Steve,

The gates were opened on Bistineau this morning by DOTD. The plan is
to lower the lake 2” to 3” per day until it is seven feet below normal
pool. We will then monitor the salvinia that is stranded and allowed
to desiccate, once the majority of the stranded salvinia is dead we may
close the gates and allow the lake to fill up a couple of feet in order
to let the remaining vegetation drift over areas that can be dewatered,
then open the gates again in order to allow as much of the salvinia as
possible to strand and dry out during the drawdown cycle. Herbicide
applications will continue through the drawdown period in areas which
can be accessed by boat and additional crews may be brought in from
other areas of the state if necessary.

Foliar herbicide applications by District 1 spray crews have been
ongoing on Bistineau and other lakes in the district for salvinia
control. I currently have 5 employees assigned to spray duties and
should be hiring 3 more in the next couple of weeks. This will give me
4 fulltime spray crews for District 1. The process has been initiated
to create 4 additional positions on 1 year job appointments which
will bring the total to 6 spray crews for this district.

The lower end of Bistineau is looking much better than it has in a
while, but the upper end has a serious salvinia problem despite ongoing
herbicide applications. Hopefully the drawdown will bring some relief
as much of this area will be dry during the drawdown.

We have been constructing floating weevil enclosures and stocking the
weevil infested salvinia into these enclosures on the lake. We will
also be moving the weevil infested salvinia from our original
enclosures to other areas of the lake which are difficult to spray and
will harbor salvinia through the drawdown. We are seeing good number
of weevils in our samples taken from the enclosures and also noting
damage to the plants.

James Seales 7-15-08
Fisheries Biologist Manager - District 1

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Steve,

From what I understand the weevil population at the location in Gheens
Louisiana has not increased to the point of where there are significant
numbers of weevils to harvest and transport this material at this time.

My personnel have been involved in moving the weevil infested salvinia
in enclosures on the lake to other areas of Bistineau at this time,
including floating enclosures which are designed to fluctuate with the
water levels and sustain the weevils during a drawdown.  We also plan on
transporting additional weevil infested salvinia from Toledo Bend this
summer to Bistineau and other lakes where the salvinia infestation has
become bad enough to justify stocking the weevil infested salvinia and
have areas such as Bistineau that are not accessible for herbicide
applications.

We are continuing to spray on Bistineau with crews from District 1.

James Seales 5-28-08
Fisheries Biologist Manager - District 1

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries

---

What's happening with the weevil plan previously scheduled for June '08?

Steve J. Shows 5-21-08

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Steve,

Crews from District 1 are continuing to make foliar herbicide applications to giant salvinia on Bistineau as well as other lakes in the district. We are utilizing help from other districts as it becomes available, but currently most of the spray personnel are tied up with problems in their own areas.

The next big step will be the drawdown. We plan on lowering the lake 7 feet beginning July 15. The plan is to dewater the lake a little slower than we had done in the past in an attempt to let the salvinia settle out in place and strand and dry out rather than being pulled out to the remaining open water areas with the current. Once it appears that majority of the salvinia that is stranded has dried out and is no longer viable, then we will close the gates and allow the lake to refill enough to let the salvinia remaining in the open water areas and sloughs spread out over the shallow areas and then dewater the lake again hoping to strand even more of the salvinia and allow it to dry out and die. We may repeat the process more than once during the drawdown period if conditions warrant and the plan proves to be effective. The gates will be closed January 30, 2009 and the lake allowed to refill.

If significant amounts of giant salvinia are present in the channel and other open water areas accessible by boat during the drawdown, foliar herbicide applications will be made in those areas. Crews may be brought in from other areas of the state if the situation warrants the extra effort.

James Seales 5-21-08
Fisheries Biologist Manager - District 1
Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries
1401 Talton St.
Minden, LA 71055

---

James,

I know the gates are partially opened...When may I expect to
receive information on the other very important questions?

Steve J. Shows 5-21-08

---

Has DOTD reopened the gates? As I'm sure you know the lake is 2 feet
over the spillway level!
Also, any plans developed for future spraying activity? or, what's
next? What will be done about water/salvinia trapped in sloughs
depressions as the lake level is reduced by 7 feet? How long will lake
be down?
 
Steve J. Shows 5-16-08

---

Steve,

We were able to spray every day except on Thursday. As I indicated in
the e-mail that I responded to yesterday it will be at least a week to
10 days before there is any noticeable effect on the giant salvinia and
even longer to see the total effect of the herbicide application. We
cannot make any assessments of the effectiveness of the applications
until the plants start showing the effects of the herbicide application.

