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Public Meetings on the Lower Fox River Rapide Croche Boat Transfer and AIS Management Plan
The Fox River Navigational System Authority is holding a series of public meetings to present the preliminary overland boat transfer and aquatic invasive species management plan for the Rapide Croche Lock site near Wrightstown on the Lower Fox River . The meetings will introduce a preliminary plan to transfer boats overland around the Rapide Croche Lock allowing boat passage on the Lower Fox River . The meetings will also present a boat inspection and cleansing plan designed to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species on any boats or contents transferred. The Rapide Croche Lock was closed and sealed in 1988 to prevent the upstream invasion of the sea lamprey. Since that time, no boats could pass through the Rapide Croche Lock.
The Authority began preparing for the management plan over a year ago with the creation of the Aquatic Invasive Species Technical Advisory Committee. The Committee evaluated boat transfer alternatives and methods to cleanse boats for all known invasive species. With extensive research and analysis the Committee has selected a preferred option plan. After public review the final plan will be will be prepared and submitted to the Department of Natural Resources for approval. Construction of the Rapide Croche transfer station is subject to future fund raising.
Five public meetings are scheduled throughout the Lower Fox River Basin and will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The agenda includes:
Information Stations
Opening Remarks and Moderation – Bill Bush, AIS Technical Committee Chairman
FRNSA Mission and Activities – Bob Stark, FRNSA Chairman
Primary Presentation, Dr. Phil Moy, Wisconsin Sea Grant
Transfer Station Description
AIS Inspection and Cleansing
AIS Monitoring Program
Questions and Answer Period, Bill Bush, Moderator
Listening Stations
Meetings are scheduled in:
Green Bay on December 5th, Brown County Agricultural & Extension Building, 1150 Bellevue Street, Green Bay
Appleton on December 12th, Grand Chute Town Hall 1900 Grand Chute Boulevard , Town of Grand Chute
Oshkosh on December 13th, LaShure’s Hall 3125 South Washburn Avenue , Oshkosh
Fond du Lac on January 7th, Fond du Lac Government Center , 160 South Macy Street , Fond du Lac
Winneconne on January 9th, Village Municipal Center , 30 South First Street , Winneconne
Boaters, sportsman, civic groups, government officials and interested citizens are invited to the meetings. |
Member
Posts: 1314
Location: Menasha, WI | As Dale suggests, it is highly improbable that the lift would consistently meet the necessary requirements to prevent the spread of invasives. I can't make the meeting tonight, but if anyone goes ask how the Navigation Authority will be able to meet these rigorous steps to decontaminate the boats and assure quality control. Among the steps necessary (according to Philip B. Moy, Ph.D, University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute): Cleansing the Boat
Once the boat meets the established criteria to move above the Rapide Croche Lock, the boat will be lifted from the water by fork lift, hoist or some other mechanism. The boat will be moved to a location for the cleaning process that ensures the released water is not discharge to the upstream side of the transfer station. The HullThe transfer station is intended to be a disinfection station not a boat cleaning station; there will not be time for scrubbing or scraping of the hull. As such, boats with hulls heavily fouled with zebra or quagga mussels or thick encrustations of other organic matter will not be allowed to use the boat transfer station so only recently settled dreissenid mussels and minimal accumulations of other dried-on organisms should be present on the boat hull. The hull will be thoroughly sprayed to dislodge spiny waterfleas and other adhering AIS prior to being set in 110oF water for one minute which will kill more tightly attached dreissenid mussels. Wong (1991) reported that water pressure at 3000 psi will remove zebra mussels but not their byssal threads that can cause corrosion. For this reason the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recommends that water pressure of 4,000 psi or greater be used to remove the zebra mussels. Ackerman et al (1995) determined that the force required to remove newly settled quagga mussels from various substrates was about two orders of magnitude less than that required to remove adult dreissenid mussels. Applying this conversion factor (0.01) to the Army Corps recommended pressure for removing adult zebra mussels (3000 to 4000 psi) results in a suggests water pressure of 30 to 40 psi, roughly equal to that of tap water will be sufficient for the Rapide Croche boat washing facility. Water at 30 to 40 psi will remove newly settled quagga mussels as well as zooplankton that may be adhering to the surfaces of the boat while avoiding removal of ablative anti-fouling paint and possible damage to boat hulls. Special attention will be paid to hull fittings, outdrives, lower units, sailboat centerboards, centerboard trunks and water intake and exhaust ports. Canoes and kayaks will be thoroughly rinsed inside and out then fully immersed in the 110oF water. The heat of the water will instantaneously kill any zebra or quagga mussels on the hull and will kill attached spiny waterfleas in the one-minute contact time. Propulsion SystemsLower units, outdrives and other protruding items with cracks or crevices that may house AIS will be sprayed with water then set in 110oF water to ensure removal and/or death of the organism. Jet skis or jet boats will be run for a few seconds to ensure removal of entrained vegetation and water in the drive system. The jet drive intake and exhaust ports must then be flushed with the hot water. Intake and Exhaust Ports & Cooling SystemIntake and exhaust ports of the cooling system on inboard motors must be sprayed thoroughly. Mechanical propulsion systems of all vessels will be operated while floating in the 110oF water bath to ensure removal of larval or planktonic organisms. Cooling systems of motors will be operated with the 110oF water to ensure removal or mortality of AIS. Other raw water systems will be operated while in the bath to ensure flushing of these systems.
BilgeWater in the bilge could harbor invasive organisms. If the boat construction allows access to the bilge compartments the bilge will be visually inspected. If the bilge compartments cannot be visually inspected, the bilge plug will be removed from the boat prior to placement in the hot water bath. Fishing Equipment, Anchors, Ropes, Chains, Skis etcEquipment onboard including ropes, anchor, chains, water skis, rods, reels, lines, downriggers, tackle and lures must be visually checked by the transfer station staff. It must be dry and free of debris or encrusting organisms. All nets and equipment that is not dry or free of encrusting organisms clean must be sprayed with high pressure wash water then immersed in the 110oF water bath for one minute before being allowed to move upstream of the transfer site.
Edited by Viking 12/13/2007 2:51 PM
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Public Meetings on the Lower Fox River Rapide Croche Boat Transfer and AIS Management Plan