May 13, 2016 at 2:33 p.m.
Invasive Impacts: Boom Lake and the Rhinelander Flowage
Invasive Impacts: Boom Lake and the Rhinelander Flowage
Panfish in the lake are abundant, according to the DNR. Musky, northern and walleye are also common with bass, both largemouth and smallmouth, present as well. The lake gets decent fishing pressure year-round.
With all of this access and popularity could come a wealth of invasive species. But, with this particular flowage, that does not seem to be the case.
A few invasives have made their way into the lake, however. Chinese mystery snail was verified in 2013 and curly leaf pondweed in 2011. Rusty crayfish have also been in the lake for some time, with their presence being verified in 2006. Aquatic forget-me-not was sited, but that has yet to be verified.
One shoreline invasive that has been verified, however, is Yellow Iris. Yellow Iris is an invasive species, and like many, is native to Eurasia. It was introduced here for horticultural purposes but often escapes cultivation, according to the Oneida County AIS website. Yellow Iris can often go undetected for a number of years because it does not flower until its third year of growth. The seeds can spread by floating in water, and colonies of the plants grow through rhizomes that spread quickly through the soil. Yellow Iris forms dense stands that outcompete native species. This invasive can cause skin irritation to some wildlife and can cause even bigger problems if ingested.
Stephanie Boismenue from Oneida County AIS undertook a project last year to help eradicate the Yellow Iris that grows near the Boom Lake landing. She said it all started with a conversation with a DNR representative who mentioned the invasive and talked with her about some plans to start removing it and replacing those plants with native plants.
Boismenue said this is when Mrs. Warner's fifth-grade class from Central Elementary School in Rhinelander got involved. The class helped out with this project and learned a good deal about invasive species and stewardship of the environment. Boismenue said her team and the class all raised Purple Iris, which is a native iris, as well as other plants. Then they took to the shoreline on Boom Lake and pulled the Yellow Iris, replacing them with native plants. Having native plants along the shoreline is preferable because they are better habitat for native wetland species. It also allows for a variety of plants to grow rather than dense, impenetrable stands of invasives. She said it was a great project for kids to get involved in because they could learn a great deal about the ecology of the shoreline and how human beings affect the environment around them. They learned what they could do to help and got to see the product of their efforts. They also were able to go out onto Boom Lake and dredge for zebra mussels, test water clarity, and learn many different things about invasive species identification and what can be done to keep invasives out of our lakes in the Northwoods.
Boismenue said Oneida County AIS loves to work with groups of kids on projects like this all over the county. Any teacher who is interested in working on AIS projects is encouraged to contact the Oneida County Land and Water Conservation office at (715) 369-7835. They are more than happy to put on presentations and get kids involved in these types of projects.
While Boom Lake and the Rhinelander Flowage also has other invasives such as curly leaf pondweed, Boismenue said these are a bit tricky to deal with on this particular flowage due to the presence of wild rice in the river and near some of the shorelines.
Boaters and anglers who go to the Hodag Park boat landing are also apt to encounter some Clean Boats Clean Waters volunteers. Oneida County AIS, the DNR and other groups monitor that landing. They talk to people who are launching their boats about invasive species and also check equipment, boats and trailers as they enter and leave the water. The provide information to hundreds of people every year regarding how to stop the spread of invasives in our lakes. This education effort has gone a long way, on Boom Lake as well as many other area lakes, to help keep our lakes healthy and to protect our native plants and animal species.
Beckie Joki may be reached at [email protected].
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