James Seales 4-15-08
Fisheries Biologist Manager - District 1

---

Hello James,

How many days were you able to spray? I know Thursday was a loss!
Overall assessment of effectiveness?

Steve J. Shows 4-15-08

---

We were spraying Aquamaster last week, this is a glyphosate herbicide
and it will take at least a week to 10 days to start seeing results on the giant salvinia.

James Seales 4-14-08
Fisheries Biologist Manager - District 1

---

Hello James,

Please see the forwarded emails and please provide your
comments so that we can pass along to a "satisfied" customer

Steve J. Shows 4-14-08

---

Everything is on go for the herbicide applications planned for next
week – April 7 – 11. We will have crews arriving in stages beginning
Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. and continuing through noon, depending on
where the crews are coming from. They will then be led by one of the
District 1 personnel to their assigned work area. We have flagged off
the lake into sections to facilitate keeping up with the crews and
avoid duplication of efforts. The crews will be reassigned on an as
needed basis to different sections via their group leader.

Please understand that this will need to be a very flexible and fluid
plan that can not be charted out ahead of time due to the way the
salvinia is moving due to changes in the wind and water currents in the
lake. I will be glad to try to point you in the right direction to get
some pictures for the web site, but it will take some communication
either the day before or perhaps even during the day you plan on trying
to get the pictures. If you will provide some contact numbers for me I
will try to let you know when we will be spraying in an area that it
may be easy to get some pictures. Otherwise, with 17 crews out on the
lake it shouldn’t be too hard to find a crew if you get out and motor
around some, just please try not to travel too much through salvinia
that has been sprayed as the herbicide may be washed off as you pass
through the plants. The crews will be spread out all over the lake so
I would not expect to get more than one crew spraying at a time in a
picture.

I have been in contact with DOTD concerning the repairs to the
headcutting problem in the outflow channel and they indicated that the
bid has been let. They will need to hold the lake approximately 1 foot
below normal pool to facilitate the work and the gates have been opened
to allow the lake to slowly dewater to that level. They anticipate the
work getting started in 4 to 6 weeks and hopefully finished by the
first part of June.

James Seales 4-4-08
Fisheries Biologist Manager - District 1

---

Steve,

There are three launches that remain usable during a drawdown, Grice's, Port of Bistineau, and the Webster Parish Public Launch on Dorcheat.  We will utilize these launches for herbicide applications during a drawdown.

The last time I talked to DOTD they indicated that a temporary repair to the headcutting problem should be in place by the end of May, or first part of June.I have not spoken with the in the last couple of weeks to see where they stood with this, but was told that once work begins it should not take long for it tobe completed.

We have held interviews and recommended candidates for some of the vacancies.  I have not heard anything back from this yet, but expect to gain approval soon.

It looks as if we will be getting one additional crew transferred up here (vacant positions), so we will be posting fliers and those positions should beopened to accept applications after allowing for sufficient time for people to become aware of all the steps they must take to be considered for the
positions. You may want to point this out on your web site and have any interested parties contact me for more information.

We have everything ready for the herbicide applications which were initially planned for the next week (March 31 - April 4), but we have postponed due to predicted weather conditions and plan on moving this back a week to April 7-11,of course this is tentative and dependent on weather.

James Seales 3-27-08
Fisheries Biologist Manager - District 1
Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries

---

Hello James,

I was thinking about the potential for lake lowering and
continuation of herbicide application after the lowering....how do you
plan to launch the spray boats since all launches (that I know of) will
not provide for water access? Also, I drove over the dam this weekend
and observed the "cut" that needs to be repaired before the lake is
lowered and observed there is no action underway...it seems to me this
is going to be a protracted activity simply getting rock and equipment
to the "cut" ! Your thoughts/comments? How is the employment process
going? Is the major herbicide application still scheduled for early
April?

Steve J. Shows 3-25-08

---

Steve,

We are hoping to have 19 crews on the lake at one time, but not sure if
all of them will be able to be here due to the obvious problems associated with coordinating this many people (illness, family matters, etc.)

James Seales 3-18-08
Fisheries Biologist Manager - District 1

---

James,

Are you able to estimate the number of crew boats that will be
involved in this attack?
 
