11/21 Meeting Recap

To: Lake Iola Property Owners IF YOU WERE AT THE
MEETING, NOTHING NEW HERE.
From: Vicky & Dan Johnson No attachments.

RE: 11/21 Hydrilla Meeting Recap


This is kind of long, so I want to tell you the main thing right up front. If you weren’t at the meeting, we need a signature from you to move forward with applying for a permit to get grass carp for our lake. Form attached.

Eighteen of the forty-seven property owners on Lake Iola were present at the 11/21 meeting. The following info was discussed:

As we said in our earlier letter, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is responsible for permitting any hydrilla control methods we implement in our lake. They say a combination of herbicide and Triploid Grass Carp will get the best results quickest. Fish alone will also work, but given how quickly the hydrilla grows, it could take a while before we see evidence that the fish are getting the upper hand.

Regarding the Triploid Grass Carp
Attached is an info sheet on the fish. FWC estimated that we would probably need around 90 fish to start, recommend the 12” and over size, with a possibility of adding more in 3-5 years. (Based on appx. 20 ac. of infestation, which has probably increased since they were here in Sept.) FWC also gave us a list of approved suppliers of the fish. We checked with the two that are nearest to us, Florida Fish Farms in Center Hill (Lake Jovita used this vendor) and Langford Aquatics in Lakeland. We can get 10”-12” fish in the $9 range, plus $150 delivery, and 12”-14” fish for between $11 and $15 plus delivery. FWC will determine the number we need, and will work with us to monitor their effectiveness and if additional stocking will be necessary.

Those present agreed unanimously to go forward with pursuing a permit and purchasing fish ASAP. A condition of the permit is that we need to have consent from a majority of riparian property owners. Those present at the meeting each signed the attached form to give consent. We are asking each of you who did not make it to the meeting to please sign the form attached, and mail it back to me. If your mailing address is not the same as the physical address of your lake property, please identify your lake property either with the address or the parcel ID #. You will note that there is also a check box where you can indicate whether we’ll be able to count on you to financially participate. Please note, this is a separate issue from consent.
Those at Saturday’s meeting agreed to ask each property owner to contribute $50 for each lot you own to the fund. Our group of property owners still has a bank account at San Ann Credit with $360 in it from the last time we dealt with hydrilla in the lake about 30 years ago. All contributions will go into that account, so please make your check out to “Lake Iola Property Owners,” and send it ASAP to

Dan & Vicky Johnson
31448 Reed Rd
Dade City, FL 33523
Hopefully the majority of property owners will contribute, which would produce a possible overfunding for the initial stocking. If so, the funds will remain in the account for future stocking. Michael Sowinski, the FWC Biologist who deals with the grass carp, says usually a small number need to be added every 3-5 years to maintain continuous control, which can be added to an existing permit.

Regarding herbicide:
Since our group does not have an official Homeowners’ Association with bylaws, FWC will not issue a permit to treat the entire lake. (It would also be very expensive – about $14,000, according to Boltin Pest Control.) However, any individual property owner who wants to use herbicide on his own property may apply for a permit. If you’re receiving this by email, a copy of the application is attached. If this has come to you US mail, get in touch with me (phone 588.4828 or email vjj81@hotmail.com) to get a copy. If you need assistance completing the application, you can contact David Demmi w/ FWC. 813.744.6163 or David.Demmi@myFWC.com.
I got an estimate from Boltin Pest Control (567-2395), just to give you an idea of what expense you’re looking at in general. They say it would cost between $315 and $420 per acre along the shoreline for Aquathol, which is a contact herbicide formulated not to spread, that can be applied in a specific area. The cost variation is based on how deep the water is and how dense your infestation is. Deeper water may increase the cost. I also have a list from FWC of other herbicide contractors. Let me know if you want me to forward that info to you.
Mr. Demmi has asked that if any of us do want to go ahead with herbicide, that we combine our applications into one mailing. I will assemble any applications from our group and mail them out as a packet on December 11. If we’re going to do any herbicide, that should happen prior to stocking the fish, so let’s not drag this out indefinitely.
One final note on herbicide: One of our property owners asked that given the unknowns associated with the long term health effects of chemicals in our environment, that each of us consider very seriously the potential hazards vs. the benefits as you make your decision about putting chemicals in the lake, since herbicide on your lot may affect your neighbors.

On a different subject, several of our residents have recently communicated with and gotten SWFWMD’s attention regarding our rapidly decreasing lake level. One of our property owners, Della Haberle, is employed by SWFWMD. She brought with her research data on our lake from SWFWMD. Some of what she brought is available online at http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/documents/reports/mfl_lola.pdf. If you haven’t seen it, it’s very interesting. Has historic aerial photography of the lake from 1941 on. She says there is little likelihood of SWFWMD’s intervention in any way other than what they already do in monitoring well and pumping permits in the area. But she also said SWFWMD staff would be available to meet w/ property owners who would like to discuss. I don’t know the process for initiating that, so if you want to pursue that, I suggest you contact SWFWMD.

Thank you! Please feel free to call with any questions. Home 352.588.4828 Cell Vicky 352.585.2669 or Dan 352.585.2671. One final note: If you’ve gotten this in US Mail, it would be really helpful to me if you could email me your email address – easier, faster and less expensive to communicate info that way! Send to vjj81@hotmail.com