StructureSpot

Texas tree top habitat causes Govenor intervention.

Dear friends,

I was recently contacted by J Harmon, President of the Protect lake Dunlap association in New Braunfels,Texas. He explained to me their struggle with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority over existing small diameter standing timber being hazardous to recreation use. Apparently, The GBRA has denied the cutting of these stumps to protect fish habitat and recommends marking these areas off to boat use which has the residents upset.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

The PLDA’s plan is to draw down the reservoir and shorten the existing hazards about eight feet from normal surface elevation. I’m told there are hundreds of them and already have caused many accidents and property damage. J says the average depth is about 15 feet, so when cut, they would still stick up about 6-8 feet off the bottom, root ball intact.

After cutting, they plan to set one of our PVC habitat units on the remaining stump and fasten it there for good. This would increase the square footage of surface area approximately three times. The thinking is, with our units within six feet of the surface as water fluctuates, boats, skiers and water craft will be safe, including the fish. J and the group understand the benefits of not only keeping as much existing habitat as possible but to continue to add more habitat. The cut off tops would be kept and fastened to the remaining trunk too.

They have a full understanding of the science behind periphyton, nutrient removal and fish production and feel unwavering in their decision to work with only us in their efforts.

Senator Jeff Wentworth supports PLDA. With his intervention and the phone call from Gov. Rick Perry, GBRA’s action item #8 was tabled. The PLDA has been granted 30 days, (less now) to present their case for a final decision of what will be allowed. The General Manager and staff continue to meet with representatives of Lake Dunlap, enforcement officers, and fishery experts to evaluate the current no-wake area designation and alternative options to provide water safety and assure a balance of all uses including the preservation of fishery habitat and funding mechanisms, and to continue to review and develop alternatives that address congestion and lake boating conflict uses on Lake Dunlap and to report back to the Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting in August 2012.

What I’m asking of you once again is your opinion, hopefully your support. Can you find any adverse effects of removing these hazardous stumps as long as the habitat is replaced in other ways/forms? Can you comment on the benefits of the artificial habitat we produce and results you have seen? What can we expect to see in a 300 % increase in available cover for the fishery? With our help, the PLDA intends to present their plan for approval as a landmark decision for the state of Texas. Safety for the residents and fish is the priority of both sides, in that order. All parties involved want to save and increase fish habitat. Wood is good, just not where people get hurt. Send replies to either Jarod or myself at david@fishiding.com Thanks.

Here are some links to the information as well as Jerod Harmon’s contact information:
news story:
http://www.ksat.com/news/Lake-Dunlap-res…rz/-/index.htmlhttp://www.plda.org/index.htmlhttps://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.plda.org%2Ffiles%2Fstump_removal_procedure.pdfhttp://www.gbra.org/
jrharmon123@yahoo.com
713-202-8870

Fish habitat crusader awarded Churchill Fellowship

 Craig Copeland - working to save our fish habitat. Image NSW DPI

Craig Copeland – working to save our fish habitat. Image NSW DPI

CRAIG Copeland, Manager of the Conservation Action Unit within the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has been awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship to investigate the motivation of recreational fishers in the US, UK and Ireland to restore fish habitat.

“Craig, who is based at Wollongbar, is highly regarded throughout Australia for his work in aquatic habitat rehabilitation,” said NSW DPI Director General Richard Sheldrake.

“He has led the pioneering unit responsible for fish habitat rehabilitation in NSW which has resulted in massive improvements to fish habitat and fish populations through initiatives such as fishway construction, weir removals, fish-friendly road crossings, floodgate management, riparian revegetation and river resnagging programs.”

Copeland’s work in educating and engaging the broader recreational fishing community on habitat issues is proving successful with some of the larger recreational fishing groups through the establishment of the Fish Habitat Network program.

Dr Sheldrake said the Fellowship will provide an opportunity for Mr Copeland to travel to countries in the Northern Hemisphere where recreational fishing groups and individual fishers are the principal players in restoring fish habitat. See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

“By interviewing fishers in these countries, Craig will get to understand their motivations and capacities – and bring back expertise aimed at increasing the capability of Australian recreational fishers to support and improve their fishery.

“The lessons learned will be immediately transferred to recreational fishers and habitat managers here in NSW.”
Copeland said the sustainability of recreational fishing and the capacity of the sector to grow are dependent on healthy fish stocks.

“Over three million people fish recreationally each year making it one of the most significant outdoor activities undertaken by Australians,” he said.

“There is great scope to significantly increase the proportion of recreational fishers in NSW who contribute time, funding and effort to rehabilitate fish habitat and, as a result, increase fish populations.”

Copeland plans to undertake his Fellowship trip in early 2013 and will report back to the
recreational fishing community later in the year.

