December Why Phosphorus? Why Dorn Creek? Note: A board member has resigned and there is now a board vacancy.

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1 December 2018 Editor: Tom Raschke Club Web Site: Why Phosphorus? Why Dorn Creek? In an effort to decrease the amount of non-point source nutrient pollution coming into the Yahara Chain of Lakes John Reimer, Assistant Director of the Dane County Land and Water Resources Department answered these questions at the November, YFC meeting. First a little background. Do you remember Liebig s Law of the Minimum from high school biology? Growth is dictated not by the total resources available but by the scarcest resource (the limiting factor). The growth of blue-green bacteria (BGB, commonly called blue-green algae) is the target for limiting growth. There are many things that can limit the growth of BGB including temperature, sunlight, water, and many nutrients including nitrogen and phosphorus. So the question is-what can be made limiting? There is nothing we can do about temperature and sunlight; there is plenty of water so most efforts look at limiting nutrients. We don t know much about micronutrients or how to make them limiting. Nitrogen is a possibility but BGB can fix their own nitrogen and a lot of nitrogen input to the lakes comes directly from precipitation. So that leaves phosphorus (P) as a prime candidate to try to make limiting. Dorn Creek enters Lake Mendota on the west side, south of Waunakee. It is primarily an agricultural watershed with 6000 acres of cropland. One way of limiting P to the lakes is to try to keep it on the land. Dorn Creek has a good record of trying to keep P on the land Acres of cropland have conservation plans and are incorporating such practices as buffer strips and grass waterways. Nutrient management plans are on 75% of the acreage and 60% of livestock farmers have adopted conservation plans. The results are shown in water monitoring. Where the state standard for acceptable loss of P from the landscape is 6 lb/acre/year, the average for Dorn Creek is 3 lb/acre/year. Likewise a state standard acceptable soil loss is 4 tons/acre/year the loss for Dorn Creek is 1.8 tons/acre/year. Soil loss is important because P can attach to soil particles to get washed into waterways via erosion. 1 Notes by Stan Nichols Another thing to know about P is there are two kindsdissolved P and particulate P. Dissolved P is the kind that BGB uses for growth. Particulate P is the kind that is attached to soil particles or incorporated into organisms such as algae or leaves. But depending on a variety of water chemistry and growth factors, the two forms can switch back and forth. Fifty-five percent of the phosphorus coming from Dorn Creek is the dissolved or in other words biological active P. Another kind of P is legacy P. This is the particulate P that is sitting on lake and stream bottoms and can be mobilized into dissolved P. If legacy P is sitting in the bottom of the 80-foot hole in Lake Mendota it is not causing much of a problem. However in the bottom of shallow Dorn Creek it is easily mobilized and carried down stream to Lake Mendota. There is about 5000 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved P that leaches out of Dorn Creek sediments giving a load of approximately 4,469 lbs of P annually to Lake Mendota. An acceptable P load to Lake Mendota, from all sources in the watershed is 5,542 pounds so Dorn Creek can almost supply the total annual acceptable load of P to Lake Mendota. So what is one way of getting rid of legacy P in Dorn Creek? Dredge the sediment. Another interesting calculation is, if all other P sources where eliminated from the Lake Mendota watershed the legacy P from Dorn Creek could supply the P loading to Lake Mendota for the next 99 years without dredging. Another interesting observation is it took only 25 years for the top foot of sediment to accumulate (the newest sediment) but 50 years for the next foot of sediment to accumulate. The oldest sediment is about 125 years old and may relate to putting in the dam on Lake Mendota. The ultimate goal is to reduce P loading to lakes in the Yahara Watershed lakes by 50%. Part of the plan includes dredging legacy P from in-coming streams including more work on Dorn Creek and working on Token Creek, Six-Mile Creek, Door Creek, Pheasant Branch, the upper end of the Yahara River and may be one or two I missed. Total estimated cost for this effort is $76.8 million. Two final words of warning- with all this effort the results will probably not be immediately seen. The lake ecosystem is complex. You may have to watch for what you wish for- clearer lakes are likely lead to more abundant root aquatic plant growth. Note: A board member has resigned and there is now a board vacancy.

