03-11-2010, 12:10 PM
Citizens will have the opportunity Thursday, March 25, to learn about the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposal to designate western Minnesota's Simon Lake as the state's 45th wildlife management lake.
The special designation allows the DNR to conduct work designed to improve the quality of habitat and increase the quantity of ducks.
The informational meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Lakeside Ballroom, 180 South Lakeshore Drive, in Glenwood.
Simon Lake is a 569-acre shallow basin located near Terrace in the southeast corner of Pope County and the northwest corner of Swift County. Historical reports suggest that large numbers of canvasbacks and other diving ducks stopped at the lake during spring and fall migrations.
But turbid water, limited submerged aquatic vegetation and the presence of undesirable fish have resulted in the lake being in poor condition since the late 1980s. The DNR hopes to improve waterfowl habitat and water quality with a temporary partial drawdown of the lake, which has a maximum depth of 6.3 feet.
Drawdowns are a common management tool for improving water quality and habitat conditions in shallow lakes. A drawdown involves temporarily lowering the water level of a lake to consolidate bottom sediments, encourage aquatic vegetation growth and reduce undesirable fish populations.
The proposed drawdown on Simon Lake would occur during the winter months to facilitate winterkill of fish populations. The fish population in Simon Lake is dominated by black bullheads, common carp and fathead minnows, all of which have negative impacts on water clarity, aquatic vegetation and invertebrate populations. The DNR may also consider using a fish toxicant to eliminate undesirable fish populations during the drawdown period.
Proposed management options will be presented at the public information meeting along with information on the wildlife management lake designation process. A lake management plan would be developed if there is public support for the proposed management options. A formal public hearing for wildlife management lake status would be conducted after the lake management plan is completed.
All those interested are invited to attend the public information meeting and to provide comments concerning the proposed management options. Written comments will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on April 26. Comments and questions should be submitted to Kevin Kotts, Area Wildlife supervisor, (kevin.kotts@dnr.state.mn.us) or Todd Call, Wildlife Lakes specialist, (todd.call@state.mn.us) at the Glenwood Area Wildlife Office, 23070 N. Lakeshore Drive, Glenwood, MN 56334, or call 320-634-0342.
The special designation allows the DNR to conduct work designed to improve the quality of habitat and increase the quantity of ducks.
The informational meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Lakeside Ballroom, 180 South Lakeshore Drive, in Glenwood.
Simon Lake is a 569-acre shallow basin located near Terrace in the southeast corner of Pope County and the northwest corner of Swift County. Historical reports suggest that large numbers of canvasbacks and other diving ducks stopped at the lake during spring and fall migrations.
But turbid water, limited submerged aquatic vegetation and the presence of undesirable fish have resulted in the lake being in poor condition since the late 1980s. The DNR hopes to improve waterfowl habitat and water quality with a temporary partial drawdown of the lake, which has a maximum depth of 6.3 feet.
Drawdowns are a common management tool for improving water quality and habitat conditions in shallow lakes. A drawdown involves temporarily lowering the water level of a lake to consolidate bottom sediments, encourage aquatic vegetation growth and reduce undesirable fish populations.
The proposed drawdown on Simon Lake would occur during the winter months to facilitate winterkill of fish populations. The fish population in Simon Lake is dominated by black bullheads, common carp and fathead minnows, all of which have negative impacts on water clarity, aquatic vegetation and invertebrate populations. The DNR may also consider using a fish toxicant to eliminate undesirable fish populations during the drawdown period.
Proposed management options will be presented at the public information meeting along with information on the wildlife management lake designation process. A lake management plan would be developed if there is public support for the proposed management options. A formal public hearing for wildlife management lake status would be conducted after the lake management plan is completed.
All those interested are invited to attend the public information meeting and to provide comments concerning the proposed management options. Written comments will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on April 26. Comments and questions should be submitted to Kevin Kotts, Area Wildlife supervisor, (kevin.kotts@dnr.state.mn.us) or Todd Call, Wildlife Lakes specialist, (todd.call@state.mn.us) at the Glenwood Area Wildlife Office, 23070 N. Lakeshore Drive, Glenwood, MN 56334, or call 320-634-0342.