Lake Sturgeon Restoration Moves Forward

The restoration of Lake Sturgeon back to the Menominee Indian Reservation took a step forward with the release of 500 fingerlings.  The sturgeon were released near Keshena Falls as part of the MITW Lake Sturgeon Managment Plan.  The effort is part of the overall goal to produce a population that remains present in the Wolf River year round above the Balsam Row Dam.  The fingerlings were excess fish from another restoration project the WI-DNR is conducting on the Upper Fox River near Lake Winnebago.  The fish were slated to be destroyed but given the similarities of the projects the MITW was able to obtain them for the restoration project here.  Ron Bruch of the WI-DNR brought the fish to be released after he and Fred Binkowski implanted the sturgeon with PIT tags which will allow the fish to be identified if they are recaptured in the future.  The MITW Chairman Randal Chevalier and other staff were on hand to take part in the release.  MITW Conservation and Environmental Services staff are part of a lake sturgeon workgroup that keeps the MITW Lake Sturgeon Management Plan moving forward through continued planning efforts that include working with the WI-DNR and USFWS on implementing project goals.  The next release of fish is planned for mid September with 30 adult fish being brought to the reservation.  The adult fish will have sonic transmitters that will allow MITW and WI-DNR staff to track their movements within the Wolf River on and off the reservation. 

Lake Sturgeon Fingerlings in the truck

Jeremy Pyatskowit hands a bucket of sturgeon to Karen Washinawatok

Don Reiter releases sturgeon in the Wolf River

Hailey Pecore and Mary Lisa Keenan-Carenza look at the sturgeon

Beat the Heat

Summer time is in full swing in Wisconsin.  Temperatures have been mostly mild through the month of June with one short hot spell.  Heading into this holiday weekend the predicted temperatures are to be in the 90’s with higher humidity making it feel even warmer. 

Now is the perfect time to brush up on the terms and dangers associated with high temperatures.

Know the Terms

            Heat Wave

            Prolonged period of excessive heat, often combined with excessive humidity.

            Heat Index

            A number in degrees Fahrenheit (F) that tells how hot it feels when relative humidity is added to the air temperature.  Exposure to full sunshine can increase the heat index by 15 degrees.

            Heat Cramps

            Muscular pains and spasm due to heavy exertion.  Although heat cramps are the least severe, they are often the first signal the body is having trouble with the heat.

            Heat Exhaustion

            Typically occurs when people exercise heavily or working a hot, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating.  Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to decrease to the vital organs.  This results in a form of mild shock.  If not treated, the victim’s condition will worsen.  Body temperature will keep rising and the victim may suffer heat stroke.

            Heat Stroke

            A life-threatening condition.  The victim’s temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working.  Body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly.

            Sun Stroke

            Another term for heat stroke.

Heat Facts

Summer heat waves are the biggest weather-related killers in Wisconsin for the past 50 years, far exceeding tornado and other storm-related deaths.  In 1995, two major killer heat waves affected most of Wisconsin resulting in 154 heat-related deaths and over 300 heat-related illnesses.

Citizens of the State of Wisconsin can be seriously affected by sever heat and it is essential that we increase the awareness of the dangers of heat waves and the protective actions which can be taken by citizens.

National Weather Service Heat-Wave Program in Wisconsin

Outlook Statement

Issued 2 to 7 days in advance of when Heat Advisory or Excessive Heat Warning conditions are anticipated.  Issued as a Hazarous Weather Statement (HWO).  Broadcasted on NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards and posted on NWS websites (www.weather.gov).

Heat Advisory

Issued 6 to 24 hours in advance of any 24-hour period in which daytime heat index (HI) values are expected to be 105-110 for 3 hour or more and night-time HI values will be 75 or higher.  For west-central and northwest Wisconsin, numbers are 105-114 and 80, respectively.

Excessive Heat Watch

Issued generally 12-48 hours in advance of any 24-hour period in which daytime HI values are expected to exceed 110 for 3 hours or more and night-time HI values will be 80 or higher.  For west-central and northwest Wisconsin, numbers are 115 or higher and 80 or higher, respectively.