2 Notes from the Prez Yahara Fishing Club As the final month of my tenure as YFC Board President begins, it seems appropriate to offer just a few thoughts on my experience. The Club has accomplished a considerable number of things over the years I have served on the Board, and this is certainly gratifying to me. We have made progress in improving and expanding the operations of the Club, in finding ways to attract new members, in offering more benefits to Club members, and in serving those people and families in the community who share an interest fishing, particularly fishing in the Madison area lakes. However, I also recognize that there will be no shortage of important goals and tasks on the 2019 agenda of the Board and the next Board President. There is always work that can be done, and our Club will undoubtedly continue its quest to do more and better things for its members and others in the Madison area who love to fish. I look forward to continuing my involvement as a member of our Club, not only enjoying the benefits and opportunities that will bring, but continuing to serve the Club in a variety of ways. That said, as I continue to be a part of the Club, I expect I will often pause to think about one particularly positive aspect of my involvement with the governance of the Club. That is the opportunity I have enjoyed to work alongside, and to become much better acquainted with, many more of the Club s members! We are fortunate to count among our Club members some terrific and interesting people, who happen to be willing to share their common interest in, and a great deal of knowledge about, fishing. I feel very lucky indeed to have been able to make our Club a part of my life s activities, and I thank everyone in the Club for this opportunity. Gard Note from the editor: Heads up for the December Christmas meeting. We will have brief presentations on our website and Facebook. Did you know: For members we have: An up-to-date member list, including phone numbers, s and addresses. 12 years of previous club newsletters. Soon we will have an index. There are notes from every speaker s presentation. Rick Krueger s maps of Yahara chain fish cribs. If we have to cancel a meeting notices will be there. The fishing contest rules and contest winners. December Winners of YFC the club s meeting. Pete Froland Award Lots of historical documents going back to the 1950 s 2

3 From the Yahara Fishing Club Members Facebook To join contact Gary Schuette at D & S Bait & Tackle 1411 Northport Dr, Madison, WI December, 2018 DATE SPEAKER TOPIC 12/13 Tim Pattermann Ice Fishing Lake Winnebago 12/20 Adam Walton Shallow Water Pike and Ice Safety 3

4 2018 YFC Outings Yahara Fishing Club December: Cherokee Marsh ice fishing. Once the ice is safe enough will take our first ice fishing trip of the season chasing bluegills and crappies. Look for an about the time and date hopefully soon. January: Local ice fishing outing and more with plenty of plans in the works. Wait for updates. February 9-10: Sturgeon Bay whitefish outing. Spend 1-2 days on this guided trip. The cost is $65 per person per day. We will have our famous lunch and a great time. You don t want to miss this one! Guided trips on local lakes, Green Bay/Sturgeon Bay or others: Would you like to learn a lake better or techniques with a guide and join other club members to get a better rate? Contact me if interested. All outings above are open to club members, our Rock Valley Angler friends, your family and friends! We need members with boats but you can participate even if you don t have one. Sign-ups will be at club meetings but also on Facebook or through club s. As always you can contact me at any time to sign-up or if you have questions or just want advice. Jim Pankratz or jimannepan@aol.com YFC Kid s fishing day raffle 2019 We ve already started getting some great prizes for our raffle at the WI Fishing Expo 2/24/19. We need YOUR HELP selling raffle tickets and getting prizes too! The tickets have arrived and you can pick some up to sell or purchase at our December through February meetings. If you can t make a meeting just contact me and we can make arrangements to pick them up at a different time. Tickets will go for 1 for $5, 3 for $10 or the best deal 10 for $20. If you would like to donate a prize or know of a business that may donate something to our club please let me know. We are keeping a list of Expo raffle prizes on the web. It can be found at: As you get raffle prizes please let me know and or yaharafishingclub@gmail.com so the webmaster can update the prize list. As you sell tickets you can refer to this list. Top prize $1000, second prize $500 plus many other great prizes. Let s make this our best raffle ever! Jim Pankratz 4