The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, which was established after the death of Sir Winston
Churchill in accordance with his final wishes, has now funded more than 3,700 Fellowships for Australians. http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/fish-habitat-crusader-awarded-churchill-fellowship

Floating treatment wetlands mitigate lake eutrophication

By Mark Reinsel

ES&E Magaqzine’s May/June 2012 issue

An enhanced floating treatment wetland (FTW) that incorporates air diffuser technology is under evaluation in an ongoing study at Floating Island International in Montana. The latest-generation system lifts and circulates water through floating streambeds within the FTW. This combination of FTW and improved water circulation/aeration is part of a product range called BioHaven®. The primary objective of the study is to determine whether biofilm-based microbes can provide nutrient removal, while increasing fish productivity.

This system, which is a new type of
constructed wetland, has been evaluated
for treatment of agricultural effluent and
municipal wastewater. Cost-effective treatment options for end users with limited
funding will be its greatest benefit. It can
provide treatment of agricultural-impacted
waters, municipal wastewater, storm water
and polishing of tertiary waste water, along with lake restoration.

Fisheries managers will be especially interested in the productivity potential afforded by a biological system, which can reduce algae and grow more (and bigger) fish. See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

Wetland areas have been reduced worldwide, while nutrient loading has increased
with growing human populations. Mass-production agriculture, as practiced in many developed nations, can contribute to hyper-eutrophication in water bodies that were previously low in nutrient concentrations. In fresh water, partly as a result of normal seasonal stratification, nutrient loading can deplete oxygen levels within the livable temperature zone for fish species.


Over the last 11 years, Floating Island
International (FII) has developed the Bio-
Haven FTW technology, which mimics
the ability of natural peat-based wetlands
to purify water. The Leviathan™ extrapolates
this technology by maximizing surface area and circulation, which are key components of wetland effectiveness. The islands are also designed to provide
optimal perennial plant habitat.

System background:
Dissolved oxygen and temperature measurements taken on Fish Fry Lake,
FII’s 6.5-acre research lake in 2008/2009 indicated that stratified water near the
surface was too warm to sustain a trout fishery. While temperatures below the
stratified warm water layer were sufficiently cool for trout, that zone contained
low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels. During late summer, no strata of water could
consistently provide the cold-water, high- DO environment demanded by fish, such
as rainbow, brown and Yellowstone cutthroat trout.
Groundwater containing variable nutrient concentrations enters the lake at an estimated average rate of 18 m3/hr. Surface water also flows into the lake with variable nutrient concentrations and flow rates. Evaporative loss and outflow are balanced to maintain the lake level, which is approximately 9 m deep.

As the lake was filled several years
ago, a series of BioHaven floating islands
covering 5,200 square feet (480 m2) of
lake area and providing over 9.3 ha of saturated surface area was installed. Several
islands were positioned next to the inflow
to maximize exposure to the highest nutrient concentrations.

These islands were designed to maximize production of biofilm (organisms attached to underwater surfaces), and to move nutrients into and through the food web.
After addition of the last 232-m2 FTW, floating islands now cover approximately 715 m2, or 2.7% of the lake’s surface area. Active treatment system with floating streambed Leviathan is an enhanced form of constructed wetland, and is FII’s latest effort to move excess nutrients into the food chain or harvest them. It integrates high volume, low-pressure circulation with matrix surface area constructed of postconsumer (recycled) polymer fibers, for maximum wetland performance.

Air-driven directional diffusers circulate up to 2,300 m3/hr, pushing it through the Bio-
Haven matrix and plant roots. The system’s floating streambed contributes to aeration and nutrient uptake.


The FPZ-brand air diffusers require 3 hp (2.2 kW) to operate, typically with 230V
single-phase power. Leviathan is designed to provide the  complete “wetland effect,” including aerobic, anaerobic and anoxic microbial nutrient conversion. This allows it to treat large, nutrient-rich stratified bodies of water, including “dead zones,” in both freshwater and marine settings. Removal of ammonia, nitrate, phosphate and soluble organic carbon has been demonstrated.

The system can move nutrients from
any depth into and through the islands’
biologically active substrate. In the
process, these nutrients are digested by
beneficial microbes and form periphyton
(attached plant and animal organisms
embedded in a polysaccharide matrix,
similar to biofilm), which is the base of
the freshwater food chain. As these excess nutrients transition into the food chain via biofilm/periphyton, both water quality and fish growth rates can be dramatically improved.
Leviathan can de-stratify water bodies, resulting in greatly expanded habitable zones for targeted fish species. As part of this process, high DO levels can be achieved and maintained, and water temperatures homogenized.


Results:
A 232-m2 Leviathan system, incorporating floating streambeds and grid-powered water circulation, was installed in the lake in April 2009. This system circulated up to 770 m3/hr through the stream channels within the island. Each cubic meter of Leviathan’s matrix, averaging 0.64 m in thickness, provided 820 square meters of surface area.

