Luckily, Mother
Nature is
putting a
pounding on the
giant salvina in
Lake Bistineau
with sufficient
cold weather.
As we observed
last year, it
takes several
weeks for the
plants to brown
up and fall-out
from freeze
damage. So,
while giant
salvinia is
still visible we
expect much of
what remains to
dissipate by
early spring.
Last year our
biological staff
estimated that
only an acre of
salvinia
remained by
“green-up” in
early 2010. We
are receiving a
lot of inquiries
for information
about the water
levels in 2011.
Our plan is to
implement water
fluctuations as
the plants begin
to grow and
expand in early
summer. Again,
fluctuating the
water levels is
expected to
strand the
plants and allow
for their
desiccation.
Two conditions
are required for
this method to
have desirable
results. First,
their needs to
be enough water
in the system,
or capacity to
allow for
sufficient water
level lowering
and create
stranding
opportunities.
Our hope is to
fluctuate levels
between pool
stage to minus 4
feet. Secondly,
we need the
plants to be in
areas that are
susceptible to
drying out as a
result of
fluctuating to
lower water
levels. This
method is
expected to
offer the best
method for
controlling
giant salvinia
in the lake
while saving
hundreds of
thousands of
dollars. We of
course will be
spraying aquatic
herbicides
appropriately.
Hopefully we can
use our spraying
efforts to keep
the plants
moving to the
edges and out of
the trees where
matting occurs.
Once the plants
mat in the trees
they tend to
move less and
expand in
coverage. In
short, it’s
impossible to
predict when
we’ll initiate
water level
fluctuations.
Everything will
be based on the
two criteria
mentioned above.
I will be
providing
another update
next week. This
update will
provide
information
about continued
actions and new
initiatives.
I’ll also recap
some of the
things discussed
at the recent
task force
meeting.
Mark
McElroy
Fisheries
Biologist
Go Here to see
communications with the LDWF
If you want your worthy e-mails to be published on this site and
sent to LDWF, please send them to
mike@LakeBistineau.com
I received this very interesting
e-mail from Randy Person that I think deserves attention.
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"I live on the lake and have to deal with this
problem as well as everyone else around here. I'm
going to give you what I believe is the only
solution to our problem. While I believe the people
working on the (hands on) labor aspect of ridding
the lake of the salvinia are doing an admirable
job, the overall plan is flawed. After all, we've
got the government in charge of it. They are trying
to deal with 19 miles of lake. If you had this
stuff in your swimming pool you could get rid of
it. How you ask? Because it is confined to a
manageable area and it can't float away without
hitting a barrier. You could either harvest it or
spray it.
1: The weevils they are putting into the lake are a
waste of time and money. They will never eat up all
the Salvinia. There will always be some left over
and the weevils will starve themselves out without
food and will die off. The salvinia will then
outgrow the remaining weevils left in the lake to
start the cycle all over again.
2: This will only work if the spray actually kills
the plant and not just stunts the growth.
3: Let the lake down to the original channel. Blow
the dam and let nature take care of it. This stuff
cannot hang around in moving water. Yes it will be
expensive to rebuild the dam but look at what we are
spending now.
4: Option 2: Let the lake down as far as
possible. Take 3 booms that will extend all the way
across the lake. Start anywhere you like. String
the booms across the lake dividing it up into 3
sections of manageable size. Allow no fishing
boats to cross the barriers. Take all the spray
boats and harvesters and work one area until it is
completely free of the plants. Let the prevailing
winds help blow the plants into the booms or against
the banks. Do not leave this area until it is
clean. Once clean, move to the next section and do
the same. Once the second area is clear move the
lower boom up the lake to the next manageable
section. Continue on up the lake until all has been
cleared. Making sure to hit all surrounding low
pockets that would hold the plants until the lake
was raised releasing the plants back into the lake.
