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• Without BWT programs, homeowners ramp up their personal treatments dumping more <br />chemicals into the lake, without bay wide effectiveness. <br />• Treating at the homeowner level can be locally effective in the short-term. However, it is <br />ineffective long-term because the weeds drift around (especially when cut!), return and <br />infestations never go away. They keep coming back year after year with a vengeance and <br />areas on the bay that are not treated, grow bigger and thicker. The cycle of AIS infestations <br />continues. Plus, cut weeds drift to neighbors which is not very neighborly— and they <br />propagate next door. <br />• Lake Minnetonka is especially exposed to AIS infestations because it is so heavily used. <br />Boats/trailers transporting AIS from other lakes, enter the lake. Also, the 13 named "bays" <br />are interconnected by channels where weeds float from bay to bay along with boat transfer. <br />BWT Benefits Summary <br />Regulated BWT programs are better than doing nothing collectively for lake health. <br />• Science -based, regulated and applied by licensed professionals at proper times of the <br />year. <br />• Environmentally sound — preserves and promotes native habitat. <br />• Effective when applied correctly and consistently as needed for hotspots over time. <br />• Safe — minimizes BWTs year-to-year, targeting AIS and not harming native plants <br />• Cost effective vs. other types of treatments including individual property owner efforts. <br />• More effective at controlling infestations as some treatments are worse for weed <br />propagation. <br />• Home -owner treatments only are ineffective bay wide. <br />• Minimizes individual property owner treatments that are unmanaged and applied with <br />Limited skill and knowledge. <br />• Reduces overall chemical usage long term. <br />• Recreational use and enjoyment of the lake improved for both property owners and day - <br />users. <br />• Preserves property values. <br />• AIS infestations can be knocked back to almost nothing with annual treatments and staying <br />with a program. This reduces spread, chemicals needed, and ongoing treatment costs. <br />Additional Info on BWTs <br />• The herbicides and treatments are continually evolving, and the U of MN has conducted <br />scientific studies on their effectiveness. The DNR monitors these treatments and <br />effectiveness. <br />269 <br />