After 17 months of operation, water clarity had improved from a low of 0.36 m of visibility to as much as 3.3 m. Clarity is now at 5.8 m. Simultaneously, the
water temperature gradient was reduced, creating a larger zone of “livable” water for fish. Two age classes of Yellowstone cutthroat trout were introduced 13 and 14 months into the test. Through the summer of 2010, a favorable temperature/dissolved oxygen strata, ranging from the water surface down to a depth of at least 3.7 m, was maintained as potential cutthroat trout habitat.


One-year-old and two-year-old black crappie were also introduced two months
into the test, and naturally-occurring northern yellow perch were present in the
lake when it was filled. All three species have flourished.

The new aeration scheme in the lake improves water quality by incorporating
dissolved phosphorus and nitrogen into the aquatic food web, in the form of periphyton,
while limiting the growth of deleterious algae. Total phosphate concentrations
are reduced from about 0.04 mg/L to 0.02 mg/L, while nitrate-nitrogen
concentrations decrease from about 0.6 mg/L to 0.01 mg/L.
Fish Fry Lake is relatively unique in that it supports fish accustomed to cold
water (Yellowstone cutthroat trout), temperate water (perch) and warm water
(crappie). Montana officials have made two unsuccessful attempts at sustaining
cutthroat populations in an adjacent stretch of the Yellowstone River.
Fish catch rates and growth rates are now being monitored at the lake. Initial
data show that experienced fishermen catch an average of one perch every two
minutes. Visual observations from diving and an underwater viewing station indicate
that perch approaching or exceeding the Montana state record of 1.0 kg now
inhabit the lake.
The perch harvest at Fish Fry Lake averaged 12 kg of fish per week from May-
November 2011. With a phosphorus content of 0.9% in perch, phosphorus removal
from the lake via fishing averaged 0.10 kg/wk, or 84% of the estimated
phosphorus input to the lake.
In summary, Fish Fry Lake was poised to become another eutrophic waterway, until a new form of applied stewardship was introduced, which reversed the process.

Mark Reinsel is with Apex Engineering.
E-mail: mark@apexengineering.us

MBL Recycling provides vinyl siding for fish habitat…by the tons!

We have a new supplier of material to keep up with demand at fishiding artificial fish habitat products world headquarters in Woodstock Illinois. 30 yard containers of clean sorted siding are delivered to our facility two at a time, twice a week. That’s an average of 10,000 pounds of material per week.
Fellow construction and demolition contractor Ken Hoving, who has been supplying us with material for about a year and a half, helped set up this match made for the fish. These guys process material with a well greased flow to sort and re-use up to 80% of the material they bring in. In the past, as little as six months ago, all this material was destined for the landfill. Needless to say they are more than happy to see it going to such a could use to provide habitat for fish as well as removing excessive nutrients and converting them into fish food.
See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.
Bio film, Periphyton and algae grow on the inert substrate and begin the food chain. This natural occurring process mimics nature and cleanses the water of contaminants. This growth provides the “mothers milk” of nourishment for fish up to about one year old. Lasting underwater forever, this process only improves with more time.
The reusable experts

Started in October 2002 with just one truck and 30 boxes, Wendy Gold and her brother Robert Lenzini have modeled the foundations of their family’s generational business, Lenzini Excavating, initiating 37 years ago, into today’s MBL Recycling, established as an operation that specializes in the recycling of construction waste and demolition debris. Slowly but surely, the company has modestly added to its fleet, which now counts to eight trucks and close to 400 boxes.

Over time, the company has grown from its initial days of hand sorting to separate the waste material to a state-of-the-art facility that brings efficiency to the sorting process and new levels to both volume and productivity. The facility current stands at 41,000 square feet.

Based in Palatine, Ill., where the company’s new facility was developed in 2005, MBL Recycling offers full roll-off container services to its customer base, offering anywhere from 10 to 30 yard containers. The recycled material sorted, processed, source separated and is then sold back to the market. For example, recycled shingles are turned to asphalt in order to construct city roads. In 2007, MBL Recycling added concrete washout containers to its extensive line of services, further improving its position in the marketplace, tackling the market with a different style box, while the boxes also better comply with growing environmental standards.

Programs and services

The addition of 11,000 square feet to its new material recovery facility allows plenty of space for future growth.

And as its volume has continued to grow, MBL Recycling has seen an increase in incoming streams from diversifying construction projects, further adding to both the demand and specification of the waste separation. Because of such a high volume with its customers, MBL Recycling was able to hold its percentage in the market as the company successfully navigated the impact of the global economic downturn, which was specifically damaging to the American housing economy.

Business development

“Construction is really down here. Housing has come to a halt. We were pretty fortunate though because we never really focused much on housing,” said Robert. “We did a lot more commercial and it has slowed down…but nowhere near the housing.

“Will next year be any better? It is still too early to tell. We see it from an excavating side because we can tell when they bring in bids and how much work is there for the spring, and there isn’t much,” added Robert, illustrating that the excavating business allows for a unique secondary insight into the future.

