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There will be harvesting and chemical treatments done this summer in an effort to eliminate flowering rush, an invasive aquatic plant, recently detected  in Forest Lake.  

Flowering rush is in lakes two and three, but hasn’t been identified in Third Lake,  yet.

At the Comfort Lake-Forest Lake Watershed District Board of Managers meeting March 26 Board members said flowering rush is a “high priority” item on their aquatic invasive species (AIS) work plan for this summer.

The Watershed District has $10,000 dedicated to abate flowering rush.

The Forest Lake Lake Association pitched in $2,500,  and the city of Forest Lake has budgeted $10,000.  Watershed district managers were awaiting the Washington County Board to act on its allocation for AIS efforts.  

Watershed District Manager John Schmaltz remarked that the county needs to take action quite soon on its level of support,  because aquatic plant eradication efforts begin in spring with applications.  The first Forest Lake cutting of flowering rush is scheduled around July 20, and personnel and equipment  reservations are being secured now.

Schmaltz noted that there’s sufficient identified funding to get started abating flowering rush infestations in a timely manner.  The managers were hopeful last week the Washington County Board will come through with the expected funding for AIS.

Learn More
There’s a public open house about the flowering rush program,  Wednesday, April 8, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.  at the Forest Lake City Center, (by the movie theatres) and the public is encouraged to learn more about what to look for, and cleaning boats, trailers and motors of invasive species.

The Comfort Lake-Forest Lake Watershed District is part of a multi-pronged effort that will include using harvesting and chemical treatments.  At the open house Wednesday there will be a presentation on the plan.  Guest speakers are scheduled and there will be light refreshments.

Flowering rush is sometimes mistakenly called “onion grass.” (see bloom photo on front page.)

The Watershed District managers also saw a draft 2014 water quality report for all the lakes within the district (see map, left) that will be finalized and reviewed publicly, probably at the managers’  May 28 regular meeting. The report is done by the Washington County Conservation District.

There’s was also a joint meeting of Scandia city officials and Watershed District managers held April 1 (yesterday) to go over roles of governing agencies and other issues related to watershed protections in the Scandia region.

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