President's Message

New NALMS president, Dick Osgood, enjoying some boating time this past summer.

Is it me, or does the new exotic Daphnia (Daphnia lumholtzi) look like Doug Ball in his wizard costume (see below)?

I have not counted, but I think I have been to all of NALMS’ annual symposia but four. This year’s event, like all the others, was invigorating and professionally rewarding.

Taking the helm as NALMS President is a great honor and privilege. I thank Ken Wagner for paving the way and making my job easier.

As I look forward to my term this year, I believe NALMS is in a very strong position. The stage has been set to expand our influence so lakes are protected and effectively managed now and in the future. NALMS finances are sound – we have steady, reliable income and a healthy reserve. NALMS core strengths – the annual symposium, LakeLine, the Journal and our members – are strong. And, we have a new Executive Director, Susan Urbas, who will help lead NALMS into the next phase.

I am really looking forward to this coming year.

I want to highlight what I believe are critical lake management issues we must acknowledge and prepare for. These imperatives are:

• Toxic algae – We must elevate our understanding of algal toxins and develop practical remedies.
• Communication – Facilitate the identification and communication of lake management case studies through NALMS Journal, LakeLine, website, and other media.
• Aquatic invasive species (AIS) – AIS have the potential to “change the game” for lakes, and AIS impacts are comparable in scope and importance to the eutrophication concerns of the 1960s and 1970s. As a profession, we are ill-equipped in areas of prevention, enforcement, research, and control.
• Adapting to climate change – climate change is happening now. Nearly every aspect of lake management will be touched in undesirable and destructive ways. NALMS should focus on adapting our management and protection efforts to the realities of climate change. However, it is beyond NALMS scope to delve into the causes of climate change or their remedies.
• Empowering & Engaging Local Lake Leaders – Local lake leaders must be the key to effecting sustainable lake management and protection. Federal and state funding are or are quickly becoming insufficient and unreliable, and lake management and protection challenges are increasing. Rather than being viewed as a negative, this plays into NALMS strengths – our members and our affiliates. Local lake leaders should be given the tools to guide and support sound and sustainable lake management.

I hope you will feel free to contact me to express your thoughts, ask questions or just to chat about how we can work together to make our lakes better places to live, work, and play.

Dick Osgood
NALMS President

Executive Director’s Message

Just a quick note this time around to say hello to everyone involved in NALMS. I met many members, exhibitors, sponsors and speakers at the Symposium in Orlando, but I know that was just the tip of the (pardon my water reference) iceberg!

Dick worked me to death there; so I had very little opportunity for high jinks. But the one opportunity I did have to get away for an evening of frivolity left me with moments and images that I will cherish for a lifetime. To make a long story short, it had to do with virtual reality, Pirates of the Caribbean, working as a crew on a boat (pirates, rowing; it’s all pretty much the same, and I like it desperately, if it involves competition and water), menacing dragons, a deck full of treasure beyond your wildest dreams, and for days thereafter, perhaps forever, greeting each other with "Aarrgghh!" instead of simply "Hi." (Participating board members – you know who you are!)

I mention all of that, because the one outstanding concern I had walking into the NALMS interview was, "Will I like these people?" I did, instantly. But beyond that day, a veritable boatload of NALMSers loomed ahead to be met at the Symposium. Would I feel the same way about all of them? Well, "permission to relax" as Dick says. NALMS, I find, is chock full of affectionate, engaging, fun, intelligent, hard-working, committed and caring people, on behalf of whom I am honored to be working. I can hardly wait to meet everyone else I’ve not yet met. In due course I will.

Susan Urbas
Executive Director

Within NALMS

The New Jim Flynn Award

Jim Flynn with Heidi and Jane Dauffenbach of Aquarius, who credit Jim with helping them in their business many years ago.

A simple announcement was made at the annual business meeting on October 31 in Orlando, Florida but one with great significance in the lives of many NALMS members. We give a Secchi Disk Award each year, once described as being awarded for clarity of vision, depth of service, or for being someone that should be on the end of a rope! We also give an Outstanding Corporation Award, which is the organizational equivalent of the individual Secchi Disk Award but doesn’t sound as sexy.

Well, a long-term supporter who has won both the Secchi Disk Award and, through his company, the Outstanding Corporation Award, retired a few years ago and has not been able to join us recently due to medical problems. His absence has been felt almost as much as his presence and a few members were looking for a way to honor him. There was a groundswell of support for this, and NALMS is pleased to announce that the Outstanding Corporation Award has been renamed the Jim Flynn Award for Outstanding Organizational Support of NALMS or simply the Flynn Award.