Excessive Heat Warning

Issued 6 to 24 hours in advance of nay 24-hour period in which daytime HI values are expected to exceed 110 for 3 hours or more and night-time HI values will be 80 or higher.  For west-central and northwest Wisconsin, numbers are 115 or higher and 80 or higher, respectively.

During a Heat Emergency

1.    Never leave children, disabled persons, or pets in a parked car – even briefly.  Temperatures in a car can become life threatening within minutes. On an 80-degree day, the temperature inside a car even with the windows cracked slightly can reach 100 degrees in less than 10 minutes!

2.    Keep your living space cool.  Cover windows to keep the sun from shining in.  If you don’t have an air conditioner, open windows to let air circulate.  When it’s hotter than 95 degrees, use fans to blow hot air out of the window rather than to blow hot air on your body.  Basements or ground floors are often cooler than upper floors.

3.    Slow down and limit physical activity.  Plan outings or exertion for the early morning or after dark when temperatures are cooler.

4.    Drink plenty of water and eat lightly.  Don’t wait for thirst, but instead drink plenty of water throughout the day.  Avoid alcohol or caffeine and stay away from hot, heavy meals. 

5.    Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing.  Add a hat or umbrella to keep your head cool…and don’t forget sunscreen!

6.    Don’t stop taking medication unless your doctor says you should.  Take extra care to stay cool and ask your doctor or pharmacist for any special heat advice.

7.    Infants should drink breast milk or formula to get the right balance of water, salts and energy.  You may supplement your infant’s fluids with an additional 4 to 8 ounces of water per day, but don’t dilute formula beyond what the instructions say (unless instructed by your doctor).

8.    Taking a cool shower or bath will cool you down.  A shower or bath will actually work faster than an air conditioner.  Applying cold wet rags to the neck, head and limbs also cools down the body quickly.

People at higher risk of a heat related illness include:

·         Older adults

·         Infants and young children

·         People with chronic heart or lung problems

·         People with disabilities

·         Overweight persons

·         Those who work outdoors or in hot settings

·         Users of some medications, especially those taken for mental disorders, movement disorder, allergies, depression, and heart or circulatory problems

·         People who are isolated that don’t know when or how to cool off-or when to call for help

Columnaris Affects Upper Bass Lake

A Columnaris fish kill was recently discovered on Upper Bass Lake on the reservation.  While it is infrequent on the reservation it does happen every few years. Affected fish that are still alive will be swimming slowly and may appear to have a cotton like lesions around their mouths.  The Wisconsin DNR has also put out information regarding the potential for Columnaris outbreaks and can be seen below.

The heavy rains and flooding have added additional organic material to waterways, making conditions ripe for fish kills caused by a bacterial disease called Columnaris.
Columnaris fish kills generally occur throughout the state during May and June each year and should not be confused with the viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) virus which is a new disease feared to be spreading inland from the Great Lakes. Both diseases only infect fish species and are not a health risk to humans. However, people should not eat fish killed by Columnaris or VHS, and should wash their hands if they handle infected fish, because other bacteria that may be harmful to humans start feeding on the dead carcasses.
“The Columnaris bacteria is most prevalent in our lakes after water temperatures reach 65-70 degrees from late May to late June,” says Larry Damman, DNR fishery biologist. The bacteria levels increase after major rainfalls that supply additional nutrients on which the bacteria thrives into area lakes. VHS fish kills tend to occur at temperatures less than 60 degrees.”
Bluegill, crappies, yellow perch and bullheads, already stressed from seasonal spawning activities are most affected by Columnaris. The bacteria erode the fishes’ skin, causing leakage of bodily fluids and a fairly rapid death.
Although Columnaris can appear to produce large scale fish losses in a matter of several days, it usually does not have a catastrophic impact on overall fish populations, according to fishery biologists.
Columnaris was recently found in bluegills, crappies, and other panfish in Dane and Kewaunee counties. As waters warm more fish kills may be expected.

