Inversion Oxygenation and Bio augmentation Reduces Invasive Eurasian Watermilfoil Growth in Four Michigan Inland Lakes Jennifer L. Jermalowicz-Jones Restorative Lake Sciences Restorative Lake Sciences
Austin Lake, Kalamazoo County, MI Lake Volume = 4,408 acre-feet Mean Depth = 4.0 feet Max Depth = 14.0 feet Mean Annual Runoff = 330 acre-feet Mean Annual Pfizer Outputs = 350 acre-feet Mean Annual Inlet Inputs = 724 acre-feet Mean Annual Precip = 3,191 acre-feet Mean Evaporative Losses = 2,600 acre-feet
Austin Lake South Basin System 27 micro-porous ceramic diffusers from Clean-Flo, Inc. ; Installed by Lake-Savers, Inc. 28,500 feet of self-sinking airline Bacteria and enzyme treatments which consist of 50 gallons of Lake Clear bacteria for nitrogen reduction, 200 gallons of Clean and Clear Enzyme as a catalyst for muck reduction, and 200 lbs of Clean-Flo bacteria for muck reduction. On-land components consist of 3 locally-sourced sheds (Lake- Savers ) and 5.4HP compressors along with cooling fans and ventilation.
Percentage of total (n=98) sampling sites 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Austin Lake South Basin EWM Changes due to Aeration + Bio augmentation 16.5 July 2012 (Pre- 5.9 July 2013 (Post- Time 3.9 July 2014 (Post- 0 July 2015 (Post-
Changes in Austin Lake South Basin Sediments before and after Inversion Oxygenation Sediment Sediment Sediment Sediment Sampling OM NH3+ Nitrate + Date (%) (mg/kg) Nitrite (mg/kg) Nov 11, 2010 78.8±11.5 331±97 37.5±59 Nov 13, 2013 72.2±12.7 192±52** 3.5±0.1** Means based on n = 24 sediment samples
Indian Lake, Cass County, MI Surface Area = 499 (acres) Maximum Depth = 28 (ft.) Immediate Watershed Area = 5,445 (acres) Shoreline Development Factor = 1.5 Shoreline Length = 4.84 (miles) Fetch = 1.41 (miles)
100 90 Indian Lake EWM Changes due to Aeration + Bio augmentation 87 85 Frequency of sampling sites out of 238 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 June 2012 (Pre June 2013 (Post 2 1 May 2014 (Post August 2015 (Post Time
Changes in Indian Lake Sediments before and after Inversion Oxygenation Sediment Sediment Sediment Sediment Sampling OM NH3+ Nitrate + Date (%) (mg/kg) Nitrite (mg/kg) June 15, 2014 58.7±7.2 98±7.6 47±21 August 11, 2015 41.0±5.5 13±4.9** 1.2±0.1** Means based on n = 25 sediment samples
Indian Lake Bottom Hardness Changes May 2014 (Pre-aeration) August 2015 (Post-aeration)
Changes in Sediment Composition Parameter May August 2015 Net Loss or 2014 Gain Total Sonar Points 16,766 16,765 NA Very Soft Bottom (0-0.15) 0.04% 0.04% 0 Soft Bottom (.15 to.25) 25.5% 0.30% -25.2% Medium Bottom (.25 to.35) 53.23 66.32% +13.09% % Hard Bottom (.35 to.45) 12.19 21.97% +9.78% % Very Hard Bottom (>.45) 6.37% 11.37% +5.0%
Paradise Lake, Emmet & Cheboygan Counties, MI Surface Area = 1,878 acre (acres); West Basin = 400 acres Maximum Depth = 15.1 (ft.) Shoreline Length = 14.3 (miles) Watershed: Lake = 8.9:1 One inlet and one outlet
Paradise Lake, September, 2009
Paradise Lake EWM Canopy (2009)
70 Paradise Lake EWM Changes due to Aeration + Bio augmentation 62 Frequency of Sampling Sites out of 220 60 50 40 30 20 10 36 30 30 0 June 2012 (Pre- June 2013 (Post- August 2014 (Post- June 2015 (Post- Time
Changes in Paradise Lake Sediments before and after Inversion Oxygenation Sediment Sediment Sediment Sediment Sampling OM NH3+ Nitrate + Date (%) (mg/kg) Nitrite (mg/kg) August 10, 2012 62.7±13.9 119±24.9 29±12 June 30, 2015 32.8±8.9 6.3±8.8** 2.7±0.9** Means based on n = 12 sediment samples
Paradise Lake EWM Polygons August 2014 (Post-aeration) June 2015 (Post-aeration)
Pickerel Lake, Kalamazoo County, MI Surface Area = 135 (acres) Maximum Depth = 10 (ft.) Shoreline Length = 2.44 (miles) Fetch = 0.7 (miles)
120 Pickerel Lake EWM Changes due to Aeration + Bio augmentation Frequency of Sampling Sites out of 120 100 80 60 40 20 96 32 24 0 October 2012 (Pre- June 2013 (Post- August 2015 (Post- Time
Pickerel Lake Aquatic Vegetation Biovolume Changes July 2014 (Pre-aeration) August 2015 (Post-aeration)
Pickerel Lake Bottom Hardness Changes July 2014 (Pre-aeration) August 2015 (Post-aeration)
Conclusions Each of the 4 studied lakes showed significant reductions in EWM due to aeration + bio augmentation Two of the studied lakes with > 75% reduction in EWM had significant reduction in sediment ammonia, inorganic nitrogen, and % organic matter In Paradise Lake, the EWM polygons were broken up and there was a complete absence of a canopy since aeration began but acreage has declined from 100 acres in the West Basin to currently 58 acres This research suggests possible sediment nitrogen and organic nutrition mechanisms that occur from aeration + bio augmentation which appears to affect the nutrition of milfoil on certain sediment types.
Acknowledgements Paradise Lake Improvement Board Austin Lake Governmental Lake Board Indian Lake Improvement Association Pickerel Lake Association Clean-Flo, International, Inc. Lake-Savers, Inc. Nicholas Gressick Grant Jones Kevin Sylvester Dr. Jon Bartholic, Michigan State University