“We pinch ourselves everyday that we are here and still going. We are riding the storm and doing everything status quo until everything bounces back. We’re always thinking of new things, but we have a couple hurdles here in Illinois that we are trying to work on now too (like getting into the drywall recycling market),” said Wendy.

“We were able to pick up some of the slack from some of the other guys that were in the housing market. The shingles this year also brought our tonnages way up,” said Robert. “Before we used to have to ship [the shingles] to Wisconsin and they used them in asphalt mix. Just in the last year, Illinois recognized this and got a standard for it.”

“We do a lot of work with Power Construction (based in Schaumburg, Ill.), a high profile contractor. We do a lot of hospital additions. We just finished the Northwest Community Hospital nearby and that was a huge project. Astellas Pharma is another Power Construction job. It’s a three-year project that just started this year,” said Wendy.

But right now our only out is that we recycle our own stuff, so that is our little niche.” Associated with the U.S. Green Building Council, MBL Recycling provides all LEED documentation for its customers, generating environmental sustainability reports on a monthly basis.

The transition to ‘go green’ is something that is becoming a “really big thing with the general contractors…they love to recycle, especially with some of the locations around us,” said Wendy. “Hooray for Chicago because they mandate 50 per cent recycling of construction. It is wonderful that they recognize that.”
As such, in 2009, the Illinois Recycling Association recognized MBL Recycling as the Recycler of the Year.

Quality customer service

MBL Recycling prides itself on providing the best possible service to its customer base.

“Service is a big thing nowadays. People call and they want their stuff. It is not all about the pricing because at least when people call us they know we are going to be there,” said Robert.

“People are so thankful. You would be surprised at the phone calls—people go out of the way to call here and say something nice about one of our drivers, or for us being there in a pinch. Everyone gets the feedback and gets to feel good about things,” said Wendy. “We treat all of our customers the same—like gold.”

WWW.MBLRECYCLING.COM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv3M4zUsU5U&feature=player_embedded

It’s Easy Being Green!
CMRAMBL is committed to environmental best practices and sustainability. MBL diverts millions of pounds that would normally go to landfill in your C&D container. MBL is taking C&D recycling to the next level. Diverting waste from landfills, promoting reuse and recycling in our community.What is your Current C&D waste management plan?
Are your crews taking the time to separate each and every item and put them in separate containers for disposal?Illinois Recycling AssociationDo you have multiple containers to handle the variety of materials to be disposed?

Or are you already putting jobsite C&D debris mixed into one container?

MBL Recycling is ready to handle your C&D waste. Mix all C&D waste into one container. Do not incur the extra time and cost of separating materials yourself. No need for extra job crew training: just explain you will be recycling.

DumpsterJust direct ALL your C&D materials to MBL!
MBL will take your C&D container and separate the recyclable materials for you. On average 75% of every C&D container is recycled. Allow us to recycle your construction and demolition debris, diverting tons of material from landfills.

The Green TeamAn alliance of professional environmentalists working to promote greener solutions. Find us atwww.thegreenteamchicago.com.

$4 million habitat project for fish at Colony Farm

TE1118_colonyfarm1c.jpg

Officials will mark the near completion of fish habitat at Wilson Farm at Colony Farm Regional Park with a celebration with the Kwikwetlem First Nation today.

TRI-CITY NEWS FILE PHOTO
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By Staff Writer – The Tri-City News

Juvenile salmon will have more protected habitat to get a good start in life thanks to a $4 million habitat enhancement project now nearing completion at Colony Farm Regional Park.

Environment Minister Terry Lake will be celebrating the near-completion of the project today, Monday, with members of the Kwikwetlem First Nation who were key to its development

Lake will join Metro Vancouver Environment and Parks Committee Chair Heather Deal and Kwikwetlem First Nation Chief Ron Giesbrecht in a ceremony to welcome the salmon, unveil a new interpretive sign on the Colony Farm walking path and showcase the habitat enhancement work.

The project, located on the “Wilson Farm” portion of Colony Farm Regional Park, has build a vital habitat for juvenile salmon and restored tidal function to a part of a river traditionally ranked high in the Outdoor Recreation Council’s ‘Endangered Rivers List’.

“This project went a long ways to addressing a major limiting factor to the production of salmon in the Coquitlam River,” said Dr. Craig Orr, environmental consultant to the Kwikwetlem First Nation in a press release. “Urbanization has claimed much of the juvenile salmon habitat in the lower Fraser River area, and this project aimed to restore a large part of that critical habitat.”

