FAIRMONT– On Wednesday the Lakes Management Committee continued to talk about ways to combat Curly Leaf Pondweed (CLP) and also discussed some grant opportunities and a recent inspection of the George Lake Dam.

Dr. Ryan Wersal was virtually in attendance to talk about the Fairmont Chain of Lakes Aquatic Plant Management Support. He and some of his students at Minnesota State University-Mankato have been studying the Fairmont Chain of Lakes and some initial findings indicate that the infestation of CLP is leading to reductions in overall aquatic plant species richness and distribution. CLP is also likely exacerbating poor water quality through the release of nutrients into the water column, leading to algae blooms. The poor water quality also reduces light penetration, which is also limiting native aquatic plant growth.

MNSU is proposing to address several items in a final 2025 report. Wersal briefly went over the steps that would need to be taken and the costs associated with them, which includes additional surveys, point intercept and turion sampling and water quality monitoring

The proposed 2026 project cost would cost $25,000.

“In the end it’s really council’s decision on if we’re going to spend this money, but I wanted to make sure that I brought this to the committee for discussion,” said Neusch.

Wersal said that a delineation survey was done last year and another should not need to be done for another year or two. He said an early season survey for CLP therefore is not necessary, but he recommended moving into the management phase and nailing down an area to manage.

“If you’re using harvesting you’ll probably want to get going before May 30th and go into June,” Wersal said.

Neusch said she has talked to Martin Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to see if it would be interested in partnering on the survey, as the agency did the original survey on CLP and paid for 100 percent of it. however, she did say the city would pay for this survey, hopefully with the help of some grants.

“If the committee is interested I can get a control sheet together and get a gauge on how council feels on it,” she said.

Later in the meeting Neusch touched on the Request for Proposal (RFP) for aquatic invasive removal and treatment in the Fairmont Chain of Lakes which the city council had previously approved of.

She said it is for mechanical harvesting of CLP in priority areas as defined in the RFP. It has recently been sent out and Neusch said she’s been in contact with five different companies, two of which have said they will be sending in a proposal.

“It’s exciting. When you do something like this for the first time, you don’t know how much interest you’re going to get,” Neusch said.

In addition to mechanical harvesting, the group has previously talked about chemical treatment and has expressed interest in exploring other options, too. On Wednesday Nesuch shared some information on weedrollers.

She said the weedrollers are long, steam roller- type devices that rotate around a center pole and control vegetation, specifically CLP in this case.

She read an email from Durel Carstensen with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that said residents can use weedrollers to control submersed vegetation around their dock area. Weedrollers will not be permitted to control waterlily or emergent vegetation like cattails and bulrush. They can be granted on a one or a three year permit, depending on the size of the area that will be controlled by a resident.

“We wanted to see what options are available to manage this (CLP) in a way that’s safe for public health and in a way that will impact the environment in the least amount. We wanted to see what tools we had available to us,” Neusch said.

She added that she’s not personally familiar with weedrollers but encouraged those present to reach out to Carstensen with the DNR if they had more questions.

In other business Public Works Director, Matthew York, went over the most recent underwater inspection of George Lake Dam.

In the past, the Lakes Management Committee has talked about the dam and whether turning it into rock arch rapids would be an option in the future.

“Basically the gist of the inspection was that, having a dam that was built in the 1950s, it is in extremely good condition. There was no recommendations for repairs that need to be made, just more or less, this is where we’re starting to see breakdown and in five years when they (inspect) it again we’ll compare the two,” York said.

He added that the company that did the inspection was happy with the final report.

Tyler Cowing, an engineer with the city, said he doesn’t recall an underwater inspection being done but that the DNR does a surface inspection every five or 10 years.

“For the amount that this cost to do it, I would probably recommend every five years moving forward,” York said.

The cost of the inspection was roughly $15,000.

Neusch said that she thought the next step could be suggesting that council apply for a grant to manipulate the dam and turn it into rock arch rapids.

“That is something that I can ask, but I think it’s worthwhile having that discussion to see where they’re leaning,” Neusch said.

York recommended getting the Park Board’s input on the rock arch rapids in the future as well.

In other business:

— Neusch and Jesse Walters with SWCD went over a wetland restoration project at Cedar Creek Park that was recently approved at a Fairmont City Council meeting.

— Neusch also touched on the rain barrels sales, which the city does every few years, as well as compost bins, which would be a new addition she has an interest in.

— Neusch spoke about a Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Source Water Protection Implementation Grant which has been applied for with permission from the city council. If the funds are granted the plan is to get some floating islands for the chain of lakes.