BIO II Class Explores the Outdoors

Collecting the bugs

 The high school Biology II class went out to do some follow up work on the two creeks they previously explored last fall.  Along with collecting macroinvertebrates (bugs), they also learned how to calculate discharge.  Discharge is the measure of how much water is going downstream in a stream or river and is measured in cubic feet/second, or cfs.  The students measured the discharge using  a method of using a half filled pop bottle for a float and timing how long it took to float over a measured distance.  This gives the velocity of the stream which is then multiplied by the area of the stream which then gives you the cfs.  The Environmental Services Dept. brought out their flow meter which provided a more precise measurement and allowed the students to compare the two methods of calculating discharge.  The students also collected bugs again to compare to what they found last fall.  The future BIO II classes will also be visiting these creeks again to start building a database of information to track changes in the environment.

Measuring the distance for the discharge measurement

Measuring dissolved oxygen

ESD staff measuring the discharge with the flow meter

A dobson fly larvae and a dragonfly larvae

ESD Teams Up With Conservation for Spring Fisheries Surveys

The arrow indicates where one of the spines was removed for aging

 MITW fisheries biologist Richard Annamitta recently started the spring fishery surveys on several local lakes.  ESD is assisting with the effort which  includes electrofishing and fyke net surveys.  What does a fishery survey do for us?  Fishery surveys allow the fisheries biologist to determine the health, size structure, density of the fish population.  The type of survey we are using here is the mark and recapture survey.  This is done by capturing fish and tagging them with floy tags.  Floy tags are small cylindrical tags with a number on it for identification purposes.  All of the marked fish are released back into the lake.  The recapture run is done anywhere from one to three days after the fish are released.  The number of tagged fish versus the number of untagged fish are then entered into a formula to calculate the number of that species of fish in the lake.  When this information is routinely gathered the population can be monitored and the information is used to help guide management decisions.  The goal is to have healthy fish populations which can provide a quality fishing experience for fishermen.  The lakes being electrofished this year are Burney, Elma, Hazel and Crowell.  The early surveys are used to determine the success of the walleye stocking program that has been ongoing.  The panfish and bass populations will be assessed later this spring when those fish move into the shallower water.  Determining population estimates for the fish in reservation lakes will be a big step forward in managing our resources.  Along with the fishery surveys, ESD is also collecting fish samples which will be analyzed for mercury.  Mercury in the environment is a concern and although we haven't had any issues with mercury in fish we are going to monitoring on a regular basis. 

A view from the front of the boat, the arrows indicate small fish in the electrical field

A juvenile walleye has a floy tag inserted into it's back

Fish and measured and weighed prior to tagging

Typically there are two netters on the front of the electrofishing boat

In the video below you can see small panfish as they hit the electrical field behind the probes.

Tornado Awareness Week April 11-15, 2011

Wisconsin Tornado & Severe Weather Awareness Week

April 11-15, 2011

 (MADISON)  Are you and your family ready for storms? Tornadoes and Severe Weather are guaranteed in every Wisconsin spring and summer. Preparing now could save your life and the lives of loved ones.

April 11-15, 2011 is Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin.  The campaign is to remind people of the dangers associated with tornadoes, thunderstorms, flooding and hail and to encourage citizens to take protective safety measures. A statewide drill is planned for Thursday, April 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. The drill will be an ideal opportunity for schools, businesses and individuals to practice safe procedures for severe weather and to learn more about severe weather including:

-Wisconsin averages 21 tornadoes annually.

-In 2010, 46 tornadoes in Wisconsin were confirmed by the National Weather Services, the second greatest yearly number on record. Fortunately, no one was killed but 22 were injured and the tornadoes caused nearly $30 million in property damage.

-The peak tornado season in Wisconsin is April to August, but tornadoes can occur any time of year, like the January 7, 2008 storms near Kenosha.

-Tornadoes can occur anytime, day or night, but are most frequent between 4pm and 9pm.

