WAPOA annual meeting.
While the Whitefish Area Property Owners’ Association (WAPOA) is working hard to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in area lakes, the University of Minnesota’s AIS Research Center is working to find ways to manage or even eliminate them.
WAPOA is actively engaged in watercraft inspection to help prevent the spread of AIS.
In the past year, over 6,500 man hours were spent inspecting boats, accounting for one-third of the organization’s $93,000 budget.
“Ideally, we needed 12 to 13 thousand man hours to do the inspections,” Watson said.
WAPOA also engages in monthly water quality testing on 39 area lakes between May and September.
Watson said the organization has succeeded in increasing public awareness during the past year with publicity and water quality presentations.
There are options for treating zebra mussels.
Researchers are also looking at how to prevent the spread of Starry Stonewort that is prevalent in over 200 Michigan lakes and is also a problem in Wisconsin.
The Center is also studying ways to control invertebrates like the Spiny Waterflea, which has invaded Lake Mille Lacs` and zebra mussels that are prevalent in the Whitefish chain.