The Wilson Farm project, a negotiated highway construction mitigation project funded by the provincial Gateway Transportation Project, has deepened and expanded existing channels for juvenile fish, replaced old tidal pumps with newer and fish friendly pumps, and added cool groundwater to allow fish to survive better. The project was planned with help from experts from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the private sector, and input from the public. It was also designed to have minimal impacts on the old field habitat of Colony Farm Park and its associated wildlife.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

The project received complaints from Burke Mountain Naturalists but went ahead with public consultation.

dstrandberg@trictynews.com

Wild Colorado: Even fish aren’t safe from fire

Wild Colorado: Even fish aren’t safe from fire
Trout would be most affected by wildfire
By Paige Blankenbuehler
Summit Daily News
Heavy equipment operators with Colorado Parks and Wildlife move large boulders to improve fish habitat in the Conejos River in 2010. Improving habitat helps fish weather future fires.

Heavy equipment operators with Colorado Parks and Wildlife move large boulders to improve fish habitat in the Conejos River in 2010. Improving habitat helps fish weather future fires.
Special to the Daily / Josh Nehrig, CPW
Fish are the last species one would think of being devastated by fire; seemingly in the clear from the flames and sparks by being submerged in water. But Randy Hampton, spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife tells me that is not so. In fact, fish — namely Summit County’s trout — would be the species most affected by wildfire.See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

Fortunately, Summit County has remained largely unscathed so far in this dry year’s fire season. Knock on wood, and pray for your favorite local trout.

The most prevalent fish species in Summit County are trout, and their varieties are plentiful. Summit County is home to brown, cutthroat, rainbow, and brook trout.

“The biggest concern is the cutthroat trout, because it is a protected species and the state fish,” Hampton said.

Fire retardants

In areas affected by fire, techniques used by firefighters can have adverse effects for fish. The red liquid dumped by air tankers and helicopters is a fire retardant known as slurry, a mixture of mostly water and fertilizer designed to protect trees and other flammable material from flames.

The coating clings to vegetation and insulates it from the approaching flames; the fertilizer helps the damaged areas regrow in the wake of the blaze.

Though the retardant is good for the soil, when it enters into streams it can kill fish. 

“In high enough quantities, slurry can hurt fish populations,” Hampton said. “Anything that is not water that is introduced is not good for fish.”

When fish ingest large quantities of slurry, they are essentially being poisoned.

Ash and sediment buildup

When fire comes close to fish populations, they also battle the adverse effects of ash, which creates sediment and can clog gills of fish.

“When this happens, fish basically suffocate,” Hampton said.

This effect can extend into the long term as well, negatively affecting fish populations.

“The Hayman fire of 2002 deposited extra sediment into the rivers for as long as three years,” Hampton said.

Much of the residue remains in the air, and rain can also deposit ash and higher amounts of sediment into rivers for an extended period of time.

In areas near the Hayman fire, it has taken 10 years to reach a full recovery of fish populations, Hampton said.

Sediment and ash build-up also affect the areas where fish lay their eggs and areas that serve as insect breeding grounds.

“Sediments tend to smooth out riverbeds and can cement-in little gaps where fish and insect reproduce,” Hampton said. “In those areas, eggs will no longer hatch.”

Bug populations

The heat and sediment build-up tend to affect aquatic insects first and can more easily devastate those populations that serve as a food source for fish.

“If fire impairs a waterway, it can wipe out the food source for fish,” Hampton said.

Sometimes the ash and sediment accumulation effects are so adverse that intervention is needed to restore fish populations.

“Essentially, rivers and reservoirs affected by ash and sediment build-up have to be vacuumed out,” Hampton said.

Protecting water sources and fish populations

In fire seasons, moderation of fish populations is a top priority for local aquatic biologists. When fish populations are low, biologists moderate by replenishing the species by introducing more into the habitat.

The fish health of rivers, streams and reservoirs are moderated to account for areas that may have been adverse affected by fires and ash deposition into the water.

Waters that can support fish life are deemed healthy.

Local aquatic biologists test fish health by using electro-fishing techniques, which stuns fish temporarily. When they float to the surface, biologists can then evaluate their health.

No interventions have been required in areas that have had wildfire this year, Hampton said.

“We’ve been lucky,” he said.

The Blue River is currently being moderated for fish health to prepare for intervention if a fire occurs. The outlook is good.

“The Blue River is a healthy habitat for trout with a large population, likely to rehab quickly from fire,” Hampton said.

Outdoors: A lesson learned

Webster Lake weed kill devastates plant life.

Louie StoutOutdoors: Commentary

It was only couple of years ago when Lake Webster gamefish had plenty of habitat. ………..fish
See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

Audit finds fish habitat not well protected

Audit finds fish habitat not well protected, fire suppression system inadequate

Published on July 5, 2012 by    ·   No Comments

THE CANADIAN PRESS

VICTORIA — An audit by British Columbia’s forestry watchdog has found 23 of 24 timber sales licence holders it investigated failed to comply with provincial legislation.

Auditors from the Forest Practices Board discovered instances where fish habitat was not being adequately protected because of sediment introduced into streams.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

The board says some BC Timber Sales licence holders failed to maintain the natural drainage patterns of several small streams while others did not have an adequate fire suppression system on site during extreme fire hazard conditions.

