My Summer Monitoring with MVCA

 Local "Hit Squad" member Kelly Skaug is monitoring water quality in our local watershed and fighting invasive species in Carleton Place at the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA).

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Click here for information from your Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority for information and tips on how to handle invasive species.

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Fill out this short quiz on the invasive species we've posted over the past month and be eligible to win a prize from Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority. You have until Monday, August 25th 2014 at 12 PM to complete and submit your answers to the quiz. Good luck!

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Week 5 Invasive Species Awareness - #NameThatInvasive Contest (Final Invasive) 

*Stay tuned for a quiz link, where you can demonstrate your knowledge of invasive species and be entered in a draw to win a prize from MVCA!*

Similar to Northern Water-Milfoil, this invasive species has the tendency to form dense underwater mats that shade out other aquatic plants and can hinder recreational activities such as boating, fishing and swimming. 

This plant is native to Europe, Asia and northern Africa and was first introduced to North America in the 1940’s.  It was first discovered in Canada in Lake Erie in 1961.  It is believed to have been introduced through the aquarium trade or through the ballast water of ships.

This invasive prefers to grow in shallow waters 1-3 metres deep, though it can root and thrive in up to 10 metres of water. When large amounts of this plant begin to die off in the fall, the decaying plants can reduce oxygen levels in the water and may result in fish kills. 

Unfortunately, eradicating established populations of this invasive species is nearly impossible. This is why it’s very important to help detect new populations by reporting any sightings in order to help prevent further spread. You can help by contacting the invading species hotline at 1-800-563-7711 or visit www.eddmaps.org/ontario to report a sighting! 

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Week 4 Invasive Species - #NameThatInvasive

Once established in a lake this invasive is hard to miss as they tend to attach to and sometimes completely cover the bottom of boats, docks and other equipment. 

This invasive freshwater clam was first discovered in North America in Lake St. Clair in 1988.  They are believed to have arrived in the ballast water of ships travelling from European port.  Since its introduction the species has spread to all of the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River and connected waterways and many inland lakes in southern Ontario.  Its ability to quickly spread to new water bodies is thanks to the females who can produce up to one million eggs each year. This species is highly adaptable and can survive in lakes with a wide range of environmental conditions. 

The biggest concern with this invasive species is its ability to filter feed large quantities of plankton, which can reduce the amount of food available for fish and other aquatic species.  In addition to fouling the bottom of boats and docks, this invasive can also clog intake pipes, reducing water flow; and they cost millions of dollars each year to remove from power generating facilities and water treatment plants on the Great Lakes. 

This invasive can easily spread to other bodies of water by bait buckets, boats, trailers and other equipment such as fishing gear.  They are capable of surviving out of the water for several days and may be too small to be seen with the naked eye.  You can help to prevent the spread of this invasive species by inspecting your boat, trailer and equipment and removing all plants, animals and mud.  As well as, drain water from your motor, live well, bilge and transom wells while on land.  And either spray your boat, trailer and equipment with high pressure water or let everything dry in the sun for at least five days before entering a new body of water.   

For more information visit www.invadingspecies.com

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Week 3 Invasive Species - #NameThatInvasive

Native to the Ohio River system of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, this invasive crustacean has made its way to many lakes, rivers, and streams throughout the United States and Ontario. 

They are believed to have been introduced through bait bucket dumping or released from aquariums.  They are more aggressive than native crayfish and are known to eat fish eggs and young. 

This species can also displace native crayfish, hybridize with them, and graze on and eliminate aquatic plants.  They can be identified by their brown body and claws with dark black bands near the tips. 

There are prominent rusty patches on their sides and they can grow to an average length of 10 cm (3.9 inches) not including the claws.  This species can live up to 3 to 4 years and the female has the ability to lay 50 to 575 eggs, which hatch in 3-6 weeks depending on water temperature. 

It is most active from spring to fall when temperatures are above 8°C.  In order to prevent the further spread of this invasive it is very important to take precautions before leaving and entering a new water body. 

This includes, inspecting your boat, trailer and gear and removing any plants, animals, and mud and dispose of them on dry land or in the garbage. Never use this species as bait and never release live bait.  It is also very important to drain water from your motor, bilge, live well and transom wells. And don’t forget to spray your boat, trailer and equipment with high pressure water (250 p.s.i) or let it dry in the sun for at least 5 days before entering a new water body. 

For more information visit www.invadingspecies.com

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Week 2 Invasive Species - #NameThatInvasive

Originally brought to North America in the early 1800’s for use as an ornamental plant and bee keeping, this aggressive invader has since spread dramatically and can be found across much of Canada and the United States.  This plant is a very hardy perennial and has the ability to rapidly reduce the biodiversity of a wetland.  Dense stands of this European species crowd out native plants and reduce food, shelter and nesting sites for wildlife, birds, turtles and frogs.  It is estimated that 190,000 ha of pastures, wetlands, marshes, and riparian meadows are affected in North America each year. 

It’s important to know how to identify this invasive species as the detection of new infestations can help prevent the spread.  You can help by calling the Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711 or visit www.invadingspecies.com or www.eddmaps.org/ontario to report a sighting!

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Week 1 Invasive Species

This invasive was first introduced to Canada in the 1800’s for use as an edible herb.   It can be found in a variety of habitats, including, moist forests, stream banks, floodplain forests, roadsides and trail edges.  It is a very aggressive plant and has the ability to completely dominate the ground layer, reducing a forests’ natural ability to regenerate.  The plant is green year round, with triangular shaped leaves.  The plant grows from 13 to 120 cm tall, producing a single floral stalk with delicate white flowers from May to early June.  A single plant can produce 150 to 300 seeds that germinate the following spring.  The plant can only reproduce by seed which are commonly spread by animals and humans. 

Hint:  The leaves produce a distinct garlic smell when crushed!

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Name that Invasive Contest

Over the next 5 weeks I will be posting a picture and description of one local invasive species per week. At the end of the five weeks I will post a quiz where if you name all five invasive species correctly you will be entered in a draw to win a prize from the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority. Good luck!

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Take a look around for tons of interesting facts about conserving your local Mississippi Valley watershed.

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About me.

Hi I'm Kelly Skaug, this summer I have the privilege of working at the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority office in Carleton Place, Ontario. My job title is Invasive Species Community Outreach Liaison working with Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH). My job is to monitor water quality in the local Mississippi Valley watershed with special attention to invasive species and their affect on water quality. I'll be updating my tumblr with educational photos and findings on water quality and invasive species that I encounter during my monitoring work.

The OFAH partners with the Ministry of Natural Resources to deliver the Invading Species Awareness Program. This program uses public education to prevent the introduction of new invasive species, and to stop the spread of those already here.

Over the course of the summer, the Invasive Species Hit Squad, comprised of about 25 summer students, will monitor more than 200 local lakes, waterways and forests, looking for zebra mussels, spiny water flea, round goby, giant hogweed, garlic mustard, and other invaders. They will also contribute to a variety of efforts to control the spread of these invaders. Funding is being provided by the federal government’s Canada Summer Jobs program.

To report a sighting of an invasive species, or request information materials, call the Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711, or visit www.invadingspecies.com or EDDMapS.org/Ontario. You can also follow the Hit Squads progress on Twitter at @ofah or @invspecies.

The public is invited to contact Kelly Skaug at [email protected]. To arrange a media interview, please contact the OFAH Manager of Communications. A high-resolution photo of the student is available upon request.