What they are doing now is just hit or miss. They
spray this area and tomorrow the winds change and
blow the stuff everywhere and the plants take over
the same area again and they think they have already
taken care of it and move onto somewhere else. This
is a total waste of money. The above plans are the
only way to take care of the problem. They are just
trying to bite off more than they can chew when all
they have to do is take smaller bites. Some people
say, well you can't spray around every tree. That's
bull. If you shrink the size of the area enough,
you can. Think of the swimming pool. I have thought
many times about quitting my job and clearing the
lake myself if the gov. would pay me cost plus. I
would retire with a pocket full of money and we
wouldn't have this mess on the lake. Spend the
money to clean it up or let it go. The lake is
terminal as it stands now anyway. There are only the
two ways I listed before to clean it up and that's
it. You might spray it from helicopters but that
will not get it all. Whatever they do I hope they
don't start cutting trees. That's just plain
stupid. How do you clean up a large oil spill?
Answer........ You contain it, vacuum it up and
spray it. Ask any oil spill company. They will
tell you the same thing. As far as the lake being
free flowing. You can cut a new small channel in
the lake bed with a pipeline ditching machine from
one end to the other in just a couple of days. The
natural erosion of the current from the north will
widen it.
I have yet to hear any other plan that made sense.
Have you?
Thanks..........Randy"
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Mike Adkins 7-27-09 Please send your
thoughts to me at Mike@LakeBistineau.com (corrected 7-28-09)
Hello concerned Lake Bistineau web
surfers,
I just received a video link from Mr.
James Young that shows some of the Salvinia coverage from a
"fly-over" go to YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH_2V0H3MYo and see Mr. Young's
Video.
Mike Adkins 7-6-09
As you have noticed the condition of the lake is deteriorating by
the day. The water temperature is perfect for the Salvinia to spread
rapidly. I have gotten many inquiries as the what is being done so I
thought I would send out this letter to tell you what I know.
A meeting was held a couple of weeks ago at LDWF with Mr. James
Seales who is the District Biologist and who has the unenviable task
of trying to control the Salvinia. Attending were Billy Montgomery,
Richey Jackson, Robert Dean, Daryl Fultz, Joel Thomas, Bruce Barr,
John George, Jammie Harrington (representative from Congressman John
Flemmings office) and myself. Mr. Seales laid out in detail what is
currently being done and what LDWF's future plans are for Lake
Bistineau. Honestly the future does not look good if something more
is not done. I think we all left that meeting feeling that Mr.
Seales is doing everything in his power to control this weed but is
VERY limited by money and manpower. It is time for us to take
matters in our own hands and find resources to help LDWF.
Since that meeting there have been many other meetings taking place
in which there has been some intense brainstorming. These meetings
are producing lots of new ideas which are being pursued at this
time. I will tell you that any plan that is going to produce REAL
results is going to cost a lot of money!!!!! Therefore, we are also
searching for ways to fund these plans. Just to give you an idea of
the kind of money we are talking about, the LDWF is currently
spending approximately $24,000 PER WEEK on just chemicals for
spraying on Lake Bistineau. This is not even coming close to keeping
up with the Salvinia...much less controlling it.
We think it is time to contact our Local, State and Federal
Representatives and request their help. As mentioned before, a
representative from Mr. Flemmings office attended the meeting and is
providing some very good information which we hope will help.
Bossier Parish has been very helpful in supplying some of the
chemicals used by LDWF. However, NONE of the other elected officials
or governing bodies seem interested. Lets get them interested!!!!!
I am providing email address for the State Senator and
Representatives for this area. Please take a minute and email them.
Also contact the Webster and Bienville Parish Police Jury. This weed
is already in many lakes in the state and will eventually be in all
of them. This will no longer be the Sportsman's Paradise if it is
not controlled.
Henry Burns -
burnsh@legis.state.la.us
Jean M. Doerge -
larep010@legis.state.la.us
James Fannin -
larep013@legis.state.la.us
Robert Adley -
adleyr@legis.state.la.us
If you have a suggestion for controlling the weed or a idea as to
where we can obtain the much needed funding, please send it to me
and I will forward it on to the proper person.
Petejcamp@aol.com
Pete Camp
6-5-09
Here are a few pictures from
Robby Bookout
5-15-09 "Click" on a
picture for a larger view!
Here is a e-mail from Neel Heaberlin:
5-04-09
Please forward this message to Mr. James Seales.
I recently asked for a chemical cost tracking report on where
the Aquamaster and the Galleon is being sprayed. The lake could
be broken down into 4 or even 2 or 3 parts to show the tracking.
