Meeting Minutes
September 19, 2006
Mission Statement: To work to ensure a healthy lake for wildlife and recreation, both now and in the future.
Attendees:
Stan Moffett and friend Dave
Gail BarkerKaren SchurrGayle GarmanRichard FlemingBrian DeLuccaEllen HewittMarcia NormanLinda NobleKris Fuller
Treasurer’s Report – Savings $ 707.00; Checking $1,192.00. Receipts for donations (thank you notes) will be sent by Marcia Norman. GLCC continues to work on re-instating the non-profit 501(c)(3) status, which will benefit FOGL, too.
OLD BUSINESS:
- T-shirts: Linda Noble: 2 T-shirts were sold at the GLCC meeting, we are out of Adult S and Youth L sizes. She will check on the shirts left at the salon for resale.
- Monitoring Reports: Gail Barker
- Parks Dept goal is a summer average (June through September) Secchi depth reading of 2.5 meters or more. The lowest (worst) reading since the alum treatment in April 2004, was last month, 1.5m, but it is now increasing (improving). We have observed a decrease in Secchi depth (reduced water clarity) in late summer every year since 2003, when Tier 1 monitoring began. In August 2003, before the alum treatment, the Secchi depth was less than 0.5 m.
- The Lake warmed earlier this year, reaching 22C in late June and early July and again in mid-August, but never reached last year’s maximum of 24C.
- The water level is 0.5 ft higher than last year at this time. Gail observed releases (reservoir?) into the Lake in mid and late July, and early August; perhaps to help with Green Lake Small Craft Center regattas. Water level has been generally steady since Feb.
- Gail Barker has transferred Tier 1 monitoring to Alex Gray of Assumption School ( 12 years old). He will be getting Secchi depth and temperature from the dock by the paddle boat rental each week. Beck Royer is a back-up. Gayle requested that Alex forward his data (measurements) each month by email in time for the FOGL meeting, if he cannot attend. Gail will help him with graphing his data on a quarterly or semi-annual basis.
- Richard Fleming records daily rainfall in his backyard for Tier 1. There was no measurable rain for 90 days; until ½ inch overnight on Sept 14/15. This was enough to pop the top off the Densmore drain. Richard and Gayle do Tier 2 monitoring using kayaks to sample two stations away from the shoreline, April through October. They confirmed Gail Barker’s report that the warmest temp. reached by Lake this summer was 72F in late August. It is cooler now.
PROGRAM: Richard Fleming described the milfoil survey that he, Rob Zisette and Samantha Burkett conducted on Sunday, Sept 10. This will be a major science project for Samantha, an 8th grade student of Rebecca Timson at Billings Middle School. They conducted the milfoil survey from a 12 ft inflatable zodiac with a 15 horsepower motor loaned by Herrera Environmental Consultants. Kevin Stoops of the Parks Dept helped FOGL get a permit from the City to operate a motorized boat on the Lake. Herrera also loaned use of a digital Global Positioning System (GPS) and an echo sounder. The FOGL volunteers used an underwater viewer to confirm readings by the echo sounder. Samantha will use the GPS readings to update the Geographic Information System (GIS) map of milfoil done in 2005 by Herrera under contract to the Parks Dept. Because Samantha is just now learning how to use the GIS, we don’t expect to have her map until the end of the year. Richard said visual observations indicated there were still significant patches of milfoil near the edge of the lake, similar to last year, but most of the lake area was not affected. This is a great improvement since the early 1990’s when over 90% of the Lake was notably affected by milfoil. Gayle showed photos she took of the group inflating the zodiac and doing the survey.
There were two large piles of milfoil on the western shoreline on Sept 10, because the Parks Dept had divers pull milfoil in dense areas between the western shore and Duck Island, Sept 4-8. As part of the milfoil survey, Gayle took measurements of these two piles and multiple weighings of milfoil bundles from the piles, to estimate the total wet weight at 2500 lbs. This recent diver pull of milfoil was a repeat/continuation of the Parks Dept funded removal in June.
Karen asked if the alum treatment may have had the affect of keeping the milfoil from regrowing. Richard responded that could be the case, it should be easy to check because the contractor kept good maps of where the alum was applied.
NEW BUSINESS
Dog issues at the Lake: Gayle talked to an enforcement officer, who indicated. more officers are being hired, and are expected to start in Jan. Both the enforcement officer and Royal Alley-Barnes of the Parks Dept suggested citizens call Dan Baxter (386-4289), Head of Animal Control, to report violations of leash and scoop laws and to request more frequent enforcement at the Park. Not everyone agreed there is a dog problem at the park. There was discussion regarding the suggestion received at August’s meeting that FOGL should get involved in whether there are enough Kiosks with baggies for dog waste removal. At present there are 2 kiosks: one near the south (Aqua Theater) parking lot, and another near the east beach/Community Center. It was noted the one near the Community Center is often empty. Gayle reported that the City leash law does not define the maximum length of leash, and asked whether FOGL wanted to work on this issue, since the extendable leashes can contribute to conflicts with other park users. Dave suggested that FOGL do an educational campaign using classroom children to clean up dog waste, and then go back within 24 hours to see how much new waste had accumulated. Informational letters could then be handed out to all dog walkers explaining the issue. Gayle asked if anyone was interested in being chaiman of a committee to work on the dog issue. Since no-one volunteered, the issue was put aside and will be revisited in a few months.
What we can do:
Carry extra bags to hand out when the need is observed
Ask Parks to post additional signs in 2007
Report violations to Dan Baxter
Lobby to get leash length laws changed
Future Program Topic – Rosellen Brickenham, Head Gardener for Parks in North Seattle and her boss, Don Allen, will be talking to us about the Vegetation Management Plan for the Park, including water quality and habitat issues. Richard and Gayle met Rosellen while she was overseeing volunteers removing invasive blackberry and purple loosestrife from the southwestern shoreline last week. Gayle will contact Seattle Audubon, Martin Muller and John Barber of POSA to give them special invitations to this presentation.
Linda Noble researched the PCC scrip program. There is a minimum purchase of $500.00 worth of rechargeable charge cards. FOGL would purchase the cards for $475 and then resell them for $500 ($25 profit). The cards can be used at any PCC store. It was suggested we could do 10 cards at $50 each. The cards are equivalent to cash, so should not be mailed, which complicates distribution. Linda was going to check on how FOGL gets paid if the cards are renewed. The email notification for the next meeting could include a question to determine who would subscribe for a $50 card. The meeting adjourned at 9:05 pm.
—
Kris Fuller, Recording Secretary