The areas audited include Gold River on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Sayward on the west, and Lower Mainland areas across from Campbell River.

Board Chairman Al Gorley says more than 100 compliance audits have been conducted since 1996, including more than 20 of BC Timber Sales operations, and typically very few problems are found.

He says this audit is an exception, although BC Timber Sales has committed to taking action to address the board’s concerns.

Eat more fish to clean your lake?

A few weeks ago, my wife Renee’ and I took a trip to Shepherd Montana, headquarters of  Floating Island International Inc. We had been invited to stay on the ranch and to see for ourselves how Bruce Kania and his wife Anne, are growing huge fish fast with a woven matrix of inert substrates called BioHaven, or Floating Treatment Wetlands. I had been in contact with Bruce for some time, learning about how excessive nutrients brought in from runoff can be turned into fresh, tasty fish. Not only do the Kania’s grow fish, but frogs, minnows, pheasant, deer and all species of waterfowl prosper in their efforts. Even Yellowstone cutthroat trout flourish in this superior environment, along with crappie and perch and various minnows.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

The setting was breathtaking, Mule deer and whitetail browsing on the thousands of perennial plants Bruce has planted for their benefit and soil stability. Over time these plants die off and return each spring, contributing to the rich organic soils being built up. Sprawling channels and wetlands run throughout the property, slowly beginning to filter and absorb the high levels of nutrients. When the water enters the property, it is dark and cloudy like chocolate.

Ducks of all varieties, geese, snipe, vulture, pheasant and more, have taken up residency in this oasis of prime habitat, with no intention of ever leaving. With Bruce being a veteran trapper, predators are being kept in check, protecting the desired species. With the Yellowstone River along one property line, this place is an outdoorsman’s paradise.

Stewardship of our natural resources is the core of the work being undertaken at Shepherd Ranch. We were there to catch and eat a bunch of these fish, helping them ultimately remove the phosphorus and nitrogen that causes excessive weed growth and poor water quality. Bruce and I dreamed big about someday soon, this concept of abundant, mass fish harvest to clean our Nation’s waters and beyond.

The data shows that over 50% of our Nation’s waterways are considered eutrophic and in trouble, meaning highly excessive weed growth and nutrient concentrations. Dark, stained and sometimes smelly water are all results of an unbalanced system. More information about our Nation’s waters are available on the National Fish Habitat Action Plan website, a wealth of details everyone is affected by.

When we began producing artificial fish habitat products made from reclaimed PVC siding called Fishiding, the ability to grow algae immediately on the inert surface area, appealed to the fisherman. Like myself, the average fisherman understands that habitat with good algae growth seems to hold more fish. It wasn’t until reading more and talking to Bruce that I began to understand the big picture of why this holds true.

These nutrients stick to surfaces underwater and create the beginning of the food chain called periphyton. Many forms of this wonderful natural, filter and food factory are present. Algae, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, zoo plankton and other invertebrates, function as a community highly efficient in capturing and processing nutrients. When I say processing, this means turning it into food of the highest quality found on earth. The more fish graze on it, it grows faster, decreasing bio mass and the fish grow at alarming rates, making the water clearer.

Numerous types of periphtyon are present, some require light to thrive and some do best in the dark. The more surface area available, the more periphyton can grow and work its magic. Pretend the floating island is a supermarket, the more shelves available the more food can be stocked for consumption. Small fish and fry eat this “super food” until about age one, when they begin to forage on larger minnows and bugs. Periphyton is the “mother’s milk” needed to start life full of nourishment.

This process has been perfected in second and third world countries. We are lacking in knowledge here in the states, but it’s improving with over 4400 of these floating treatment wetlands installed here and worldwide.

Think about all the ponds and lakes in your area. Golfcoarse ponds, retention ponds, private and public, there are many. Some are clear and deep with a balanced mesotrophic or oligotrophic eco system. The other 50% eutrophic waters, could be teaming with fish and every citizen is asked to help keep them clean…..by catching as many fish as you can eat, and removing them! The fish also reproduce faster than normal, so there is no worry of running out. Fish Fry Lake is living, thriving proof of this for all to see. Renee’ and I caught over 500 fish in less than eight hours of fishing. If your hook was in the water, it was being attacked by one or more gorgeous perch or crappie. From 6-8” one year olds, to 12-14” plus jumbos! Remember, this is in Montana not Lake Michigan, the only other place I have ever seen perch of this size. Perch and Crappie were abundant to say the least, with a perch containing about one percent live weight of phosphorus. The name “Fish Fry Lake” more than lives up to its name. Remember, this works with no chemicals, win,win,win…….

