The purpose of this addendum to the existing Lower Turtle Lake Aquatic Plant Management Plan is to review changes in the aquatic plant community that have occurred in the last 5 years and to modify aquatic plant management recommendations in the existing plan accordingly, particularly as they pertain to management of native aquatic plants

Comprehensive summary of lake protection efforts for Upper and Lower Turtle Lakes from 2010-2015.

End of Year Summary 2014

Curly-leaf pondweed Bed Mapping Survey, showing where CLP beds are located in red.

First appendix connecting to Lower Turtle Lake Management Plan

Map showing sample navigation and open water access channels; also shows where plant surveys were performed, sensitive areas, and shallow water flats.

Lower Turtle Lake needs to re-establish and enhance its native plant community. Native aquatic plants are not abundant in the lake and their diversity and distribution is poor (Berg, 2008). The native species with the largest populations include coontail, flat-stem pondweed, and northern water milfoil. The presence of dense beds of CLP is likely an important factor in the poor distribution and affects the diversity of the plant community. Early growing season removal of the densest areas of CLP in the north and south bays, which are also Sensitive Areas, may enable more of the desirable native plants species already present to flourish. The removal of CLP would also eliminate a source of phosphorous to the lake.

LPT-359-10

ATTAINS Protection Project with associated plan