Project Detail

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON: Whole Lake Mixing to Remove Invasive Rainbow Smelt in Crystal Lake, Phase 2

Purpose

UW-Madison Center for Limnology is sponsoring an ACEI Research and Demonstration grant to study Crystal Lake, in Vilas County. The project will focus on mixing Crystal Lake to remove smelt and restore the ecosystem that existed prior to smelt invasion. If successful, this project will be used as a model to apply to other smelt removal projects. Project activities include: 1) Build Gradual Entrainment Lake Inverters (GELI\2019s) and mixing system; 2) Hire three undergraduates each summer; 3) Mix Crystal Lake for three summers (2011-2013); 4) Monitor physical and chemical limnology weekly and every ten minutes (with automated sensor networks); 5) Monitor fish community every 2 weeks, benthos every month, and zooplankton every week; 6) Public education and outreach \2013 build an exhibit for Crystal Lake Nature Center, lead 2 interpretive Naturalist sessions, news releases, website updates, workshops, WAL Lakes Convention presentation, and K-12 educational events; 7) Annual summaries and a final report. Project deliverables include: 1) Mixing system; 2) Hired students; 3) Limnological, fish, benthos, and zooplankton monitoring data; 4) Potential extirpation of rainbow smelt; 5) Public education and outreach \2013 informational materials, presentations, media outreach, web-based materials, K-12 education, and undergraduate education; 6) Annual summaries and final report. Specific conditions for this project: Annual summaries and final report needs Dept review and approval WDNR Lakes Management Coordinator will be provided with an electronic (pdf or word) and hard copy of annual summaries, final report, all education and outreach materials, and all data and maps from project.

Project Type

Aquatic Invasives Grant

Project Sub Type

Aquatic Invasives Research Grant

Project ID

ACEI-121-12

Year Started

2012

Status

Complete

Reports and Documents

Experimental mixing of a north-temperate lake: testing the thermal limits of non-native rainbow smelt, a cold-water fish

Factsheet for research on whole-lake mixing as a control method for non-native rainbow smelt.

Activities & Recommendations

Grant Awarded

Monitor Fish Community

5) Monitor fish community every 2 weeks, benthos every month, and zooplankton every week

Control Invasive Species

1) Build Gradual Entrainment Lake Inverters (GELI\2019s) and mixing system; 2) Hire three undergraduates each summer; 3) Mix Crystal Lake for three summers (2011-2013);

Monitor Invasive Species

Monitor physical and chemical limnology weekly and every ten minutes (with automated sensor networks

Information and Education

Public education and outreach \2013 build an exhibit for Crystal Lake Nature Center

Informational Meetings

WAL Lakes Convention and K-12 Educational events

Issue News/Media Release

news releases, website updates

Hold Workshops

lead 2 interpretive Naturalist sessions

Project Deliverable

Annual summaries