For immediate release: february 4, 2014

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1.      Emerald Ash Borer Confirmed in Black Hawk County

2.      New Lake Maps Available, Clear Lake Map Now Online

3.      Open Water Areas Showing Up on Some Iowa Lakes

4.      DNR to Hold Listening Session on Fall Hunting and Trapping Regulations

EMERALD ASH BORER CONFIRMED IN BLACK HAWK COUNTY

Media Advisory:

• The Iowa Department of Agriculture, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and Iowa State University will host a news conference call at 1:30 p.m. on February 4.

Dial In:                  (866) 685-1580
Code:                    0009991695#

Present:

• Robin Pruisner, IDALS State Entomologist
• Mike Kintner, IDALS EAB Coordinator
• Paul Tauke, DNR State Forester
• Emma Hanigan, DNR State Urban Forester
• Tivon Feeley, DNR Forest Health Forester
• Donald Lewis, ISU Extension Entomologist
• Jeff Iles, ISU Extension Horticulturist
• Jesse Randall, ISU Extension Forester
• Laura Jesse, ISU Entomology Diagnostician
• Mark Shour, ISU Extension Entomologist
• Quentin Hart, Ward 4 Councilman and Mayor Pro-Tem
• Todd Derifield, City  Forester, Waterloo
• Paul Huting, Director of Leisure Services, Waterloo

Media Contacts: Dustin Vande Hoef, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, 515-281-3375; Kevin Baskins, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 515-281-8395; Laura Sternweis, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, 515-294-0775.

Statewide quarantine of ash wood products to be issued

EMERALD ASH BORER CONFIRMED IN BLACK HAWK COUNTY

WATERLOO – Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has been positively identified in a residential tree in Waterloo, making this the sixth location where the invasive beetle has been found in Iowa.

The current EAB infestation was found by city employees performing routine trimming on street trees. Further investigation found additional trees infested in a 10 square block area on the northeast side of Waterloo.

A statewide quarantine will be issued on Tuesday, restricting the movement of hardwood firewood, ash logs, wood chips and ash tree nursery stock out of Iowa into non-quarantined areas of other states.

Waterloo’s urban forest includes 4,364 ash trees located on public property.  The three city-owned golf courses have 649 ash trees; the 52 parks contain 725 ash trees; and there are 2,990 ash trees along the street rights-of-way.

“This is a devastating blow to Waterloo’s tree resources as we will be losing 17 percent of the trees on public property over the next few years.  It will also be quite a challenge for the forestry staff to absorb these tree removals in their day-to-day duties and still provide a fraction of the services that Waterloo citizens are used to,” said Waterloo city forester, Todd Derifield.

The number of ash trees on private property in Waterloo is unknown. Property owners will be responsible for the removal of dead and dying ash trees.

“Preventive treatments this spring — mid-April to mid-May— are available to protect healthy and valuable ash trees within 15 miles of a known infested area,” said ISU Extension and Outreach entomologist Mark Shour.

With this latest confirmed infestation, officials moved to place Iowa in a statewide quarantine.

EAB infestations had previously been discovered in Allamakee County in May 2010, Des Moines County in July 2013, Jefferson County in August 2013, Cedar County in October 2013 and Union County in December 2013.

Even though Iowa has been quarantined statewide, Iowans are encouraged not to transport firewood across county or state lines, since moving firewood poses the greatest threat to quickly spreading EAB or possibly other pests even further.

According to the USDA Forest Service, Iowa has an estimated 52 million rural ash trees and 3.1 million urban ash trees. Statewide, Iowa averages 16-17 percent ash on city property, though the ash component can be as high as 87 percent.

The Iowa DNR’s Forestry Bureau has completed 242 urban tree inventories in communities with less than 5,000 residents. 

“We hope this latest infestation will motivate communities that have not taken an inventory of their forestry resources, to do so very soon,” said state forester Paul Tauke.

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New Lake Maps Available, Clear Lake Map Now Online

Anglers who fish Clear Lake have a new tool to help them to catch more fish – for the first time since 1971 a new lake map is available.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fisheries staff began a six year project mapping lakes in 2013 to provide more accurate maps for anglers and information for the lake restoration program.

