By Pat Andress, 01 Oct 2003

Bloomer High School students from DeWayne Fossum’s conservation class have been involved with Lower Long Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District (LLLPRD) for several years.  Students have built fish cribs for the lake, and in the past two years they have helped with a shoreland restoration/demonstration site at Morris-Erickson County Park.  In 2003 this shoreland project and related activities are included in a small DNR lake planning grant, sponsored by LLLPRD, Chippewa County.

Students were prepared for the outing, having special interest in topics like rusty crayfish, water clarity, sensitive areas, and aquatic plants.  DNR Deb Konkel discussed the watershed of Lower Long Lake, the plant community and the rusty crayfish theory; the theory being that presently aquatic plants are sparse in the lake because rusty crayfish were introduced, probably from a bait bucket.  The theory is that the rusty crayfish have caused loss of aquatic plants by cutting leaves and stems with their claws. This loss of cover for fish has reduced the abundance of desirable fishes.  And the loss of shoreline vegetation has caused erosion of natural shores. Students had waders, prepared to look for native crayfish and rusty crayfish, as they wanted to learn how to identify the two species.

Konkel stated that plants are the foundation of a lake.  She pointed out examples of aquatic plants that provide fish habitat.  There were examples of bulrushes, lily pads, duckweed, pondweed, and pickerelweed.  She pulled up examples of plants so students could handle the plants.  She stated there is no Eurasian water milfoil in the lake.  There is one native water milfoil, and it is not recognizable as a milfoil because the leaves are reduced to small bumps on the stem.

Konkel was one of the specialists conducting a recent sensitive area study on the lake, and she explained the reasons for identifying sensitive areas.  She also reinforced the rationale for shoreland restoration projects.

Students did a Secchi disk reading to measure water clarity, and they learned why water clarity is important.  Students also took samples of the water to test for temperature, phosphates, and nitrates.

Wayne Sauls piloted the pontoon to various parts of the lake, as Deb Konkel provided the expertise.  In addition to students on board, were their teacher DeWayne Fossum; their student teacher, Darren Swartz; and Pat Andress, commissioner and grant representative.  The photos were taken by Swartz.

These are the students, juniors and seniors: Tucker Jacobson; Bryan Lewis; Matt Olson; Mitchell Poirier, Sam Prince; Matt Schwartz; Greg Seckora; Nick St John; Dustin Wallsch; Jesse Zwiefelhofer

Deb Konkel from the Department of Natural Resources talking to Bloomer students about aquatic plants and crayfish in Long Lake	Student Matt Olsen suiting up in chest waders to explore the shores of Long Lake for aquatic life.
Students Matt Schwartz (left) and Matt Olsen (Right) walking the shores searching for rusty crayfish	Students Matt Schwartz and Matt Olsen walking the shores of a nearby island for rusty crayfish
Students Matt Schwartz and Matt Olsen walking the shores of a nearby island for rusty crayfish	Students Matt Schwartz and Matt Olsen wading through the natural structure searching for rusty crayfish
Student Mitchel Poirier taking water temperature for part of the Long Lake study	Student Jesse Zwiefelhofer taking a water sample of Long Lake to complete a dissolved oxygen test
Students Brian Lewis (left), Jesse Zwiefelhofer (center) and Mitchel Poirier (right) completing the dissolved oxygen test of Long Lake	Students Matt Schwartz and Brian Olsen getting deep in the waters of Long Lake; still no crayfish
(L-R) Wayne Sauls (guide) Dustin Wallsch, Matt Olsen, DeWayne Fossum (instructor), Tucker Jacobson, Nick St. John, and Greg Seckora	Students Matt Schwartz and Jesse Zwiefelhofer searching for aquatic insects off the shore of Long Lake
Students Matt Schwartz and Jesse Zwiefelhofer searching for aquatic insects off the shore of Long Lake	Students Matt Schwartz and Jesse Zwiefelhofer searching for aquatic insects off the shore of Long Lake
Wayne Sauls (Left), DeWayne Fossum (Right) identifying the aquatic insects caught by students

 

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