Invasive Species

There are more than one "non-native invasive" species in or near the lake that is being monitored by the District.  Our focus at the moment is managing Eurasian Milfoil and Common Reed (phragmites).

UPDATE 2024:

In June 2024, WRS completed its annual survey of Goose Pond. The survey turned up minor areas of milfoil or milfoil regrowth and minor areas of phragmites. A copy of the survey can be seen here.

The report also noted that the water clarity for Goose Pond is approximately 21 feet deep, which is excellent. Also, since the 2017 report, there have been no adverse impacts to Goose Pond as a result of the treatments.

Original Permits 2016

The Order of Conditions for the herbicide treatment of Goose Pond was approved at the joint Conservation Commission meeting on August 10, 2016. 

The Order of Conditions for the Draw Down of Goose Pond was approved at a Conservation Commission meeting for each respective town. The Draw Down provided flood control as documents over the past 60+ years along with assisting with the treatment of invasive species.

A copy of the Invasive Plant Management Report can be seen in the following attachment.  Invasive Plant Management In Goose Pond.pdf

Also for additional information on invasive species, please see the following aquatic species PDF guide issued by the Mass Department of Environmental Protection.
http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/dcr/watersupply/lakepond/downloads/aquatic-species.pdf

Eurasion Milfoil

Milfoil forms dense mats, whose fronds reach to and float on the water's surface.  Boats, oars, and birds breaks pieces off, which float away to take root elsewhere.

The District uses various methods to manage this plant, including:

• Lake drawdown: Every autumn, water is lowered toward a target loss of six feet, drying and chilling the exposed shore for a short period in the winter.

• Herbicide: Professional opinion and our experience holds this as the most cost-efficient and effective treatment for large areas in our lake. We used Sonar at the start of the treatment program, and now use Diquat for maintenance treatment.

• Hand-pulling: We have initiated hand-pulling in more isolated areas, trying to knock out small pockets. At one location in Upper Goose Pond near the channel (isolated from herbicide applications), we have observed succeeding years take less time to pick the same area, suggesting that hand-pulling weeds can control the weed.

Hand-pulling is hampered by two factors.  First, pulling milfoil when it intermingles with other species causes non-target plants to be damaged, target plants to be missed, and pulled plants lost while bagging.  Second, dense plots are reportedly not cost-efficient to pull; a diver can cover only a relatively small area, with plenty of plants surrounding to re-populate the area. 

We're working to refine the hand-pulling method in our lake, to test effectiveness in the more sensitive and hard-to-reach areas.  The pulled area in Upper Goose Pond was re-visited in 2012, and it appears that we spent 1/3 the time there.  We also expanded weed pulling in Lower Goose Pond, working at Leisure Lee's dock and beach to a point 1/2-way to the Upper Goose channel, Cooper Creek's beach, and across from the public boat ramp. 

The District has also tried weevils, back in the '90s.  Weevils eat milfoil, killing the plants.  Simple in concept, but expensive, difficult in application, and of dubious effectiveness.  BCN conducted a treatment in the 1990s.  One weevil is applied per plant, at approximately $1 per weevil.  These are placed on the plant by divers.  In the end, weevil damage was observed but did not make a significant dent in the milfoil test plots.

Phragmites

There are pockets of phragmites all around Lower Goose Pond.  This grass, originally from Europe and an almost identical genetic match for American varieties, crowds out native plants.  Phrag grows on land or in the water, even through asphalt.  It's roots have been observed to grow forty feet deep.  Most problematic is that it is a colony plant with a common root system; cut stems are supplied food by the larger colony's root system for re-growth, making control very difficult.

The most recent treatment was performed in the fall of 2021 by SOLitude Lake Management. Phragmites will begin to die, the stalks will fall over. These can then be burned with the proper permits or can be disposed of in dark trash bags. These plants should not be used for mulch.

Basic plant information from the USDA: http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=PHAU7

and http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/aquatics/commonreed.shtml

Invasive Plant Atlas of New England: http://www.eddmaps.org/ipane/ipanespecies/grass/Phragmites_australis.htm

National Park Service: http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/phau1.htm

UCONN's Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group: http://cipwg.uconn.edu/phragmites/

Zebra Mussels

Both the District and the Commonwealth are monitoring for the presence of zebra mussels.  Thankfully, no zebra mussels have been transported to the lake.

Zebra mussels form large concretions as the root to solid surfaces and grow shells.  They attach to rocks, water inlet pipes, boat propellers and water-cooling tubes ... pretty much anything.  Eventually: rocks are coated with sharp shells; inlet pipes are clogged; valves jam; propellers don't function.  They can hitch rides on boat hulls, propellers, inside motors, buoys, anchor chains, ropes, then spread elsewhere.

Zebra mussels (and an equally bad cousin, Quahog mussel) are pervasive in NY lakes, canal system, and Hudson River.  They have been in the Twin Lakes of CT for years.  Finally, they have been identified in Laurel Lake in Massachusetts.  Larval mussels have been spotted in stretches of the Housatonic River from Laurel Lake to the Connecticut Line.

Goose Pond's Risk

Goose Pond is at LOW-RISK.  Our lake does not have an desireable quantity of calcium for building shells (at least for zebra mussels, never mind our already abundent supply of native mussels).  The lake pH is in the desireable range; but, without the calcium, it appears unlikely that the zebra mussel larvae could establish themselves, if the get here.

What Can We Do?

Clean boat hulls, trailers, motors, and gear.  Larvae can hitch rides to/from water bodies.  The Commonwealth does have policies in place to monitor and enforce hygene to protect the waterways.