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WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2022 VOL. 46 NO. 38 www.vadnaisheightspress.com $1.00

TICK SEASON: Take steps to prevent disease PAGE 2

Sunny day perfect for stalking weed

Award winner in action

Like he does every year, aquatic ecologist Steve McComas surveyed White Bear Lake for invasive Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM). The unwelcome weed was present, he said, but not at the highest levels he’s seen, or the lowest. Tools for searching involve a rake, a depth finder and a good eye. Once it’s found, McComas pinpoints the coordinates on a map for the lake management company that treats the milfoil with herbicide. Typically, EWM is found at depths of 12 to 13 feet in White Bear Lake. “There might be some growth at 15 feet, but it never reaches the surface,” McComas said. “We don’t usually let it get within 4 feet of the surface for navigation and recreation purposes.” The annual treatment program makes the water clear sailing for boaters. Sailors, especially, are aware of EWM, which can be a major drag on race day if left unchecked. Such was the case when lake levels were low and sailboats couldn’t maneuver through the patches of milfoil. “When the lake was

PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Sue Ahlcrona and Denny Trooien gracefully cruise across the surface of White Bear Lake in a 1937 Hackercraft Triple Cockpit – “Bootlegger.” The vintage craft received the People’s Choice award during the recent 15th annual White Bear Lake Classic and Vintage Boat Show. See a complete list of winners on page 5. Find more photos and a video online at presspubs.com

Protecting lake elevation tall order for DNR BY DEBRA NEUTKENS STAFF WRITER

Long term, a protected elevation of 922 feet for White Bear Lake might be tough to maintain. Department of Natural Resources managers shared predictions regarding elevation with members of the North and East Metro Groundwater Management Area advisory committee. The group was established nine years ago when the lake hit historic lows and the department was sued for allowing too much pumping from the aquifer under White Bear Lake. “A lot has been done since then,” observed Jason Moeckel, DNR manager of inventory, monitoring and analysis section. “We’ve been poking and prodding on the technical side. The courts and Legislature have been poking and prodding on the statutory side. How do we deal with issues longterm, like water supply? What are the challenges? There is uncertainty.” SEE LAKE ELEVATION, PAGE 11

Debra Neutkens

CONTRIBUTED

The DNR groundwater model shows projected lake levels under average 2040 water use. The blue line shows what levels were, the green line what level would be with no pumping, orange is under existing permits and the black line is projected at 2040 population levels. Note the lake drops to historic low levels in the projection like those seen in 2013.

DEBRA NEUTKENS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

McComas points to a Eurasian milfoil hot spot in Mahtomedi Bay.

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down 3 to 4 feet and sunlight was getting through, that stuff was ripping,” said McComas, who owns St. Paul-based Blue Water Science. “We were treating 100 to 125 acres of EWM those years.” The invasive specialist and his survey crew, which included Lake Conservation District board members Meredith Walburg and Mike Parenteau, collected about 350 EWM samples during their June 30 outing. McComas iterated that he’s finding patches he hasn’t seen before, but for the most part, he considers the annual program a success. “We’ve kept it at bay,” he asserted. Results of the survey will be presented to the White Bear Lake Conservation District board at a future meeting. The district has been funding the EWM control program since 1988. As an aside, no evidence was found of another invasive, starry stonewort, but a second assessment will be made early August when the weed is more prominent.

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