FishBarrierProjectStatus
Project
Background
Riley One is a comprehensive effort to improve the
lakes within the Riley Creek watershed.
Primary efforts include carp management, plant management, and water
quality improvement. Efforts span developing
an understanding, manipulating to test the understanding, and managing with the
appropriate approaches. The University
of Minnesota is currently understanding, manipulating, and managing carp and
plants. The Engineer is working with the
University to gather data and develop strategies to improve the overall water
quality.
Current
Project Status - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
Fish. The past few weeks have focused
on tracking carp in lakes Staring and Lotus for possible seining/removal. The ice is Staring is presently 6-7 inches thick
and while this is still too thin for trucks, the fisherman reports he thinks it
will be Ok in two weeks. Meanwhile the
University finds that the carp in Lake Staring are relatively dispersed with a
moderate concentration at the east end (7/23 fish). If needed, the University would choose a
larger net that would cover half the lake.
The University has resumed the creel survey in lakes Susan, Ann and
Riley by interviewing anglers 2-3 days each week. So far, catch rates have been low despite
many anglers fishing on weekends. Samples of bluegill sunfish that have been
collected from lakes Susan and Riley in November are now being processed to
determine if the growth rates of bluegills improved following the removal of
carp. The University is continuing the analysis of zooplankton collected during
the summer and fall. A manuscript on estimating the abundance of carp in lakes
using electrofishing boat surveys has been submitted
for publication.
Plans
for next month:
1. Track carp in Staring and Lotus
2. Begin monitoring oxygen levels in lakes to assess winterkill
3. Continue water quality sampling to document the effect of late fall internal loading on springtime
Phosphorus concentrations
4. Continue creel census in Ann, Susan and Riley
5. Continue ageing bluegills from Susan and Riley to determine if their growth rates increased following the removal
of carp
.