Concerning the City Council Report I usually refrain from personal comment until after the report. The issue of Aquatic Weed Control in Guntersville Lake calls for an exception to my rule.>
Some have a myopic view of aquatic flora on Guntersville Lake, such as the picture above demonstrates. "Kill all aquatic weeds" is the demand from Retired Judge Wallace Haralson, speaking concerning the formation of a not-for profit organization, Roseberry Rescue Group, for the abolishment of aquatic weeds in Roseberry and Dry Creek area of Guntersville Reservoir in Scottsboro. He stated there were 161 citizens signed up to support the elimination of aquatic weeds in the area. Judge Haralson requested the City of Scottsboro contribute to the removal of 1500+ acres of aquatic growth in the above mentioned creeks, a contribution of $90,000.
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The above "myopic sea of green" is a summer picture at the mouth of North Sauty Creek at Goose Pond Colony. Will the City of Scottsboro finance the control the aquatic weeds in other areas? Or, will they only control Roseberry aquatic weeds. Aquatic flora is necessary for diverse aquatic life. Eliminate the "weeds" you eliminate the fishery for the area. However, if foreign aquatic weeds, such as the milfoil and hydrilla, become the predominent aquatic flora it results in the elimination of native aquatic flora. The TVA has stated they will maintain channels and public access areas free from aquatic weeds. Lakeside Boat Dock owners are up in arms about the "weed" situation around their private boat docks. The TVA has recently stated they will stop clearing aquatic weeds around private boat docks. Boat dock owners should maintain areas around their docks at their own expense. Those same owners have no business poisoning the aquatic growth in large areas of Guntersville Lake.
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I do not believe my city tax money should be used for the destruction of the fishery in Roseberry and Dry Creek. Judge Haralson promised that the influential lake owners would be very appreciative of the City Council's efforts to give money for killing the weeds around their boat docks.
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This link concerning the use of Fluridone is provided. http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/management/FluridoneStrategies.html Note that the "weeds" will return but in the mean time the milfoil and hydrilla will be replaced by abundant green algae "slime" and the fish will travel to where there is cover.
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This info is provided by the manufactorers of Fluridone: "Fluridone can only be used in very still water like the back end of coves and creeks, because — to be effective — it must remain in contact with the plant for a prolonged period. In addition, when Fluridone is used, the entire volume of water – shoreline to shoreline, surface to bottom – must be treated. Obviously, for this reason, Fluridone is not suitable for use along the shoreline of the main lake, or any body of water with significant current flow. ...A permit called a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (NPDES) permit is needed to treat water bodies with aquatic herbicides."
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The bigger problem. Elimination of the Hydrilla on Guntersville Lake is a grand problem, not only for the lakeside home owners and the City of Scottsboro but all the various government agencies involved in the Guntersville Lake ecosystem. A workable plan involving ADEM, Citizens, TVA, local government and professional biologists is required to resolve this problem. Hydrilla link: http://www.lakeouachita.org/hydrilla-impact-on-lake-ouachita.htm and http://www.anstaskforce.gov/spoc/hydrilla.php Half baked ideas, exagerations and independent, possible illegal action, is not the answer. A reasonable scientific approach to this large scale ecological problem executed by a leader is the answer. Are there any reasonable leaders out there interested in reaching a solution to the hydrilla problem?
In other business, Mayor Potter discussed changes to the First Monday Ordinance, fees will be eliminated begining in October 2009.>>
Police Chief Dawe reported that the new Justice Center is 97% complete.
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