This page was last modified on Wednesday, February 02, 2011 03:15:32 PM
Our Lawns or Our lakes or both
Remember the lake algae problems last summer?
For lake lawns minimally fertilize in the spring, none in the summer and then more in the fall without phosphorus. This does 2 things to help the lake. Most significant rains occur in spring and summer so minimal fertilizer runoff will occur due to rain. And soil in Indiana has plenty of phosphorus so you don’t need phosphorus in the fertilizer. This keeps phosphorus out of the lake and reduces algae and invasive species growth.
Phosphorous free fertilizer has a “0” in the middle of the x-y-z designation for nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium.
So give our lakes a break this spring and summer, take the ‘no phosphorus’ pledge at http://www.indianawildlife.org/phosphorus.htm.
According to Purdue the above fertilizing schedule will produce the healthiest turf throughout the year. High rates of Nitrogen in the spring and summer stimulate excessive leaf growth at the expense of root growth. This gives you the “opportunity” to mow more often and reduces turf quality during the summer. High rates of N in spring and summer also stimulate disease, weed, and insect activity. Of course Purdue doesn't even discuss what it does to a lake.
DNR's Lake care top 10
10) Understand that our health and quality of life depend on clean water and diverse fish and wildlife resources.
9) Work with your neighbors to plan a lakewide aquatic vegetation management strategy, rather than each homeowner doing his or her own thing.
8) Pay your annual boat registration fees. All of the money is used to improve public waters for recreation, habitat and water quality.
7) Use no-phosphorus fertilizer for your lakefront lot, and only when necessary. You want a green lawn, not a green lake.
6) Plant a strip of native wildflowers, grasses or shrubs at your lakefront property along the water’s edge to provide a filter for runoff, control erosion and to discourage unwanted numbers of Canada geese.
5) Know the boundaries of your watershed and the effects of various land uses on water quality.
4) Maintain natural shoreline and aquatic plants to provide habitat and guard against erosion, instead of a concrete seawall.
3) Properly compost grass clippings and leaves away from the water.
2) Never dump plants, fish or water from a bait bucket, live well, water garden or an aquarium into a lake or stream. Remove “hitchhiking” plants from boat trailers when leaving a lake.
1) Protect our water resources by getting involved with your local lake association or watershed group.
Upper Tippecanoe Watershed Fishing Study
Ice is off. If you are starting to think about fishing DNR has done a fishing study on lakes in the Upper Tippy Watershed. Check here for the details on what to fish for and where to fish.
DNR's 2009 Wildlife Diversity Report now available
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife recently released the 2009 Wildlife Diversity Report. This is a must read for anyone interested in the natural resources of our state. The report is a summary of activities funded by the state Nongame Fund and federal State Wildlife Grant funds. It includes information about mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, and aquatic species (fish, mussels). There is good
information in this report including study results eagle, osprey, falcon, bobcat, otter, etc. Read the report online or download from: http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/3347.htm
The Nongame Fund receives NO State tax dollars. If you appreciate these species check the donation box on your state tax return and give to this very worthwhile use of money.
Mute Swans
If you would like information on mute swans please click here.
There have been some very high counts of these swans on various lakes in our chain. Irish lake counts are into the 60's and from the info above they are destructive to our lakes and the habitat of our native plants, fish and birds.
If you would like more info on mute swans or would like to voice your opinion on mute swans please contact DNR waterfowl biologist, Adam Phelps, or urban biologist, Shannon Winks. They are both in the Bloomington office at 553 E. Miller Drive, Bloomington, IN 47401-7903 (812) 334-1137 and their emails are
Adam Phelps (APhelps@dnr.IN.gov) and Shannon Winks (SWinks@dnr.IN.gov).
Muskrats are cute but...
They can be a pain for the shoreline. And a nesting couple can have up to 64 offspring/year. To learn more about what you can do refer to the following DNR website
www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/
Weed Patrol Water Guidelines
Click here for suggestions from Weed Patrol, Inc for anyone who lives along a waterway, including any lake, river, pond or stream.