Overall Vision for the Lake: Draft Mayflower Lake Management Plan Aquatic Plants Goal: Reach a balance between high quality, unimpeded recreation and a healthy, balanced aquatic plant community Objectives: Mechanically harvest plants in designated nuisance areas Actions Lead person/group Start/end dates Explore the purchase of a harvester (new/used) for Mayflower Lake Contract someone to harvest in designated areas >3 feet in depth using GPS Price per acre? Ensure plants are removed from the lake by the performance of a second pass with the harvester to remove floating plants Resources Aquarius, WDNR WDNR Contractor Explore the use of weevils for Northern Water-Milfoil populations Conduct a stem count for weevil presence Explore rearing weevils Golden Sands RC&D Aquatic Invasive Species Goal: Objectives: Draft Mayflower Lake Management Plan 1
Fisheries Goal: Objectives: Critical Habitat Goal: Objectives: Shorelands Draft Mayflower Lake Management Plan 2
Goal: Restore and protect healthy shoreland habitat around Mayflower Lake Objectives: Improve shoreland health in residential areas and near impervious surfaces. Explore shoreland restoration with native plants with local plant nurseries County CPZ) Explore funding options for shoreland restorations: WDNR grant if there is enough interest? Lake Management Grant? Focus on the southeastern end of the lake for shoreland restorations, rain gardens, etc. because of proximity to impervious highway. Local plant nurseries; Shawn Esser (Marathon County Conservation Objectives: Protect quality habitat and existing healthy shoreland vegetation. Explore options for protecting existing shoreland habitat, including wetland complex on the northwest end of the lake. County Conservation Watershed Land Use Goal: Reduce fertilizer use in the watershed Objectives: Educate and inform watershed residents of the impacts of fertilizers and phosphorus on lake water quality Inform watershed residents of the impacts of fertilizers on the lake HOW? Encourage agricultural landowners to test their soil and explore implementation County Conservation Draft Mayflower Lake Management Plan 3
of best management practices Water Quality Goal: Maintain and improve current water quality conditions in the lake. Objectives: Routinely record water quality to show trends over time and track measureable improvement or degradation. Continue water clarity (Secchi depth) monitoring every 3 weeks during summer months Continue ice off/ice on monitoring Begin routine water quality sampling once per month in May- September Maintain records of aerator use, maintenance, etc. Citizen Lake Monitoring Program (WDNR) County Coordinator Citizen Lake Monitoring Program (WDNR) County Coordinator Citizen Lake Monitoring Program (WDNR) County Coordinator Objectives: Reduce phosphorus loading to Mayflower Lake to help reduce plant and algae growth and improve water clarity. The goal will be achieved when the summer median total phosphorus concentration (5 samples taken monthly during May-September) falls below 20 µg/l for at least 3 consecutive years. Decrease/eliminate personal use of fertilizers around the lake and in the watershed. Inform residential landowners around the lake and in the watershed about the impact of fertilizers on the lake. How? Continue routine maintenance and improvements of septic systems around the lake Explore the installation of rain barrels, rain gardens, and native Draft Mayflower Lake Management Plan 4
shoreland vegetation to slow the movement of storm water, soil, and nutrients toward the lake. Recreation Goal Objectives Explore funding options for the improvement of the boat landing such as the Environmental Impact Fund Co. Conservation Communication/Organizations Goals Objectives Draft Mayflower Lake Management Plan 5
Draft Mayflower Lake Management Plan 6
Appendix Draft Mayflower Lake Management Plan 7