5 Upcoming Fishing Events listed by Duffy Kopf Jan 4-6, Jan Feb 8-10 Feb Feb March 23 NPAA Conference Chicago Muskie Expo Rockford Boat Show Milwaukee Muskie Expo Wisconsin Fishing Expo Capitol City Muskie School 5

6 Layin' low Ice Fishing comments from the WDNR So what habitat do fish look for to protect them during more sedentary periods over winter? Places that can best meet their needs as warm as practical, as much oxygen and food as possible, protected from predators and as much light as is plausible. First, a short chemistry lesson. During summer, on my many swimming trips to our local lakes, I know that generally the deeper I dive, the colder the water gets. During winter there's a bizarre phenomenon that the frigid water actually gets relatively warmer the deeper you descend in a lake. The reason has to do with how water molecules arrange. As water cools, the molecules sink and pack tighter and tighter together (increasing density) until the temperature drops to 39 degrees F. At that point, the water molecules are heavier than the water at the surface (around 32 degrees F), causing a topsy-turvy effect where warmer water is at the bottom. This oddity is important to our finned friends beneath the ice. Once shallow waters near shore freeze, many fish will stay together and high-tail it to deeper, warmer areas of the lake unless they are top-of-the-food chain predators. Some fish, like bullheads, even take it a little bit further and burrow in the mud or gravel for a little extra warmth. For instance, hibernating flathead catfish congregate in close proximity to each other and to large riprap or wood structures for protection, according to Niebur. However, in waters with big open areas and little cover, fish just hunker down in the deeper areas of the lake or deeper channels in rivers. If you know where fish cribs or areas of vegetation are located in a lake, there's a good chance you'll find fish there in the winter. If you're unsure of these areas, look for a cluster of tip-ups, bored ice holes and ice shanties. Avid ice anglers often know best and they leave clues where they are finding fish. "Several fish species will hang around fish cribs and any remaining green vegetation for good reasons," says Margenau to eat and not be eaten. "Bluegills for example, use cribs for protection from predators like northern pike. The pike use these areas to find food like bluegill. And anglers," adds Margenau, "use these areas to find both!" Fish wintering in rivers face the additional challenge of unrelenting currents. Trout will often give up the fast-flowing riffles and runs they inhabit in the summer and move downstream seeking out deeper, quieter pool habitat in the lower reaches of streams. In the Mississippi River, bluegill will move into the backwaters where they find the quieter waters more suitable. Walleye, sauger and pike prefer to stay in the same places they occupy in fall and spring, but they move to the deeper rock areas that provide cover, escape and the chance to find congregating forage fish. Smallmouth bass may be found in the main channel or in backwaters but also take refuge behind warmer wing dams or closer to shore. Each fish has slightly different preferences but knows what's best for it. 6

7 PLACE STAMP HERE Yahara Fishing Club Membership Form P.O. Box 3271 Madison, WI Annual Dues are from January 1 to December 31. Please print. *** ESSENTIAL Name *** If Family or Youth, Additional Names Street Address State Zip Phone Number and Area Code *** - - Individual $35.00 Family.. $45.00 Student.$10.00 Youth Members are free with other paid membership. 7

8 Mary Regel Helps Us Again Once more Mary has donated $ towards the Kids Fishing Days from the Rod Regel Memorial Fund. Thank You Mary! The next YFC meeting is Wednesday, December 12th 7:00 pm. at the VFW Hall, 301 Cottage Grove Road, Madison, WI Annual Christmas Party Calendar of Upcoming Events December Events December 12, 2018, Meeting at the VFW Hall at 7:00 pm. Christmas Party and demos of the club website and Facebook. Bring a dish to share. January Events January 9, 2019, Meeting at the VFW Hall at 7:00 pm. January 19, 2019, Kids ice fishing day, 9:00 to noon, Brittingham Park Board of Directors and Officers Gard Strother, President Tom Wilke, Speakers Tex Torgeson, Auctioneer Phil James, Vice President Mark Riederer Kathy McGee Gerald King Larry Reed Vacancy Ken Terrill Jim Krause 8