This natural cause and effect has other uses too. Bioswales also made by FII,  are used in ditches and swales to slow down erosion as water runs through it, similar to adding hay bales in a ditch after new construction. The difference in using the inert matrix, patented by FII, is that as the bioswales slow down the water, the periphyton forms and begins to consume the over abundant nutrients, cleaning the water as it passes through slowly. Unlike the hay bales, the matrix never breaks down, which would add to the nutrient load in the waterway. Same with weeds, as they decompose, they remove oxygen from the water and add fertile organic matter that acts like fertilizer. Inert substrates like the matrix material used in the Floating islands, never breakdown and keep working year round to feed the fish and clean the water.

One of the optimal ways that FTWs can transition nutrients from water to beneficial use is to grow bacterial biofilm rather than floating algae.  Bacterial biofilms grow faster than algae when their limiting parameters are satisfied, and when they have adequate circulation and surface area for growth.  With appropriate stewardship, they also are an improved primary food source for fish (Azim 2005).

Circulation increases bacterial efficiency by bringing nutrients such as dissolved oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus to the biofilm.

A single 1000-square-foot BioHaven Floating Island can provide over 18 acres of strategic “concentrated wetland effect” surface area.

As demonstrated in field-scale case studies, waterways containing FTWs remove contaminants (pollutants) such as ammonia, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Biochemical/Chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD/COD) and total suspended solids (TSS).  These studies have included municipal wastewater, storm water, lakes and agricultural runoff.  FTWs have demonstrated the ability to simultaneously remove all of these contaminants, due to their complex biofilms containing both aerobic and anoxic bacteria.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) levels are higher when inert substrate are used rather than organic substrates like wood, due to oxygen consumption during organic carbon uptake by biofilms.  Inert substrates like BioHaven polymer matrix, can provide a more precise ability to initiate movement of a waterway’s nutrient load up the food chain. Periphyton moves nutrients up the food chain better than does synthetic fish food.

The bottom line is this. To ultimately remove these unwanted nutrients, fish have to be harvested. Not all lakes have these issues, but in Eutrophic lakes, the fish contain these nutrients and have to be caught and eaten to keep up with the periphyton growth. A perch for example, contains about 1% live weight of phosphorus. By removing enough fish to equal one pound of this chemical which is safe for humans and needed for strong bones, about 700 pounds of aquatic vegetation never gets a chance to grow. No chemicals or weed harvesting just fishing and keeping them for the table. Would you be willing to help clean your neighborhood pond by catching and eating some fresh fish? It’s a reality and is being performed at an alarming rate at Fish Fry Lake. We flew home with only one checked bag, 50 pounds of fresh fillets.

Clean water  entering the Yellowstone River and ultimately the Mississippi, Stewardship is the lesson to be learned.

Fishing Out Phosphorus

Floating treatment wetlands turn phosphorus into harvestable fish
Andrea Fox, WEF Highlights Water Environment Federation
Researchers at Floating Island International (FII) in Shepherd, Mont., an agricultural region, are fishing nonpoint source nutrients out of 2.6-ha (6.5-ac) Fish Fry Lake. Bruce Kania, FII project development director, uses rod and reel to maintain floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) in the lake. Fishing is all part of the job; experienced anglers can catch one fish every 2 minutes at Fish Fry, he said.
Fish Fry Lake Rendering SmallThe man-made floating islands transfer excess phosphorus from host water to periphyton, which is a colony composed of algae, bacteria, microbes, and organic matter. This colony serves as a food source for certain types of fish.In 2011, Fish Fry Lake removed 1.1 kg/ha (1 lb/ac) of phosphorus at a cost of $282/kg ($128/lb) and produced 112 kg/ha (100 lb/ac) of harvestable fish, Kania said. The lake’s clarity, measured by Secchi disk, improved to 5.8 m (19 ft) from an initial condition of 0.4 m (1.2 ft) with ongoing removal of suspended solids, according to FII. As of May, data indicate nutrient removal and catch rates are on their way to doubling in 2012, Kania said.
This floating treatment wetland (FTW) on Fish Fry Lake in Shepherd, Mont., features a wood structure for recreation a metal structure to house the island’s aerators. Photo courtesy of Floating Island International Inc. (Shepherd). Click for larger image.
FTWs offer effective, cost-efficient additional treatment to increase nutrient removal. Application is universal — they are operating in various climates. FII has 4400 FTWs installed in such places as New Zealand, where water quality managers grow eels to restock other waterways, and in Singapore, Indonesia, and across the United States, including Alaska. The islands hold fast, surviving typhoons, tornados, and active icy waters, Kania said.Data show that FTWs have vast potential to address water quality and promote aquaculture. “We’re trying to answer the question, ‘Can we engender a viable fishery … to ultimately improve water quality?’” Kania said.

