2002-08 HARMFUL USE OF WEED ROLLERS IN MINNESOTA LAKES

Vegetation buffer zones along lakeshores serve many purposes. Native aquatic plants growing in shallow water stabilize the lake bottom and provide food and cover for fish, turtles, frogs, wading birds, shorebirds and other wildlife.  Left alone these plants would support natural fish populations without artificial hatchery plantings.  However, the surge of home building on Minnesota's lakes has left very little undisturbed lakeshore and the desire for clear,  weed
free beach areas is resulting in progressive elimination of  native aquatic vegetation and is changing the natural lake ecology.

A recent development which accelerates the problem is the "weed roller".  This device is a motorized metal tube approximately 6 inches in diameter and 21 feet long which continuously sweeps a 21 foot diameter of lake bottom free of any vegetation.  It is effectively changing the face of  Minnesota's lakeshores in spite of DNR efforts to dissuade lakeshore owners from destroying aquatic vegetation. The weed rollers are banned in Wisconsin and require permits in Minnesota.  However, the permits are regularly issued and do not appear to adequately
control the use of the weed rollers.

Lake bottoms of meandered lakes are not owned by the lake lot owner but are owned by the state.   Therefore it would appear practical  for the DNR to protect these lake bottoms by banning the use of  weed rollers as a means of destroying lake bottom vegetation.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Minnesota Division of the Izaak Walton League of America in convention April 28, 2002, at Detroit Lakes, MN  urges the Minnesota DNR to establish a policy outlawing the use of weed rollers as a means of destroying native vegetation within Minnesota's public lakes.

Be it further resolved that we urge the adoption of legislation to reinforce this policy and establish penalties for such activity within these lakes.

Jaques Chapter
MN Division of the IWLA