June 2021 CLWA emails

Hey Dave!

Thanks for your patience, took us a little longer to hash this out.

Anne and I have discussed the Saturday meeting. We can agree to two applications of herbicide this summer if CLWA's "wait and see" approach is replaced with a comprehensive long term strategy (5 years) to insure that the proposed 2021 herbicide applications are the only applications ever needed. We can provide volunteer and fundraising support to help accomplish this outcome. Ideally, herbicide applications at Beulah beach only and DASH operations everywhere else, eg public boat launches. Whether or not CLWA's board passes a resolution clarifying the organization's perspective on herbicides and EWM, let's figure out if a DASH component is possible for the other locations - budget and scheduling. I'd be happy to assist with outreach to DASH contractors.

I've included a publication from New Hampshire's Toxic Action Center that Anne found. NH lakes and ponds have been dealing with EWM for a decade longer than Michigan has. She suggests checking out the case studies on pages 9-12. I suggest the warnings about herbicides on page 4 and then from page 20 on.

CHEMICAL-FREE-LAKES


Here is a draft resolution that CLWA's board can consider and perhaps adopt. We can certainly hash this out further, Crystal Lake Community is by no means trying to dictate policy to the CLWA, but rather offer another perspective that might fit into a broader interpretation of CLWA's mission. In my opinion, adoption would significantly expand CLWA’s support.

Let's discuss on the phone or in person,

Dan Kelly
231 882-0460

Draft resolution for CLWA

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We recognize that herbicides have detrimental effects for wild ecosystems and human health. Some of the health hazards of herbicides are known and others are only suspected. Poisons once deemed "safe" such as DDT and glyphosate (Roundup) have proved to be highly problematic, contrary to the claims of manufacturers and even government regulators. Use of herbicides is recognized as a tradeoff - possible human health risks, possible hybridization of EWM in exchange for immediate die back of current EWM infestation.

Because of the risks to health, herbicides are not appropriate as a long term (multi-year) control strategy. Other techniques such as DASH (diver assisted suction harvesting) will be added to CLWA's 2021 EWM control plan, with the goal of implementing effective, sustainable, chemical-free ongoing management of EWM starting in 2022. Volunteer divers will accompany professional crews in 2021 and report back about the feasibility of building / purchasing a DASH boat for Crystal Lake and training of divers and operators to insure DASH is cost effective going forward.

Herbicide applications by private riparians could have many undesirable outcomes, and might open those riparians up to legal liability.  The CLWA herbicide strategy has been thoroughly researched, will involve professionals and special equipment and includes before and after monitoring following scientific principles and full transparency. The CLWA plan is preferable to ad hoc herbicide applications by individual riparians, especially when followed up by DASH in 2022.

A significant factor adding to the problem on Beulah beach is effluent from Cold Creek. Any long term EWM solution will involve a initiating a collaborative effort by all municipalities and residents of those municipalities within the watershed to help the Village of Beulah permanently remediate this legacy problem.

CLWA is committed to creating comprehensive awareness and consent from all landowners within the Crystal Lake watershed for future proposed remediation plans for Crystal Lake. Comprehensive awareness is defined as having 75% of land owners within the watershed (statistical sample) being familiar with remediation plans, samples being gathered through direct mailings, phone calls and possibly door to door interviews.

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