Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) & Wild Rice/ Manoomin Kevin Gauthier WDNR Lakes Coordinator

Aquatic Invasive Species Why do we care about AIS? What do we do about impacts? What are the available Management Techniques/Options?

Why Do We Care About AIS? Competition Interactions with Wild Rice Life History Lack of Competition, Predators, Diseases Native Displacement Interactions with Wild Rice

What Do We Do About Impacts? Educate Study/Monitor Prevention/Containment Manage Photograph Credit: Paul Skawinski

Management Techniques Approved for use in Wisconsin: Nothing Hand Pulling Weevils Drawdown Harvest Chemicals

Nothing Advantages: Inexpensive, No chemicals, Permit not required Disadvantages: May allow small populations of AIS to become larger; this can displace native species and become more difficult to control

Hand Pulling Advantages: Inexpensive, May lead to eradication, safe to native species Disadvantages: Ineffective for large dense stands Photograph Credit: Paul Skawinski Photograph Credit: Paul Skawinski

Weevils Advantages: Native weevils, Self-sustaining, Targets milfoils only Disadvantages: Financial expense and weevil effectiveness will vary

Drawdown Advantages: May have less impact to Wild Rice and other emergent species Disadvantages: Timing can negatively impact reptiles, amphibians, or fish; Plants with large seed banks and deeper growing species may become more abundant upon refilling

Harvest Advantages: Immediate removal of plants, Provides fishing and recreational lanes in dense stands Disadvantages: Not selective, may remove small fish or reptiles, Creates fragments that may re-sprout

Chemical Advantages: Some flexibility in certain situations, Can be selective if applied correctly, Has been used for restoration efforts Disadvantages: Possibly toxic to aquatic animals or humans, May kill desirable native species, May cause oxygen depletion

Management Techniques and Required Permits Management Techniques/Options Permit Req’d Nothing NO Hand Pulling Weevils YES Drawdown Harvesting Chemical Treatment

Chemical Permit Process NR 107 application “Any person sponsoring or conducting chemical treatment for the management of aquatic plants or control of other aquatic organisms in waters of the state shall obtain a permit from the department.” WI SS. NR107.02 “The department may require that an application for an aquatic plant management permit contain a plan for the department’s approval as to how the aquatic plants will be introduced, removed, or controlled.” State Statute 23.24(3)(b) Chemical Treatment & Lake Management Plan This permit application has 8 minimum required attributes (e.g., maps, surveys, descriptions, methods) and could require up to 14 different attributes

Department Approved Lake Management Plan Studies These Components: Aquatic Plants Wild Rice Emphasis Water Quality Watershed Shoreland Public Involvement/Education Fisheries AIS Management Strategies Other

AIS Management Strategies Pre and Post Surveys Mapping Chemical Concentration Monitoring Set Management Goals Image Credit: Onterra, LLC

When are Permits Submitted? Upon approval of Lake Management Plan Preferably submitted during the winter

Who is Submitting Permits? Lake Groups Townships Counties Other entities The applicator themselves

What Chemicals are Used? Variable Whole Lake vs. Spot Treatment Contact vs. Systemic Liquid vs. Granular Composition of Aquatic Plants Presence of Wild Rice

Who Reviews Permit? Internal External Lake Managers Fisheries Managers Toxicologists Wildlife Managers Wild Rice Biologists Voigt Intertribal Task Force

When do Treatments Occur? Depends on: State of AIS population Discovery of AIS population Water Temperature Treatment typically before May 31 Early discovery

What is the Current State of AIS & Wild Rice Knowledge? Aquatic Plant Information Wild Rice Mapping AIS Mapping Chemical Concentration Monitoring Image Credit: Onterra, LLC

Wild Rice Occurring in the Same Range as AIS Poses difficulties and requires decisions to be made Need to protect Wild Rice resources Need to combat Aquatic Invasive Species Is there a “Common Ground” on which to take a stand?

Questions?