I've been traveling home across the dam and the southern part of
the lake looks like it is in great shape and salvinia free.
There are always LDWF personnel at the boat launch on the east
end of the dam. This has created a weed free show piece for
people to see as they travel along the dam and see what a good
job the spraying is doing. This is all well and good. The only
bad thing is the public can not see, from their vehicles, what
the condition of the lake is from the central to the northern
part on up past Port of Bistineau. These areas are covered. Most
people come to launch their boats and turn around and go home
after they see what they're up against. �I've seen 1 spraycrew
up here in the past 2 years. Attached are pictures of what I saw
this morning. (5/4/09) I'm going to show these pictures to more
interested parties to see if we can't get help on this end of
the lake before it's too late. These pictures were taken from
Blazer Construction's recreation park, Shady Point, south down
the channel. Let's move the work zone on up the lake. Please
keep the people informed of what's going on.
"Click" on a
picture for a larger view!
Neel Heaberlin 5-04-09
JEREMY ALFORD
Capitol Correspondent
Published: Sunday, May 25, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
BATON ROUGE – The Legislature continues to advance new laws that
would allow the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to tackle
invasive aquatic species, which are slowly choking waterways around
the state.
Earlier this week, the budget-drafting House Appropriations
Committee passed legislation to allow the department to start using
money from a special account to pay salaries connected to its
plant-control program.
Under current law, the money being held in the Aquatic Plant Control
Fund can only be used for actual eradication.
But Senate Bill 371 by Sen. Reggie Dupre, D-Bourg, frees up the cash
so the department can make the issue a top priority.
“The control of these aquatic species has become a main concern for
Secretary (Robert) Barham, and the department feels we need to take
this step,” Dupre told lawmakers.
When an invasive or exotic plant enters a new habitat, there is a
possibility it could alter the natural system by competing for
resources.
There are some solutions, but they often require strict oversight
and research.
Locally, officials are considering introducing a special species of
weevil that feeds on salvinia outbreaks, a water weed of sorts that
has a pesky-yet-permanent home in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes.
Aside from hampering boating and fishing opportunities, giant
salvinia forms dense mats on the water’s surface, depriving
everything underneath it of light and oxygen.
The Legislature has taken a strong stance in the ongoing session.
Most recently, the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget
approved an additional $2 million for the department to address the
invasive plants, bringing the program budget to $8.4 million.
“From my perspective, the immediate and most urgent task is dealing
with these invasive aquatic species,” Barham said. “We’re losing
ground, and we have got to ramp up our efforts.”
In a January analysis prepared for Gov. Bobby Jindal, a Republican,
by his wildlife transition team, experts say the “problem needs to
be constantly monitored or it could cripple commercial and
recreational interests.”
Over the last two decades, imported aquatic plants from India and
South America, introduced to the U.S. primarily for use in aquariums
and water gardens, have established a presence in coastal states due
to careless disposal.
The current threats to southern states are now hydrilla, common
salvinia and giant salvinia.
In areas where growth has progressed rapidly, boating, fishing and
hunting have been affected and, in some instances, municipal and
agricultural water supplies are now threatened.
Additionally, property owners on affected waterways have seen
diminished esthetic and property values.
“The department has traditionally treated approximately 40,000 acres
of nuisance vegetation statewide annually, but our biologists
estimate that surface coverage increased 48 percent in 2007 to
735,000 acres,” said Barham. “We must face this problem from the
perspective that it will be a long, challenging battle.”
Dupre’s Senate Bill 371 now heads to the House floor, where it could
receive its final hearing as early as this week.
See The Minden Press-Herald
recent article about Lake Bistineau's Salvinia problem.
http://www.nwlanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8201&Itemid=26
See The Shreveport Times
recent article about Lake Bistineau's Salvinia problem.
http://www.shreveporttimes.com:80/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080306/NEWS01/803060312/1002/NEWS
3-6-08
See The Shreveport Times
recent article about Lake Bistineau's Salvinia problem.
http://www.shreveporttimes.com:80/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080207/NEWS01/802070328
2-7-08
The LDWF has sent us a copy
of the flier that they are posting for sprayer positions.
