8.1. SR 02-01-2021 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

1 LAKE ORONO FISH RESTOCKING 2021 COST PROPOSAL OVERVIEW 1. Project Background and Description With the upcoming LORE project we inquired into different options that could be taken to improve the fish survival while the 6.5’ drawdown was in place. The fish are confined to the few “deeper” areas of the lake during this time and are especially vulnerable and easy to target in these conditions. The primary concern that we have heard from lake owners and community fisherman is the potential damaging effect the LORE project will have on the fish population. When the lake drawdown first occurred there was an estimated 500+ adult fish that were driven over the dam and rescued from the lower pools to be released into the Mississippi River by concerned lake owners. Given these numbers we conservatively estimate at least 5,000 fish were lost over the dam during the initial drawdown. Another lake owner has documented a weekly average of 15+ fish kill walking the same 400 foot stretch of shoreline along Main Street since the drawdown has been in place. The DNR was unable to issue a temporary restriction on fishing during the LORE project to reduce the threat of overfishing but has instead supported installing an aeration system. A lake owner offered use of a ½ HP Kasco surface aerator but our expert aeration sources found this system to be inefficient and not up to the task. Recommended by the DNR, installing a 3 HP Aire O2 surface aspirator would reduce overfishing by preventing fishing directly over the deepest fish habitat where they will gather due to the lowered lake levels. After consulting with ERMU the electrical infrastructure in the proximity of where the aspirator would be placed (off the West point of the Orono cemetery) would not be sufficient for the 3HP unit. Instead a 2HP, single phase unit was quoted and required a higher gauge cable which in result increased the estimated cost to $9,7852.86. Initially we were estimating the cost to be $4-5,000 and that has doubled due to the higher material costs and additional electrical requirements that were not anticipated. At this time due to the increased costs we are proposing as an alternative to installing an aerator, and as recommended by the DNR, use of funds from the LORE project for fish restocking in partnership with the DNR. Joe Stewig, DNR Area Fisheries Manager has been very helpful and has offered to partner with us to determine what the fish population is in the spring and work with us to restock. The goal would be to replace any fish kill with fingerling and adult species that would be able to spawn in the upcoming season.