and water body systems and are nearly impossible to eradicate once introduced. Zebra mussels filter and hold a substantial amount of important food and nutrients that native organisms require, negatively impacting all native fish and wildlife in the water body. In addition to significantly impacting our wildlife, and unlike our native mussels, zebra mussels attach to hard surfaces in the water, including watercraft, pipes (which can clog intake/outflow), rocks, docks, and even native mussels. Zebra mussel larvae are microscopic, making it imperative all outdoor enthusiasts use extreme caution to limit the spread. Help limit the spread of zebra mussels! Always practice standard clean, drain, dry recommendations and laws for watercraft. Allowing watercraft and all gear to dry thoroughly between water bodies is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of these microscopic zebra mussel larvae. This drying should occur for multiple days (2-5 days) when possible.

 

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