Mimicking Nature
Fish Fry Lake has 530 m2(5700 ft2) of FTWs modeled after natural floating wetlands composed of peat and plants. Natural islands — such as an 82-year-old, 12-ha (30-ac) island in Chippewa Floage in northern Wisconsin — remove nutrients from water. Because Fish Fry Lake has several arms to it, there are two aerated floating islands and three small air diffusers (each 140 L/min [5 ft3/min]), which FII runs to increase the pond’s dissolved-oxygen (DO) levels to more than 6.5 mg/L and to stabilize temperatures below 24ºC (76ºF).
Fish Fry Lake 1b SmallFish Fry Lake 1a Small
Fish Fry Lake 1c Small Final
FTWs in Singapore help increase nutrient removal in waterways. Photos courtesy of Floating Island International. Click for larger images.
According to FII research, FTWs remove 93% of total suspended solids, 88% of phosphorus, 71% of total nitrogen, 88% of total organic carbon and chemical oxygen demand, 90% of copper, 95% of lead, and 36% of zinc. The data indicate that FTWs exceed removal rates of most comparable best management practices, such as retention ponds, wetland basins, media filters, and other manufactured devices.FTWs reduce algae, engender fish by growing periphyton and other biofilms, improve pond aesthetics, cool water, provide shade, and grow plants. FTWs can be used for effluent polishing, stormwater management applications, and lake restoration, Kania said.
Fish Fry Lake 3 Assembly SmallFish Fry Lake 3b modules SmallFTWs can help a community facing increased effluent standards. “FTWs can be installed into existing [wastewater] lagoons to improve the contaminant removal rates, thereby resulting in cleaner effluent,” said Frank Stewart of Stewart Engineering (Bozeman, Mont.), who is an engineering design consultant for FII. “In most cases, installing FTWs into existing lagoons is cheaper than building new lagoons, especially if land costs are considered,” he said.
Fish Fry Lake 3c Small
FTW modules are being assembled in Alaska. Photos courtesy of Floating Island International. Click for larger images.
FTWs also could reduce peak discharges for occasional out-of-compliance wastewater dischargers, as well as decrease the volume of nutrients generated by livestock lagoons, Stewart added.Half the Cost
While the systems do not work well in urban areas because of site restrictions, cities can get credit for contaminants removed from smaller upstream communities. “The cleanup effect for the river is the same, but the removal is much cheaper,” Stewart said.

According to Mark Reinsel of Apex Engineering (Missoula, Mont.), who establishes testing protocols and analyzes FII water data, FTWs cost less than 50% of traditional treatment, including alum. Floating islands cost between $269 and $484 per m2 ($25 and $45 per ft2), depending on whether aeration is incorporated. Plants, which increase longevity and stability, increase costs.

Growing Fish
FII has been using a recycled, nonwoven polymer matrix since 2006. The material also is used in other FTW models, such as freshwater coral, elevated bioswales, and docks. “It’s the best material we have for growing biofilm in the real world,” Stewart said.

See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the leader in proven science based, fish protection.

Biofilm and periphyton love dirty water — the more of it in contact with the matrix, “the faster the biofilms remove contaminants,” Stewart said.

Adding aeration increases DO concentrations due to mixing, lowers overall water temperatures, and hastens periphyton growth, researchers explained. With increased sunlight and circulation, FTWs increase in size and density. As periphyton takes in phosphorus and transfers it to the fish that feed on it, DO levels rise and turbidity decreases. Sunlight reaches into lower levels of the water column, enhancing diatom?based periphyton growth. As FTWs grow, they become more diversified and stable, enabling them to remove more phosphorus and generate larger fish populations.

One aerated 230-m2 (2500-ft2) model in Fish Fry Lake circulates up to 2 m3 (72 ft3) of air per minute and 40 m3 (10,400 gal) of direct flow with a 2.25-kW (3-hp) motor. FTWs with aeration destratify the 8.5-m-deep (28-ft-deep) lake and homogenize temperatures when needed, Kania said.


Efficiency and Design Life
According to Reinsel, FTWs “are more effective than treatment methods that are relying on settling.”Reinsel measures effectiveness in pounds of phosphorus per year per cubic foot of FTW. Rain gardens and stormwater retention basins are 20% to 30% effective, while the floating islands are 60% to 70% effective, he said.

Data on design life are sparse — FII’s oldest floating island is 8 years old. After 20 to 30 years, an FTW may have to be harvested.

The Art of FTW Maintenance
FII harvests 12 to 18 kg (26 to 40 lb) of perch each week for consumption. “The perch fish fry is alive and well,” said Kania. “Our challenge on Fish Fry Lake is harvesting fish fast enough,” he added.

Fish Fry Lake 2 small
Fish Fry Lake has northern yellow perch, black crappie, and Yellowstone cutthroat trout. FTWs also can support tilapia, catfish, carp, freshwater shrimp, and minnow species. Photo courtesy of Floating Island Interantioanl. Click for larger image.
Other than all that fishing and frying, Stewart said FTWs are easy to manage.“Relative to eutrophied waters, catch-and-harvest needs to be the new mantra,” Kania said.
— Andrea Fox, WEF Highlights
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