"Go Here to download the Flier"
11-26-07
Pete Camp and I took these pictures this
morning of the largest Salvinia formation that we have seen this
year in Catfish Pond. "Click on any picture for a larger view"
Catfish Pond is one of the
largest bodies of open water on Lake Bistineau. We hope that we
never see the day that this body of water is completely covered.
-Mike 11-20-07
The following letter was sent to Henry Burns, the newly elected
District 9 State Representative on behalf of our "group".
Good morning District 9 State representative-elect Henry Burns.
Congratulations on your victorious campaign! I am Steve Shows
and along with Pete Camp, we attempt to coordinate concerns of
some 400 people that are united in efforts to assure LDWF
maintains focus and aggressive planning to properly
manage/control giant salvinia, the very invasive, highly
undesirable vegetation that is currently prospering on Lake
Bistineau. You attended the August 21 community meeting at Koran
Baptist Church and heard the rhetoric. Well, Secretary Hammett
has stepped down to campaign for a Senate seat leaving an
"acting" Secretary that will almost certainly be replaced with
someone from the Jindal administration. We believe it is most
important that the new Secretary, LDWF , be someone from N.
Louisiana that will have a major interest in eradication of
giant Salvinia. The lake is fast being overtaken with this
noxious vegetation and soon there wiil not be a Lake Bistineau
as has been enjoyed by generations of families since the late
1930's. This problem must receive increased attention; not just
words!
Also, please periodically review
www.LakeBistineau.com and follow the links concerning giant
Salvinia which include the latest comments from LDWF. There are
also many pics which certainly convey the magnitude of the
problem. We will certainly need your help in continuing to hold
LDWF accountable for the much needed and improved herbicide
spraying and other control techniques. In fact there is data on
the web site wherein Gary Tilyou, the administrator of inland
fisheries for LDWF talks about resources that will be needed in
2008. One of their biggest problems today is the ability to
hire personnel to staff the spray boats. Many alternatives,
such as prison work release and commercial contract sprayers
have been suggested without any known results. EVERYTHING seems
to take an inordinate amount of time!
We thank you for what ,we're sure, will be your support and,
again, congratulations on your successful campaign.
Steve Shows
318 987 2435 Pete Camp
318 469-9986
10-26-07
Here are some pictures
that Pete Camp took before and after LDWF recently sprayed in
Catfish Pond "Click to enlarge" The spray works! These pictures
were taken in approximately the same place. 8-27-07
Before |
After |
I would like to personally thank everyone who attended the
meeting Tuesday night at the Koran Baptist Church. A special
thanks to everyone who made a donation to the church in
appreciation for letting us use their beautiful facility. A
total of $417 was collected and donated to the church. I think
that says alot about the quality of people we have at Lake
Bistineau.
Thanks again,
Pete Camp
Steve Shows 8-24-07
 |
Almost 400
people attended our 1st public meeting about the
Salvinia problem. Channel 3 news was there and we were
the lead news story on the 10PM news.
8-21-07 -Mike |
Bryant Hammett (Secretary of LDWF) |
James Seales (Local District Biologist) |
Don Maddox (DOTD) |
Steve Shows (Lake
Resident & Meeting Organizer) |
Spraying in Catfish Pond (Rodgers Marina area) 8-21-07
 Click
to enlarge.
Pictures that I took 8-12-07
"Click" on any picture for a larger view. -Mike
Bossier Slough |
Spillway Bridge |
Spillway Bridge |
Little Red Chute |
Main Channel |
Pine Cove |
Pine Cove |
Pine Cove Marina |
Teal Slough |
Here is a link to the Shreveport Times
article from August 19th.
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070819/SPORTS06/708190303/1044/SPORTS06
Here is a link to the Shreveport Times
article from June 30th
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070630/NEWS01/706300360/1060/NEWS01
-Mike
You
can get "Reward" (the stuff to kill Salvinia) from:
Red River Specialties
7545 Haygood Rd.
Shreveport, LA 71107
318-425-5944
Click here to see where they are located:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&addtohistory=&address=7545%20Haygood%20Rd&city=Shreveport&state=LA&zipcode=71107%2d3506&country=US&geodiff=1
-Pete 8-10-07
Go to
http://salvinia.er.usgs.gov/ to learn more about the Giant
Salvinia.
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