MLA DID NOT help fund hand pulling of starry stonewort from Starbuck Marina

From Minnewaska Lake Association

Michael Stai – President

This letter concerns an article published in the Pope County Tribune on July 3, 2023.

The Minnewaska Lake Association (MLA) DID NOT help fund the pulling of the Starry Stonewort in the Starbuck Marina.  This was a City of Starbuck project, and the MLA was not included or involved.

The MLA has had ongoing conversations with the Minnesota DNR and the University of Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC).  They have published documents that state not to manually pull the Starry Stonewort since that could speed the spread due to fragments floating.  The MLA has repeatedly asked Starbuck to NOT MANUALLY pull and stated our concerns of NOT CLOSING the Mariana when and if they do decide to hire divers to pull the Starry Stonewort.

MLA Board members observed the contractor the City of Starbuck hired to hand pull the weeds and Starry Stonewort in the Marina and the channel going out into the main lake. After the divers were done pulling, we observed Starry Stonewort on the docks, banks, and floating in the marina.  The City of Starbuck DID NOT shut down the landings, and there was significant boat traffic IN AND OUT of the marina during the four days of divers pulling the weeds.

To try to control the spread of Starry Stonewort, the MLA will treat the 1.52 acres of Starry Stonewort in the main lake in 2023. Also, we will perform a meandering survey to determine if it has spread to other areas outside the Marina.

–Minnewaska Board of Directors