If that wasn’t special enough, Jim made the effort to be in Orlando to present the first Flynn Award at the Awards Reception. This isn’t easy for him, given his condition, but it is very special for many longtime NALMS members. Jim launched careers, supported NALMS financially and with good advice, and truly made a difference in the lives of many people. All too often we wait too long to thank the people most important to us. Not this time. The crowd then rose to applaud Jim Flynn for his many years of support.

Jim was very appreciative of what he considers a great honor from a society that he strongly believes in. The newly re-named award went to ENSR Corporation for their decade of support to NALMS. Seven ENSR staff were on hand for the symposium and ceremony, with Rick Brannon, Northeast Operations Manager, accepting for ENSR.

The Secchi Disk Award

Tom Davenport of the USEPA, Region V, recipient of the 2007 Secchi Disk Award.

The Secchi Disk Award, given annually to honor an individual who has contributed the most to achieving the mission of NALMS, was presented to Tom Davenport of the USEPA. Tom was unfortunately not able to stay to receive the award in person, but expresses his feelings with a thank you letter below.

It is with sincere gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility that I accept the North American Lake Management Society’s 2007 Secchi Disk Award. It is the greatest honor that has ever been bestowed upon me in my professional career, and I am deeply moved. I am especially disappointed that I was unable to attend the Awards Ceremony last Thursday evening at NALMS’ Annual Symposium to receive this award in person.

When I reflect on past recipients of this award and the magnitude of their accomplishments, I feel humbled to be among a group of such extraordinary individuals. To receive this honor on the night when NALMS renamed its outstanding corporation award after Jim Flynn -- an individual whose commitment to NALMS is perhaps without parallel -- makes this recognition extra special to me.

Over the years, I have really done nothing more than serve NALMS to the best of my ability. Frankly, most of my contributions would have been for naught had it not been for the hard work and personal sacrifices of NALMS members on behalf of our lakes. I want to thank you and all of NALMS for making what I do so personally rewarding. Ken Wagner, I am especially encouraged that under your recent leadership, NALMS has strengthened its foundation to support many new and exciting initiatives, and I look forward to serving NALMS and its members for as long as I am able.

Again, thank you so very much. More than you might know, the Secchi Disk Award is something I will forever cherish.

Tom Davenport

Call for Old Files

Because NALMS functioned for nearly three decades as a decentralized volunteer organization, documents which otherwise would have accumulated at a centralized headquarters office are instead spread out in the possession of individuals who have served NALMS in the past. For historical and other reasons, NALMS is asking anyone possessing old NALMS files to please send them to our headquarters office in Madison. Don’t worry about the contents - just pack them up and ship them out to us – the staff will evaluate the contents of the files upon their arrival in Madison.

NALMS Products & Items

NALMS Apparel

Holidays are quickly approaching and what better and easier way to give a thoughtful gift this season and support a great organization than to give a NALMS baseball hat or sweatshirt. There is much more also, from fleece vests to denim shirts, the NALMS bookstore has a nice line of NALMS apparel that would be great to give to your lake-loving uncle or grandma. Check out the items at www.nalms.org and click on bookstore and clothing and accessories.

NALMS Committee Updates

Affiliate Council Still in the Making

As of today, there still is no official Council group that represents the NALMS Affiliates but there is still a strong interest from those Affiliates who attended the annual NALMS symposium in Orlando this year to move forward and solidify an Affiliate Council.

What is the purpose of this council you might ask? The purpose is to 1. Advance the goals and objectives of NALMS and the Affiliates, 2. Promote effective and efficient exchange of lakes-based information, 3. Establish a unified approach to lakes-related issues, and 4. Create wider lake stakeholder involvement and membership in the Affiliates and NALMS.

The next step is to make sure all affiliates are on board, not just those who attended the symposium. There must be complete consensus to have a council so that it can be successful. So please send there is agreement, then the next step is to have each NALMS Affiliate assign a representative to the council. This needs to be a longer-term, active member of the Affiliate, not the rotating president. The goal is to form this council in early 2008 so that they can start formalizing how they will function.

The ultimate goal is to improve and encourage better communication amongst all Affiliates and to work cooperatively together towards improving our lakes and reservoirs. The more active Affiliates are with this new council, the more they will get out of it and the more likely this goal will be achieved.