Steve J. Shows 3-18-08

---

James,

Thanks very much that is indeed very good news and we look
forward to the rewards associated with this increased work force.  Steve

Steve J. Shows 3-13-08

---

Steve,

There is finally some good news to report to the people concerned about
the giant salvinia problem on Lake Bistineau. Just today we have
received permission to schedule interviews and begin the process of
filling the vacant sprayer positions. I am moving ahead with this as
fast as possible.

We are also planning on bringing sprayers in from all over the state
for 2 weeks in April to try and knock the giant salvinia back. We will
bring all the crews in the state in for a week, then wait 2 weeks and
get them back. Hopefully this will put a dent in the salvinia and
check its growth somewhat. We are in the process of marking the lake
with various colors of flagging tape in order to help keep the crews in
the proper areas each day.

The District 1 crew has not been on Bistineau as much the last 2 weeks
as they have been previously as other lakes in the District are in need
of attention, particularly from keeping small infestations of giant
salvinia from expanding greatly in coverage, and last week one of the
spray crew members was at a herbicide application training and
certification course. The District 1 crew should be on Bistineau
tomorrow near the state park, weather permitting.

We are also starting to place floating weevil enclosures in areas of
the lake with sufficient water depth to sustain the weevils through a
drawdown, and plan on a major effort to relocate weevils during June.

James Seales 3-13-08
Fisheries Biologist Manager - District 1
Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries

---

Steve,

Herbicide applications by the District 1 spray crew on Lake Bistineau
have and continue to be ongoing. No word as yet on filling our 4
vacant positions.

We have been working on a prototype floating weevil enclosure that will
fluctuate with the water level and allow the weevil nursery areas to be
sustained during a drawdown. We have one on the water and hope to
place another with some slight modifications which will hopefully
improve the function and allow for easier deployment either later this
week or next week. We will then begin moving some of the weevil
infested material from the existing enclosures on Bistineau to
establish colonies in the new areas. Current plans are for a major
effort to stock weevils in Bistineau and other lakes with a salvinia
problem in June. We will be moving this material to floating
enclosures and protected areas with sufficient water depth to remain
inundated during a drawdown.

James Seales
Fisheries Biologist Manager - District 1
Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries 2-26-08

---

Steve,

Hopefully I can provide answers to some of the questions that have come up recently.

1. At this time no exemption to the hiring freeze has been granted.  It is my understanding that the paperwork requesting the exemption has been completed at the Division level and is currently under Departmental review prior to a formal request for an exemption being made.  As we have mentioned earlier we have no idea how long this process will take and it is very unfortunate as we would have been interviewing at this time for the vacant positions.
    

2. We are still in the process of discussing and researching the benefits of and timing for a drawdown for salvinia control.  I have been in contact with Don Maddux at DOTD and he feels fairly comfortable that a temporary fix to the headcutting problem will be in place by June 1.  He has indicated that after that we should have the go ahead for a drawdown.  Serious consideration is being given to a midsummer start date such as the July 15 start date we utilized for the drawdowns in 2004 and 2005 that proved to be very successful in drying out the lake bed and allowing the organic matter to dry and decompose.  Fall – winter drawdowns that have occurred in the past have not been successful in allowing the lake bed to dry, which will be a very important factor in controlling the giant salvinia.  The methodology may be different than in past drawdowns as the goal is to strand as much salvinia as possible on the lake bed and allow the plants to dry and desiccate.  Depending on the amount of salvinia remaining in the lake, the gates may be closed partway through the drawdown to allow the remaining salvinia to be blown out of the channel and deeper parts of the lake into shallower areas where the lake could be slowly dewatered again stranding even more salvinia.

Herbicide applications would continue to the extent possible during the drawdown, especially in the deeper water areas that could be accessed by boat.

3. We are still finding significant amount of salvinia on the lake, the apparent lessening which you described is most likely due to the wind blowing the plants to other areas of the lake.  I have not been down to the spillway since the last rain event to see how much has gone over the spillway.  We did see some frost damage to the salvinia in the exposed areas thus far this winter, which along with the high water may have impacted the levels on the lake somewhat. 
    

4. A fisheries biologist from District 1 checked the weevil plots today and it was confirmed that at least some of the weevil population has withstood the low temperatures thus far this winter.
    

5. The spray crew has spent the majority of their time on Lake Bistineau thus far this year, with only one crew and the visible frost damage it is difficult to spot where they have been spraying.  The District 1 crew has been making applications in the Clark’s Bayou, Mill Creek, State Park areas, and the upper end of the lake in the past couple of weeks.  Plans call for continued applications this week and for the foreseeable future on Bistineau.