Mixing Crystal Lake to Eradicate Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax)
Zach Lawson
Dr. Jake VanderZanden, Dr. Steve Carpenter, Dr. Tom Hrabik
Today’s Presentation
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Crystal Lake/Rainbow Smelt Manipulation Design Mixing Results
Smelt Responses
Crystal Lake
N
Rainbow Smelt in the US
Where are smelt now?
~25 lakes
Rainbow smelt impacts in our lakes
• Reduce cisco/whitefish populations
• Reduce yellow perch populations
• Reduce walleye recruitment
Evans and Loftus 1987, Hrabik et al. 1998; 2001, Mercado Silva et al. 2007 Photo by: John Lyons
Available Smelt Habitat
Expected Effects on Smelt
Gaeta et al. 2012
Mixing System
Mixing Design
•6 GELIs
•~10,000 cycles/season (4‐5 months)
•20m of travel
Water Quality Monitoring
Biological Community Sampling
2012 Mixing Results
2012
Historical Temperatures
2012 Mixing Results
2012
Historical Temperatures
2012 Mixing Results
Smelt Responses to Mixing
•Shifts in Behavior
•Observed Mortality
2012 Body Condition
2012 Body Condition
Population Dynamics
Population Dynamics
Hidden from Sonar
h = hiding rate
Visible to Sonar
P
T‐P
v = rate of becoming visible
T = total number of smelt in Crystal Lake
m = mortality rate
Population Dynamics
M ~ 0.4
M ~ 0.9
Conclusions
•Smelt population declined, but mortality rate remains uncertain
•Some smelt remain in Crystal •Waiting for ice to melt for an update
Crystal Mixers
Page Mieritz
Wes Matthews
Tom Thalhuber
Ali Branscombe
Colin Smith
Eric Brown
Zach Lawson
Jordan Read
Acknowledgements
Anonymous donor
WDNR
Trout Lake Station
Crystal Lake Contact Station
Questions?
Mortality Model dP
 bP  cemt
dt
T
 mt
dP
bPdt
ce
dt ]



[

0
c
 mT
PT  P0  bPT  1  e 
m
c
1 
 mT 
Pt 
P0  1  e  

m
1 b 

Habitat Availability
Pre ‐ Body Condition
Chlorophyll
CR Leptodora
160
140
120
#/m3
100
80
60
40
20
0
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
3.2
Smelt Throughout 2012
2.6
2.4
2.2
2.0
1.8
log Weight (g)
2.8
3.0
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
4.7
4.8
4.9
log Length (mm)
5.0
5.1
Onshore Movement
Average Total Diet Wet Weight (g)
Rainbow Smelt Diets
0.5
Onshore (n=43)
Offshore (n=46)
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
213
230
257
Julian Day
271
RWS Growth Rates Pre/Manipulation comparison
15
5
0
150
250
350
0
50
150
250
Time of Year
Time of Year
Littoral night 2011
Littoral night 2012
350
15
10
5
0
0
5
10
CPUE
15
20
50
20
0
CPUE
10
CPUE
10
0
5
CPUE
15
20
Littoral day 2012
20
Littoral day 2011
0
50
150
250
Time of Year
350
0
50
150
250
Time of Year
350
1.5
0.5
0.0
150
250
350
0
50
150
250
Time of Year
Time of Year
Pelagic night 2011
Pelagic night 2012
350
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
0.0
0.5
1.0
CPUE
1.5
2.0
50
2.0
0
CPUE
1.0
CPUE
1.0
0.0
0.5
CPUE
1.5
2.0
Pelagic day 2012
2.0
Pelagic day 2011
0
50
150
250
Time of Year
350
0
50
150
250
Time of Year
350
Smelt Thermal Habitat
Smelt Habitat Temperature
How many lakes have suitable habitat?
553 lakes
Project Timeline
Manipulation
starts
Baseline Monitoring
Test Mix Monitoring
Mixing
2010
2011
2012
Manipulation ends
Mixing
2013
Monitor
Lake
2014…