Board and Business Meeting Minutes to be Posted Online

Missed either meeting and want to catch up on Society business? The minutes from the Board meeting held on October 29, 2007 and the Business meeting held on October 31, 2007 are in review by the Board now and will be posted on the NALMS website in the Membership Services area shortly. There’s a lot going on, so read these to be in the know!

Upcoming Conferences & Events

NALMS Annual Symposium Attracted Quite a "Scary" Crowd this Year

NALMS has hosted Halloween parties before, but this one set a new high for costume creativity. About 250 people dressed up for the affair, which featured an impressive assortment of witches, pirates, ghouls, and spiders, but the lake related outfits were nothing short of amazing! The judges really struggled with choosing winners, and eventually called several ties in various categories. Mary Wagner did win the kids costume competition with her rendition of an aerator, complete with soap bubbles. On the adult side, winners included Bob Carlson as Father Pietro Angelo Secchi, Hans Paerl and John Burns as the blue-green brothers, and Amy Smagula as an entire aquatic ecosystem. We’ll try to get more photos on the website for general enjoyment. It was quite a party!

Pictures are worth a thousand data points. Halloween party, Luau, beach volleyball, weevils the size of hamsters, conga line of 50 lake managers, and of course session after session of great talks are just a few of the highlights. Check out more about the conference at www.nalms.org or in LakeLine.

Lake News & Information

Exotic Species – Daphnia lumholtzi: The Next Great Lakes Exotic?

There are exotic plants, fish, and even mussels but now on the aquatic radar screen is this fairly new zooplankton from Africa, Australia, and Asia. This larger filter-feeding animal has been invading the Illinois River since 1995 and is soon to arrive to Lake Michigan.

This organism exhibits peak abundance and reproductive rates during mid summer when water temperature reach 20-30 C. If the other exotic zooplankton, the spiny water flea (Bythotrephes cederstroemi), doesn’t eat this one, then the Daphnia lumholtzi may have even more of a competitive advantage over native cladocerans.

The ultimate effects of this invasive species are unknown. Initially, some studies do show a reduction in native daphnia due to feed preferences by filter-feeding fish who do not prefer to eat the Daphnia lumholtzi. As with most invasive species, especially at this small of a scale, the Daphnia lumholtzi will be hard to eradicate. Please keep a look out for this one in your lake.

US Senate Adopts Resolution Celebrating 35th Anniversary of Clean Water Act

The Senate unanimously adopted a resolution on Oct. 19 that commemorates the 35th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. Sponsored by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), James Inhofe (R-OK), and David Vitter (R-LA), S. Res. 354 recognizes that the Clean Water Act was enacted into law on October 18, 1972, and recommits the Senate to restoring and maintaining the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of all waters of the United States. Sponsors noted that there is still more work to be done, and that it is important that we recommit to protecting the quality of our nation's water. The three-page resolution is available at the Senate website.

EPA Issues Preliminary 2008 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan

EPA is requesting public comments on its Preliminary 2008 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan for any new or existing industrial categories selected for effluent guidelines rulemaking. The plan was announced in the Oct. 30 Federal Register. EPA is also requesting comments on its 2007 annual review of existing effluent guidelines. EPA establishes national, technology-based regulations known as effluent guidelines and pretreatment standards to reduce pollutant discharges from categories of industry discharging directly to waters of the U.S. or discharging indirectly through publicly owned treatment works. The CWA requires EPA to annually review these effluent guidelines and pretreatment standards. Comments are due by Dec. 31. The Federal Register notice is available on the EPA website.

NOAA Launches Drought Monitoring Website

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) launched a website on Nov. 1 to help state and local water managers monitor conditions in the Southeast and across the United States. The U.S. Drought Portal collects data from across the federal government on current drought, water quality and wildfire conditions, and links to forecasts that draw on precipitation records and measurements of soil moisture to project drought conditions more than a year in advance. The site is part of the National Integrated Drought Information System, which Congress authorized last year. NOAA serves as the lead agency on the project, with contributions from the National Science Foundation, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Geological Survey, EPA, and the Department of Agriculture. According to NOAA estimates, drought costs the nation between $6 billion and $8 billion per year. The U.S. Drought Portal is at: www.drought.gov.

