Buckatabon Lakes - Projects + Accomplishments

Lake Management Update: See Projects + Accomplishments

Current Projects at Buckatabon Lakes

Update on Lake Management Plan March 2025

Lake Management Plan Update

Excerpt from email sent April 28, 2025

As winter draws to a close and spring approaches, the ULBLD Lakes Management Planning Committee would like to provide an update on the initiatives planned for the upcoming spring and mid-summer seasons.

DNR Grants Awarded

We are pleased to announce that we have successfully secured two DNR grants this year:

· Clean Boats, Clear Waters (CBCW): This grant helps cover a portion of the costs for public boat ramp monitoring.

· Upper & Lower Buckatabon Lakes AIS-Surface Water Planning Grant: This grant supports a portion of our lake consulting expenses.

We are proud of these achievements, which will assist in ensuring the health and sustainability of our lakes.

Herbicide Treatment Update

Our lake management consultant, Onterra, has advised that herbicide treatment will not be necessary this year due to the success of last year’s application. However, it is important to note that a single herbicide treatment is not a permanent solution. A resurgence of Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) is likely in the future, though the timing and severity remain uncertain.

To address this, our consulting team conducts annual lake mapping to monitor conditions. Future herbicide treatments may be necessary as we continue to protect the lakes.

Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) Project

The Lake Management Planning Committee, with approval from the Board of Commissioners, has contracted Aquatic Plant Management (APM) to conduct DASH work this summer in two high Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM) infestation areas in Lower Buckatabon (locations A-25 and B-25). During the harvesting, APM will assess if both areas can be effectively treated. The budget for this project, approved at the August Annual Meeting, covers the costs for 2025. [For a map of the locations A-25 & B-25, please click here]

It’s important to note that DASH is a temporary solution, as EWM may regrow in these areas. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) typically limits annual herbicide treatments, so incorporating DASH into our lake management plan helps us diversify EWM control methods, which supports our permit and grant approvals.

Shoreline Restoration

Alan Wirt of the DNR strongly encourages property owners to restore their shorelines. This action improves lake health, reduces property erosion, and enhances the ULBLD's eligibility for future DNR grants. Additionally, the DNR may offer small grants to help property owners offset restoration costs.

For guidance, please refer to the shoreline restoration guide: Shoreline Guide. [Click the Shoreline Guide to visit the information]

Thank you for your continued support as we work together to maintain the health and vitality of our lakes.

Sincerely,

Chris DeFranceschi

District Lake Management Planning Committee Chair

Click for Link to the Lake Management Full Report

Fall 2024 Fish Stocking

Update November 1, 2024:

We are pleased to inform the residents of Buckatabon Lakes that 2500 Walleye were stocked on November 1, 2024.

The fish ranged in size from 8-10". We hope this tips the "scales" with our developing Walleye population. And our future generation of Buckatabon residents get "hooked."

Boat Landing Update

Update October 20, 2024:

We wish to inform the residents of Buckatabon Lakes that repairs to the public boat landing on Upper Buckatabon are completed. The Pier is expected to be replaced in Spring 2025 by the county. We apologize for the inconvenience.

For any inquiries, please contact Todd Bierman at Vilas County directly. 715-479-6160 or tobier@vilascountywi.gov

Update October 10, 2024:

We wish to inform the residents of Buckatabon Lakes that repairs to the public boat landing on Upper Buckatabon are scheduled to commence on Monday, October 14, 2024. According to Vilas County, these repairs are expected to be completed by Wednesday, October 16, 2024. During this period, the landing will be closed to the public.

Additionally, the existing pier will be removed on October 14, 2024, with a new pier installation planned for the Spring of 2025.

We apologize for the inconvenience and short notice, but we were informed of this schedule this afternoon.

For any inquiries, please contact Todd Bierman at Vilas County directly. 715-479-6160 or tobier@vilascountywi.gov

Email sent to all residents with emails on file on October 10, 2024.

The Buckatabon Lakes Boat Landing funding has been approved to replace the dock and repair the boat ramp. Update July 2024: We received an update that the new pier has been ordered and that a contract with an asphalt company to repair the holes has been secured. As we receive more information, we will post in this section.

The County has advised the Pier will be installed Spring 2025

Camp Ramah Partners with Upper & Lower Buckatabon Lakes District to Control EWM Using DASH

Completed June 2024

Update June 12, 2024:

DASH work began today at Camp Ramah. The EWM is thick there and the divers pulled up 10 large bags of EWM. They will be back on Thursday and Friday.

As an alternate means of controlling the EWM (Eurasian Watermilfoil), Camp Ramah will be working with Aqua Plant Management using the DASH method in their swimming area. DASH is an acronym for Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting. This method uses a suction tube and pumps along with a bagging and filtration system. This method has been found to be effective as the entire plant is removed along with its root system. This method was used in various locations on Upper and Lower Buckatabon Lakes and was able to control the EWM for a short time to improve the local area and reduce EWM on the lake.

Camp Ramah's efforts to implement DASH treatment not only assist with EWM control on our lakes, but heps the District receive permits and grants for herbicide treatments going forward. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources granted Camp Ramah and their contractor their permit in early May. The DNR applauds using multiple methods of control for the eradication of the EWM.

The week of June 9th, DASH began near Camp Ramah. Various types of removal are required to control the EWM and we thank the camp for the continued support.

Herbicide Application

Completed June 2024

Update: June 12, 2024

Friday morning at daybreak, Schmidt’s Aquatic will be applying Procellacor to the targeted area. Signs marking the area will be posted tomorrow. The application should take 2 hours. There are no restrictions on water sports, however the use of lake water to water a vegetable garden should avoided for 3 days.