“Clear Lake is the biggest lake that we’ve mapped so far,” said Lewis Bruce, fisheries technician for the DNR. “It took a week to collect the data and a week to analyze it and get the features added. It’s now online and we hope to get 25 to 30 additional lake maps added before the ice goes out this winter.”

Bruce said they rediscovered the rock reef identified on the 1971 map, but thought lost to silt. 

New lake maps that will be released this winter include Brushy Creek Lake, Diamond Lake (Poweshiek County), West Lake (Osceola), Yellow Smoke Lake, Briggs Woods Lake and Beaver Lake.

The new maps are created by using special equipment hanging off the side of a boat running about five miles per hour crisscrossing the lake that collects the data.

Software will record lake depth plus information on what type of material is on the lake bed (sand, gravel, muck) and, if aquatic vegetation is present, the height and density of that vegetation.  It will also collect information for lake restoration projects.

Bruce said they plan to resume mapping this summer on lakes identified as priority for the lake restoration program, like Green Valley Lake, and others like the DMACC pond. 

Media Contact: Lewis Bruce, Fisheries Research, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 712-769-2587.

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Open Water Areas Showing Up on Some Iowa Lakes

The combination of high winds and areas kept open by waterfowl or aerators have created large pockets of open water on some lakes and making favorite ice fishing spots either off limits until spring or require extra caution if venturing out. 

A recent fishing trip to Lake Anita drove the point home. The open water maintained by waterfowl grew from five acres to almost 15 acres following high winds.

“Waterfowl and wind can definitely erode ice,” said Bryan Hayes, fisheries biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in southwest Iowa. “That being said, we still have 10 to 12 inches of ice on most of our lakes and farm ponds and will likely be ice fishing through February.”

Hayes said that once the ice thickness in his region reached about 12 inches, the really cold weather didn’t add much if any ice.

“With no snow cover for most of the winter, you’d think we would be making ice, but we haven’t,” he said. “With each passing day the sun is at a higher angle putting more heat towards our lakes.”

The wintery forecast could put down a thin layer of ice and a blanket of snow on areas that were recently open water.

“I would recommend taking a wide path around any open water areas and check the ice frequently as you go out.  Look for recent activity on the ice in the areas you plan to venture out onto.  Ice conditions can change rapidly,” Hayes said. 

“It’s just a word of caution for anyone heading down here to keep checking ice conditions and don’t assume it will be the same thickness as last week.”

Media Contact: Bryan Hayes, Fisheries Biologist, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 712-769-2587.

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DNR to hold Listening Session ON fall hunting and trapping regulations

Des Moines - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is hosting public meetings over the Iowa Communications Network on February 26 from 6 to 9 p.m., to listen to the public’s thoughts on the hunting and trapping regulations for this fall.  

These meetings are part of the process for making rules in state government.

“Any rule changes must be discussed with Iowa’s citizens who might be impacted by the changes before the rule changes are proposed. The process helps ensure that rule changes serve the public’s wishes and do not impact Iowa’s economy,” said Dr. Dale Garner, chief of the wildlife bureau.

At each meeting DNR staff will facilitate a discussion about what went well last fall, what didn’t, and what changes hunters and trappers would like to see for this fall.

These discussions along with the data that the wildlife bureau collects on harvest and population numbers will be used to develop recommendations for any rule changes this fall. Any changes must be approved by the Natural Resource Commission and then go back to the public for further comment before taking effect next fall.

Meetings will be held in Boone, Calmar, Cedar Falls, Chariton, Council Bluffs, Creston, Davenport, Forest City, Fort Dodge, Johnston, Marshalltown, Ottumwa, Peosta, Sac City, Sergeant Bluff, Sheldon, Solon, Spencer and West Burlington.

Complete ICN locations are available online at www.iowadnr.gov/hunting

Media Contact: Willie Suchy, Wildlife Research Supervisor, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 515-281-8660.

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