The Presque Isle Town Lakes Committee (PITLC) was formed in 2005 to address resource management concerns in lakes within the Town of Presque Isle. The Committee has been active in a number of lake management activities on Big Lake including: aquatic plant management, water quality sampling, invasive species sampling, and community education activities. The Committee contracted Northern Environmental (now Bonestroo, Inc.) to help develop an aquatic plant management (APM) plan for Big Lake. The Big Lake APM Plan includes a review of available lake information, an aquatic plant survey, and an evaluation of feasible physical, mechanical, biological, and chemical management alternatives if deemed appropriate. The APM plan also recommends specific prevention activities for aquatic invasive species (AIS) in the lake system; which are discussed below. Northern Environmental completed an aquatic plant survey on Big Lake in 2007, which identified 28 aquatic plant species. The most abundant aquatic plants identified during the survey coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum), bushy pondweed (Najas flexilis), wild celery (Vallisneria americana), and fern pondweed (Potamogeton robbinsii). The Floristic Quality Index (FQI) is an index that uses the aquatic plant community as an indicator of lake health. Big Lake exhibited an FQI of 33.14, higher than the state northern ecoregion average (24.3).

The Presque Isle Town Lakes Committee (PITLC) was formed in 2005 to address resource management concerns in lakes within the Town of Presque Isle. The Committee has been active in a number of lake management activities on Little Crab Lake including: aquatic plant management, water quality sampling, invasive species sampling, and community education activities. The Committee contracted Northern Environmental (now Bonestroo, Inc.) to help develop an aquatic plant management (APM) plan for Little Crab Lake. The Little Crab Lake APM Plan includes a review of available lake information, an aquatic plant survey, and an evaluation of feasible physical, mechanical, biological, and chemical management alternatives if deemed appropriate. The APM plan also recommends specific prevention activities for aquatic invasive species (AIS) in the lake system; which are discussed below. Northern Environmental completed an aquatic plant survey on Little Crab Lake in 2007, which identified 15 aquatic plant species. The most abundant aquatic plants identified during the survey nitella (Nitella sp.), common watermoss (Fontinalis antipyretica), and watershield (Brasenia schreberi). The Floristic Quality Index (FQI) is an index that uses the aquatic plant community as an indicator of lake health. Little Crab Lake exhibited an FQI of 25.98, slightly higher than the state northern ecoregion average (24.3).

The Town of Presque Isle is sponsoring a large scale lake planning grant to study Big Lake in Vilas County with a study completion date of June 30, 2008. The Big Lake Property Owners Association is a project partner. The project will focus on developing an Aquatic Plant Management (APM) Plan. Project activities include: 1) Data review and project kick-off meeting, one site visit to discuss goals, and project final meeting 2) Develop public questionnaire and prepare educational article 3) Point-intercept (PI) survey of aquatic plants with 2 sets of pressed plants 4) Aquatic plant community mapping and analysis 5) Water quality sampling - secchi through citizen lake monitor and P, Chla, DO, and Temp during aquatic plant sampling 6) Watershed and land use analysis 7) Develop APM Plan Project deliverables include: 1) Public questionnaire and educational article 2) PI data and aquatic plant community and watershed maps 3) 2 sets of pressed aquatic plants (one set for lake group and second for Dept) 4) Water quality sampling results 5) APM Plan.

14416814

The Town of Presque Isle is sponsoring a large scale lake planning grant to study Big Lake in Vilas County with a study completion date of June 30, 2008. The Big Lake Property Owners Association is a project partner. The project will focus on developing an Aquatic Plant Management (APM) Plan. Project activities include: 1) Data review and project kick-off meeting, one site visit to discuss goals, and project final meeting 2) Develop public questionnaire and prepare educational article 3) Point-intercept (PI) survey of aquatic plants with 2 sets of pressed plants 4) Aquatic plant community mapping and analysis 5) Water quality sampling - secchi through citizen lake monitor and P, Chla, DO, and Temp during aquatic plant sampling 6) Watershed and land use analysis 7) Develop APM Plan Project deliverables include: 1) Public questionnaire and educational article 2) PI data and aquatic plant community and watershed maps 3) 2 sets of pressed aquatic plants (one set for lake group and second for Dept) 4) Water quality sampling results 5) APM Plan.