Lake Related Job Openings in Wisconsin, Maryland, and Georgia

Wisconsin has several water-related Extension positions open right now including Basin Educator in the Eau Claire area, Lakes Specialist based in Stevens Point, and a 50% Aquatic Invasives Education Specialist based in Madison. Also, two other new job postings- one in Maryland related to volunteer monitoring, and another in Georgia as the Extension-EPA liaison, are available as well, Information about each of these positions is posted at http://www.usawaterquality.org/volunteer/Special/jobs.html.

New York Adirondack Smart Growth Grants

NY Governor Spitzer secured $2 million in the 2007-08 Environmental Protection Fund for grants to promote smart growth initiatives; $1 million will be earmarked for the Adirondacks. The Smart Growth Grants Program for the Adirondacks will establish a competitive fund for counties, towns, villages and not-for-profit organizations to develop plans that link sustainable development, environmental protection and community livability. Smart Growth can be used in rural communities to address some of the land-use issues facing the Park communities - workforce housing, aging infrastructure, water quality, economic development, open space protection, and village/hamlet revitalization. Applications are due December 28. http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/37874.html

F. X. Browne, Inc. has an office in the Adirondacks, and we have experience in land use planning, open space planning, wastewater planning, and watershed planning. Please contact us at info@fxbrowne.com with questions about how the Adirondack Smart Growth Grants could benefit your community.

Need for an Updated Volunteer Monitoring Manual for Lake???

NALMS is exploring the interest in having an updated volunteer monitoring manual for lakes. The exact content and form that such a manual would take is not yet known, but the thinking is that since neither the EPA’s Volunteer Lake Monitoring: A Methods Manual nor the NALMS’ Guide for Volunteer Monitoring Program Coordinators have been updated in well more than a decade that there might be a need for newer versions.

While NALMS does not yet have a funding source currently identified for getting this done, determining what might be valuable to the volunteer monitoring community would be the first step. Also we recognize that there may already be other documents out there that fill the need (such as sections of the EPA Estuary Monitoring Manual, the CSREES Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring National Facilitation Project’s Guide to Growing Programs, the Great North American Secchi Dipin website and others) so do not wish to be redundant, but wondered if there was a niche that NALMS could fill.

So my questions are:

1. Is there a need for an updated Lakes Volunteer Monitoring Manual?
2. If so, what format would be most useful (e.g., online only, as a hardcopy book, in a modular fact sheet format focused on specific monitoring methods, etc…)?
3. What should be included in the manual? The more specific the better, and if you can prioritize your needs, even better.

Please send any of your thoughts and ideas to Elizabeth Herron at 401-874-4552.

The Power of Pond Scum – Can Blue-Green Algae Stop Global Warming?

The world carbon budget has become a very important topic with global climate change. The recent trend to keep track of your carbon print and participate in net-zero carbon offsetting has become quite popular. But just how do we control carbon? The result of all this is the new field of carbon sequestration. One concept to help remove carbon from the air is to use, you guess it, Blue-Green algae. This idea was mentioned in the High Country News lately, in a letter written by Matthew Kaser.

From creating our breathable atmosphere to possibly saving it in the future, blue-green algae just might become our best friend. If you search the web for “carbon sequestration” and “blue-green algae,” you will get close to 500 hits on this idea of using scum-forming algae to remove CO2 from the atmosphere.

The natural process of photosynthesis by blue-green algae may be the easiest way to eliminate carbon from coal-burning power plants. One study estimated that an average-sized power plant could produce as much as 200,000 tons of algae per year by running CO2 emissions through a bioreactor. But what to do with all that algae? The biomass generated for a bioreactor can be used for soil amendment and other agricultural purposes or for production of biofuels which would put the carbon eventually back into the atmosphere.

So the next time you have issues with a scummy, green lake in August, just think of all that potential to help solve global warming.

Website of the Month – http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/NALMSAffiliates

This is the way to communicate to all the other NALMS affiliates. Please join this group if you are a member of an affiliate and wish to stay informed on what other lake organizations around the country are doing. With one simple e-mail address, you can communication to over 70+ members right now. This website will be hub for all communication with the newly forming Affiliate Council. Please sign up and pass this on to other affiliate members.

There will also be a new yahoo group for NALMS members, specifically for all Certified Lake Managers and Certified Lake Professionals. More details will be coming soon.

Open Invitation to Add to the Next E-newsletter

If you are having a conference, have a lake-related question, need advice, looking for similar lake problems/solutions, have an interesting story to share, or just want to be heard throughout NALMS, please send your material to Steve Lundt.

All e-newsletter material is due to Steve Lundt by the first Friday of each month to be considered for inclusion in that month’s e-newsletter.