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Larto draw down
Saline/Larto Update
I am a believer that God blesses each of us with gifts that we are responsible to maintain and preserve. Saline Lake is one of those beautiful and abundant gifts that we all enjoy. It is incumbent upon each of us to ensure that it is preserved for our children and grandchildren for years to come.
I am very concerned about the serious threat that the rapid growth of Giant Salvinia poses to Saline/Larto Lake. The health of the lake and the future use for hunting and fishing is in jeopardy. Our options to eliminate this threat are limited. We can let the current conditions progress and hope that it will reverse the trend naturally or we can use available options to fight the unrestricted growth with aggression and purpose. We know that based upon what has historically occurred in other lakes similarly infested that taking no action will guarantee that the lake conditions will only worsen. Our lake will be strangled by the unopposed growth. The threat is real and requires action now.
Working with the Secretary of Wildlife and Fisheries and his staff, a plan has been developed and a commitment made to undertake an effort to reduce the growth as much as possible and help to make future growth more manageable.
I have always been reluctant to see Saline Lake drawn down for many reasons but it has become obvious that aggressive action must be taken that includes a temporary and gradual draw down. For the first time in memory, we have a plan and a commitment from the Department to use ALL available resources to address this serious problem.
This will be a 3-step attack, which will proceed as follows:
1) Physical Management of the lake which will include drawing down the lake level over several months to kill the Giant Salvinia and condensing the area to treat effectively;
2) Biological Management, which will include the introduction of large numbers of Salvinia Weevils, which will feed on and reduce the Giant Salvinia population;
3) Herbicide Control over large areas of the drawn down lake at a level never before attempted upon Saline Lake.
The draw down is scheduled to begin in early July , 2020. The lake will be dewatered at a rate of 2 to 4 inches per day, lowered, and maintained at a level 3 feet below pool stage until November 2, 2020. The pool stage of Larto/Saline Lake is set at 37.0 MSL. The initiation date may be delayed due to high water levels in the Red River watershed. The lake control structure gate is located on Larto Lake. The water will removed from the complex through Larto Bayou into the Red River. Red River water levels near or above 37.0 MSL make it impossible to remove water from the complex through the control structure.
Larto/ Saline Lake has large areas containing buttonbush and American lotus, as well as many coves that allow Giant Salvinia to thrive. When the lake is drawn down to three feet below pool stage, the majority of these areas are dewatered and allows the plants to desiccate and die or at least prevent the plant from growing and being dispersed. The plants that remain in the lake will be exposed to wind and wave action, and will be more susceptible to herbicide applications.
According to Wildlife & Fisheries biologist, this drawdown will directly provide significant benefits to the fisheries of the lake. Drawdowns emulate the natural water fluctuations that occurred prior to installation of the control structures and levee systems. Benefits of a drawdown to fisheries include:
• Reduction of built up organic material on the lake bed
• Compaction of loose sediment, thus improving the spawning habitat of nesting fishes
• Concentration of prey fish, allowing predator fish to readily feed and thereby increasing their size and condition.
Population sampling of largemouth bass after the 2014 drawdown showed an increase in the population after the lake returned to normal pool.
No restriction on sport fishing will be required.
In a few days an official press release will be issued by the Wildlife and Fisheries regarding the drawdown. I wanted you to know first before the official announcement is made.
Its my hope and my goal that we can successfully address this threat to our "gift" and preserve its use and its beauty for generations to come.
I am your Representative and I serve you. It is my goal to serve you as effectively as I possibly can. If you have questions or suggestions I hope that you will not hesitate to call upon me.
Mike
https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/assets/Resources/Publications/Freshwater_Inland_Fish/Aquatic-Vegetation-Control-Plans/saline_larto_complex_AVCP_2020.pdf
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