2009 Chemical Treatment Notice

AQUATIC PESTICIDE TREATMENT NOTICE

  This notice is to inform you that the Mitchell Lake Improvement Board has contracted with this company for aquatic management services. We are planning to treat the area waters with herbicides and/or algaecides for the control of aquatic nuisance plants and/or algae.

  Please be aware that only pesticides that have been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, Michigan Department of Agriculture and the MDEQ (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality) are being used. These pesticides are being applied in dosages approved by the MDEQ and as applied are not harmful to fish, wildlife or pets. A permit from the MDEQ will have been secured prior to any pesticide applications.

  Please watch the shoreline for the posting of YELLOW signs, which will indicate the day of treatment, exact pesticides used and the water use restrictions depending on the pesticides used. In the event of an additional pesticide application, a second sign will be posted outlining new water use restrictions.

  Pesticides are applied as either liquid or granular formulations. Liquids are surface sprayed or sub-surface injected depending on treatment strategies and/or weather conditions. Granular formulations are applied with broadcast spreaders.

Initial approximate treatment date will be late May to early June. If you have any questions regarding the pesticide treatment you can contact Aquatic Services, Inc at 810-636-3303 or the Mitchell Lake Improvement Boards contact person Jennifer Jermalowicz-Jones (Lakeshore Environmental) @ 231-845-0371.

LONG TERM WATER USE RESTRICTIONS

  Renovate (triclopyr): Do not use treated water for irrigation for 120 days following application. As an alternative to waiting 120 days, treated water may be used for irrigation once the triclopyr level in the treatment area is determined to be non-detectable by laboratory analysis. Water samples will be taken approximately 3 weeks after treatment. Go to www.aquaticservicesinc.info LAKES page to find out when the water use restrictions have been lifted. There is no restriction on use of water from the treatment area to irrigate established grasses.

  Navigate (2,4-D): Do not use water from treated areas for irrigating plants or mixing sprays for agricultural or ornamental plants, unless and approved assay indicates the 2,4-D concentration is 100 ppb (or less), or only growing crops and non-crops areas labeled for direct treatment with 2,4-D will be affected. Water samples will be taken approximately 3 weeks after treatment if the treatment area is within 250’ from shore. Go to www.aquaticservicesinc.info LAKES page to find out when the water use restrictions have been lifted. There is no restriction on use of water from the treatment area to irrigate established grasses.

  2, 4-D (offshore): Shoreline postings with 2, 4-D (offshore) means the treatment area is located more than 250' from shore. Follow the water use restrictions posted if you are irrigating within the 2, 4-D treatment area. Follow all other water use restriction times as they are posted.

POSTINGS

  Notice of all pesticide applications shall be posted prior to each application. Notices shall be posted along the shoreline with 81/2 x 11 inch YELLOW posters. They shall indicate the day of treatment, permit number, contact information, exact pesticides used and the water use restrictions (swimming, irrigation and fishing) depending on the     pesticides used. In the event of additional pesticide applications, additional notices shall be posted outlining new water use restrictions.

  Some postings may be done in advance. How many days in advance will vary between lakes. There is an ADVANCED POSTING box on the poster that will be checked in the event of an advanced posting. If the box is not checked, the application will be made on the same day as the posting. Posters will be attached to trees, posts, decks, docks and other vertical objects along the immediate shoreline. However, riparian property owners who choose not to have the posters affixed to their personal property may have        alternative postings. Within 30 feet of the immediate shoreline, you may supply your own bright YELLOW painted supporting device (stake) at least 30 inches tall and the posters will be stapled to that device. Go to www.aquaticservicesinc.info the SCHEDULES page to find out when the pesticide applications are to be made.

Product Registration

All products are regulated by EPA and must maintain registration with the agency. The EPA determines if a product will be a general use product or a restricted use pesticide. This is an ongoing process. EPA may at anytime ask for additional data related to a given product and may request to see any data that a company has on any registered product. Companies are required to keep all data on a pesticide for the life of the compound. This means that with older compounds they may have to keep data that is over 50 years old and be able to provide it to EPA on request. Registration and re-registration of a compound is estimated to cost the producer between 2.4 and 4.0 million dollars. The cost of research and development for new products is typically between $ 30 and $70 million dollars before the first unit can be sold commercially.

Common Sense

All pesticides can cause harm at some level of use. However, applications will be made where there is little chance for direct exposure to an herbicide in its concentrated form to anyone who is not a pesticide applicator. It should be noted that there are two distinct categories for treatments to control the nuisance growth of aquatic plants and algae. The first category is treatment for control of submerged plants. These treatments normally are done using herbicides that place water use restrictions on treated areas of the water body. The second category is algae control treatments. These treatments are almost always done using a copper based herbicide. Copper based herbicides/algaecides place no water use restrictions on the treated waters.

Water Use Restrictions

The use of aquatic herbicides can result in water use restrictions being placed on waters that have been treated. These water use restrictions may include; a no swimming restrictions and/or no fish consumption and irrigation restrictions. When an application is done that places water use restrictions on a water body, yellow signs are posted along the area that was treated. These signs shall include the name of the pesticides used, the date of application, any restrictions that apply and the name address and phone number of the company or person that applied the pesticides. If you should inadvertently use the water, and then find out an application was done and water use restrictions are in effect, first take a shower, then give your professional lake manager a call. Odds are nothing will occur because the volume of water will dilute the pesticide to the point that it is not a real threat to people or animals (see the "dosage” discussion above). In conclusion, if you have any questions or would like a specimen label or Material Data Safety Sheet, go to the website below.

Web site: www.aquaticservicesinc.info 

 

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