Loading...
INFORMATION #1 05-15-2000'~ity of Memorandum iver FROM: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL STEPHEN ROHLF, BUILDING AND ZONING ADMINISTRATOR DATE: MAY 15, 2000 ~'j~,. SUBJECT: LAKE ORONO WATER QUALITY TASK FORCE UPDATE Staff's second meeting with the newly formed Lake Orono Water Quality Task Force will be held on May 10, 2000. The Task Force will be looking at a multitude of water quality issues in the city, not just those issues that affect the lake. They will also be coordinating with other associated groups such as: The Minnesota Lakes Association, DNR, Sherburne County Water Plan Committee, Elk River Watershed Board, Sherburne County Soil and Water Conservation District, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, Sherburne County Commissioners, and local civic groups. Because of timing, staff anticipates that the first issue the Task Force will deal with is geese, specifically problems cause by their over abundance. At some future meeting, staff will come back to the Council with a recommendation regarding geese. The following discussion outlines the options for reducing goose numbers that will be discussed by the Task Force at their May 10th meeting: DISTURBING NESTS Typically the eggs are punctured and left in the nest. If the eggs are removed from the nest or smashed the geese will lay another clutch. It is too late to get a permit from the DNR for disturbing nests this year. The permitting process needs to be started in January or early February at the latest. The DNR indicated that this option tends to be the most politically sensitive and discourages it. TRAPPING Professor Jim Copper of the University of Minnesota was contacted regarding the trapping option for reducing the number of geese in Elk River. It cost between $1,000 and $1,200 per each 100 geese removed, depending on logistics. The adults are butchered and donated to local food shelves. This year there is still a place in Iowa that wants the young. Dr. Cooper takes care of all the details including DNR permits, processing the adults, etc. Dr. Copper is willing to add Elk River to his list of removal sites in 2000. Volunteers (logically from the Water Quality Task Force) will be needed to do a count of our goose population in late May or early June, so that Dr. Copper can plan his logistics and give a 13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425 more accurate estimate of the total cost. Orono Beach and Lions Park are both logical trapping sites. Staff anticipates the Task Force requesting funds from the City Council to conduct this trapping. Staff will also recommend to the Task Force that they try to solicit funds form other groups. The Lions are a logical group to ask for money, because of the problem the geese pose in Lions Park. Dr. Copper indicated that geese can have a significant influence on the amount of phosphorus in a water body, grazing on grass and depositing their feces in the water. He also indicated that, although studies are being conducted in New Jersey on the subject, a direct link between geese feces and pathogens that inflict people has not been found. To learn more about the subject of geese, access Dr. Coppers web-site at www.fw, umn.edu under "Extension". HUNTING Tom Zerwas, Elk River Police Chief, will be at Task Force's meeting on May 10th to discuss the hunting option for reducing the number of geese. There is a statewide early goose season. The city does not need special permission from the DNR to participate. The real issue with this option is where to allow hunting, which is a City Council decision. Currently, the early goose season does not allow hunting over water, to avoid conflicts with other recreational uses. Dr. Copper encourages this option is used along with trapping.