Volunteers will be gathering water samples starting 3 hours after application and continuing for 14 days. We hope to have positive results to share at the annual meeting!

The first application of herbicide is targeted for Early June, 2024. This is always subject to change due to the applicator's (Schmidt's Aquatic, LLC.)strict requirements.

The timing on the application is dependent on several factors:

Completion of the Walleye spawn.
On approximately June 10th, Onterra will perform a pretreatment survey of the application area. This survey will determine if the weather is right, the water temperature is optimal. The milfoil must be at a specific height and the water depth not changed allowing the correct dilution of the herbicide for the best results. This will take about 3 hours. Then and only then will he give our Applicator the go ahead to start his process.
The application will start that day, or the next depending on weather condition. The application work will start very early in the morning just at daybreak. The effectiveness of herbicide will be obvious within 2-3 weeks. This gives us results prior to our annual meeting.
After the application, our volunteers – Dan B., Gary C., Michael B., and myself will take water samples (to determine residual levels) and temperature results.

Signs will be posted on the shoreline in Benson's Bay. This is the area of application. As we receive more information, we will update the information in this section of the website.

For more information on the project, please see the 2024 Onterra Proposed Plan. See the Resources section for evolving information on the Eurasian Watermilfoil plan on Upper and Lower Buckatabon Lakes.

Other actions that need to take place:

Onterra will perform a remapping of the lakes in late August or early September. This will give us information on the next area that has the highest concentration and needs attention in 2025.
The District will apply for a grant on or before September 15th.
Onterra also urges the shareholders to investigate and install shoreline restoration efforts that are detailed in “Heathy Lakes Grants” the grant can only be applied for by the district and not the individual homeowner. The cost difference between the grant money and the district’s part will be paid by the homeowner. We will post more information on the Healthy Lakes Grants on this website.

On Friday, June 14th, Schmidt's Aquatic applied the first application to control the Eurasian Water Milfoil. We hope to share results and findings from application and study at the August 3rd annual meeting.

Onterra team (the district's lake management consulting company) preparing to perform a pretreatment survey on Upper. This survey will provide the herbicide applicator with specific data related to the quantity of product necessary to effectively treat the EWM within DNR guidelines

2024 State of the Lake Report for Upper and Lower Buckatabon Lake

from Town of Conover Lakes Committee 2024 State-of-the-Lakes Report

Lake District. As noted in last year’s State of the Lake report we have become a Lake District. We have now disbanded the Buckatabon Lakes Association. We had our first annual meeting for the Lake District last summer. At the meeting in July District Commissioners were voted in by property owners in the Lake District. A proposed Annual budget was discussed and passed at the meeting. Lake Management Plan. Growing concerns about the proliferation of Eurasian Water Milfoil in our lakes have resulted in the development of an updated Lake Management Plan. We are now working with Onterra as our consulting firm. Here is a map of the proliferation of EWM at the end of 2023.

Update: Map Updated June 2024

Weevil Rearing Status. The Final Report on the three-year Weevil Rearing project from the Vilas County Land and Water Conservation Department shows mixed success. While weevils seemed to control invasive milfoil for a while, that success did not continue in 2023. There might have been several factors (drought, other eradication activities, etc.) that impeded the weevils. For the full report, please contact Dan Benson who can email a copy (akabense@gmail.com) This very interesting report was written by Cathy Higley, Lake Conservation Specialist, Vilas County Land & Water Conservation Department, who spearheaded the project.

Pontoon Work Boat. The boat has been gifted from the Buckatabon Lakes Assn. to the new lake district. Fish Stocking. Last fall we stocked another 2,500 five to eight inch Walleye in our lakes bringing the total of this stocking program to 13,500. Cost to date for this stocking now totals to $29,989.00. All paid through Donations and Raffles except in 2023 $2,000 came from Member dues Boat Landing Inspections. We are now committed to 200 hours of time put into the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program at a cost of $4,690. We will apply for Grant Reimbursement through the DNR for 75% of this cost.

This report by Daniel Benson

For the full Town of Conover Lakes Committee 2024 State-of-the-Lakes Report Click Here

Toilet at Boat Ramp

While the District was not looking to place a toilet at the Boat Ramp, our Supervisor uncovered this approved project at the County. It is built and functional. Please keep in mind that if you use the facility, be tidy and keep it looking nice. You never know when and where you might have to "take a break." Thank you, in advance for your cooperation.

Thank you Vilas County for thinking of us.

Awareness

Several years ago, the Buckatabon Lakes Association worked to place signage at our boat ramp to promote awareness of the EWM that has invaded our lakes. Awareness is key to prevention. We are not immune from invasive species and thank you for being mindful when pulling your boat and relocating at other lakes that you take precautions to keep invasive species out of the Buckatabon Lakes. In addition, your efforts keep from preventing the spread of EWM to other lakes.

Upper and Lower Buckatabon Lakes Planning Committee Established

In January of this year, we formed the Upper and Lower Buckatabon Lakes Planning committee with the goal to develop a lake management plan. There were six volunteers and two conference call meetings. Our Lake Management consultant led these meeting which were each over two hours length. The following six team members were dedicated to the improvement of our lakes’ health:

Bruce Campbell

Jeff Milkie

Brian Bickner

Michael Burns

Gary Croisatiere

Chris DeFranceschi

And special thanks to Rick Schwandt District Treasurer

Their hard work resulted in developing a plan which was approved by Wisconsin DNR. This allowed them to issue a permit to eradicate the Eurasian Milfoil in a specific area of Upper with dense infestation. I want to personally thank the team for their loyalty, educated input, and decidedness in building the lake management plan. They voluntarily devoted their time as shareholders of the Upper and Lower Buckatabon Lakes District.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse