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'~ity of <br /> <br />Memorandum <br /> <br />iver <br /> FROM: <br /> <br />MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL <br /> <br />STEPHEN ROHLF, BUILDING AND <br />ZONING ADMINISTRATOR <br /> <br />DATE: MAY 15, 2000 ~'j~,. <br /> <br />SUBJECT: LAKE ORONO WATER QUALITY <br /> TASK FORCE UPDATE <br /> <br />Staff's second meeting with the newly formed Lake Orono Water Quality Task Force will <br />be held on May 10, 2000. The Task Force will be looking at a multitude of water quality <br />issues in the city, not just those issues that affect the lake. They will also be coordinating <br />with other associated groups such as: The Minnesota Lakes Association, DNR, <br />Sherburne County Water Plan Committee, Elk River Watershed Board, Sherburne <br />County Soil and Water Conservation District, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil <br />Resources, Sherburne County Commissioners, and local civic groups. <br /> <br />Because of timing, staff anticipates that the first issue the Task Force will deal with is <br />geese, specifically problems cause by their over abundance. At some future meeting, <br />staff will come back to the Council with a recommendation regarding geese. The <br />following discussion outlines the options for reducing goose numbers that will be <br />discussed by the Task Force at their May 10th meeting: <br /> <br />DISTURBING NESTS <br />Typically the eggs are punctured and left in the nest. If the eggs are removed from the <br />nest or smashed the geese will lay another clutch. <br /> <br />It is too late to get a permit from the DNR for disturbing nests this year. The permitting <br />process needs to be started in January or early February at the latest. The DNR indicated <br />that this option tends to be the most politically sensitive and discourages it. <br /> <br />TRAPPING <br />Professor Jim Copper of the University of Minnesota was contacted regarding the <br />trapping option for reducing the number of geese in Elk River. It cost between $1,000 <br />and $1,200 per each 100 geese removed, depending on logistics. The adults are <br />butchered and donated to local food shelves. This year there is still a place in Iowa that <br />wants the young. Dr. Cooper takes care of all the details including DNR permits, <br />processing the adults, etc. <br /> <br />Dr. Copper is willing to add Elk River to his list of removal sites in 2000. Volunteers <br />(logically from the Water Quality Task Force) will be needed to do a count of our goose <br />population in late May or early June, so that Dr. Copper can plan his logistics and give a <br /> <br />13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · TDD & Phone: (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425 <br /> <br /> <br />