Wisconsin Emergency Management, ReadyWisconsin and the National Weather Service have planned a series of special efforts to promote storm safety including:

-PSA Campaign: A TV public service campaign with tornado survivors urging everyone to have an emergency weather radio.

-Survival Stories: Other real Wisconsin survivors share their tornado stories on the ReadyWisconsin website.

-Ready Radio Days. ReadyWisconsin teams up with the National Weather Service and TV stations across the state to promote the use of emergency weather radios.

-ReadyWisconsin Trivia Challenge: Answer a question for a chance to win an Emergency Weather  Radio. Go to http://readywisconsin.wi.gov to enter.

Watches & Warnings:

TORNADO WATCH: Conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes

in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms.

TORNADO WARNING: A tornado is imminent (based on weather radar

information) or has been sighted by spotters. If a tornado warning is issued for

your area - move to your pre-designated place of safety. SEEK SHELTER

IMMEDIATELY!

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH: Conditions are favorable for the

development of severe thunderstorms with damaging straight-line (downburst)

winds and/or large hail.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING: Severe thunderstorms with damaging

straight-line winds and/or large hail are imminent or are occurring.

Where to Go In Severe Weather:

• In a house with a basement: Avoid windows. Get in the basement and under

some kind of sturdy protection (heavy table, work bench or stairs), or cover

yourself with a mattress or sleeping bag.

• In a house with no basement, a dorm, or an apartment: Avoid windows. Go to the lowest floor, small center room (like a bathroom or closet), under a stair well or in an interior hallway with no windows. Crouch as low as possible to the floor, facing down; and cover your head with your hands. Even in an interior room, you should cover yourself with some sort of thick padding (mattress, blankets, etc.), to protect against flying or falling debris.

• In an office building: Go directly to an enclosed, windowless area in the center of the building -- away from glass. Then, crouch down and cover your head. Interior stairwells are usually good places to take shelter. Stay off elevators- you could become trapped in them if the power is lost.

• In a mobile home: Get out! Most tornadoes can destroy even tied-down mobile

homes. If your community has a tornado shelter, go there fast. If there is a

sturdy permanent building within close distance, seek shelter there. Otherwise,

lie flat on low ground away from your home, protecting your head. If possible, use

open ground away from trees and cars, which can be blown onto you.

• At school: Follow the drill! Go to the interior hall or room in an orderly way as

you are told. Crouch low, head down, and protect the back of your head with your

arms. Stay away from windows and large open rooms like gyms and auditoriums.

• In a car or truck: Get out of the vehicle immediately and seek shelter in a

permanent building. Do not try to out run a tornado. If there is no shelter, lie flat

and face down, protecting the back of your head with your arms.

Emergency Weather Radios Save Lives:

Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) and the National Weather Service (NWS) encourage families, schools and businesses to have an Emergency Weather Radio. These radios are like “smoke alarms” for danger. The radio picks up emergency information 24-hours a day with critical information directly from the National Weather Service and other agencies and can be programmed to monitor specific counties in your area. You can purchase Emergency Weather Radios at most electronic retailers.  For more information on Emergency Weather Radios go to http://readywisconsin.wi.gov

Also Before the Storm:

• Develop a plan for you and your family for home, work, school and outdoors.

• Have frequent drills.

• Know the county/township in which you live, and keep a highway map nearby

to follow storm movement from weather bulletins.

• Listen to local radio and television stations for further information.

A Disaster Supplies Kit Should Include:

• A 3-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) and food that won't

spoil.

• One change of clothing and footwear per person.

• Blanket or sleeping bag per person.

• A first-aid kit, including prescription medicines.

• Emergency tools, including a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio and a

portable radio, flashlight, and plenty of extra batteries.

• An extra set of car keys and a credit card or cash.

• Special items for infant, elderly, or disabled family members.

Other Resources for Tornado and Severe Weather:

ReadyWisconsin

http://readywisconsin.wi.gov

National Weather Service — Links to local NWS offices

http://www.weather.gov

For more information, please contact your County Emergency Management

Director or your local National Weather Service Office.