10-24-2011 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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• MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, October 24, 2011 7:00 o'clock p.m. (9. MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT (MCWD) PRESENTATION, Continued) Lake Minnetonka, there is not much they can do about it at this point in time but that they would like to focus their efforts on preventing it from being spread to the other lakes. The MCWD has been dealing with zebra mussels as well as milfoil, carp, flowering rush and other AIS, which are spreading. The MCWD is conducting an experiment this year to see whether flowering rush can be removed by hand since it is not too wide spread at this point. Spiny waterflea is also an issue in some lakes. Hydrilla is another AIS that could become a problem. Hydrilla is actually worse than milfoil and will eventually be coming to Lake Minnetonka. Evenson stated while Lake Minnetonka is important to protect, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District also has 128 other lakes that they serve. Evenson indicated the MCWD would like to get the input of the City Council on whether the MCWD should be involved in attempting to eradicate AIS from Lake Minnetonka. The effort to deal with AIS will need to be on a long -term basis and will be expensive. The MCWD sees this as a responsibility of the state and the DNR, but the MCWD does not feel the state is allocating adequate resources to deal with the problem at this time nor will they in the future. The state's efforts at the present time are focused on a penalty program and education of the general public. Unfortunately aquatic invasive species are spreading and is expected to increase in the lakes where it is already present. Evenson stated a question has been raised whether the MCWD has the legal authority to deal with AIS, and the answer is, yes, we do. The MCWD has been dealing with carp, has conducted research on a curly loosestrife beetle program, curly leaf pond weed eradication, contributed to LMCD's boat inspection • program, hosted AIS training for police officers, monitored for zebra mussels, and has been working with the DNR on a program during the summer to educate the public on zebra mussels and the movement of AIS. • Currently the MCWD has been working with three lake associations on a pilot inspection program, which is kind of a grass roots effort. The MCWD has been hearing from constituents that they are concerned that not enough is being done on a state level and that they would like to see additional boat inspections. The MCWD is looking at a different option for inspections that would require a boat owner to punch in a code signifying that their boat has been inspected, which would be a more economically viable option than having an inspector assigned to each lake. Evenson stated the MCWD Board has also authorized him to look into a pilot utilizing RFID tags, which could be used in lieu of gates. In addition, the MCWD is moving forward with a major plan amendment. Approximately one year ago the MCWD sent out a minor plan amendment and the Board of Water & Soil Resources sent it back and said it was a major amendment, which put the amendment on hold. The MCWD would like to talk with the lake communities prior to implementing that amendment and get their input. The MCWD would like to try and define the issues and then get the state agencies to concur or not concur. The MCWD has also attempted to get an opinion from the Attorney General's Office but they have been reluctant to issue one on the MCWD's regulatory power. Evenson reiterated the MCWD would like to obtain input from the lake communities on whether they would like the MCWD to move forward on the plan amendment or whether it should be left up to the state to deal with AIS. Due to the extent of the AIS problems, the MCWD will also need the help of the DNR and the LMCD. Page 5 of 19