Save the Flowage Campaign Raises $15,000 in First Two Weeks

MFA board advances herbicide permit, tribal outreach, and flexibility as summer season approaches

The Save the Flowage campaign has raised more than $15,000 since its launch on March 19, bringing total funds to $42,100 toward the MFA’s $200,000 goal for our summer and fall Milfoil Fight. More than 20 individual donors have contributed so far.

That’s an encouraging start — but there are more than 300 property owners and stakeholders on the Flowage. If even a fraction of the people who haven’t yet contributed get involved, then the MFA will have the resources to mount a sustained treatment effort regardless of which path the current herbicide permitting process takes. If you know a neighbor or fellow property owner who hasn’t heard about the campaign, now is the time to pass the word along.

Behind the fundraising, the MFA’s Lake Management Committee has been working on several fronts to prepare for treatment this summer.

Permit Status

The MFA submitted a ProcellaCOR herbicide application to the Wisconsin DNR on February 16. The application targets areas where EWM is impairing navigation and does not include Serenity Bay, where most of the Flowage’s wild rice is concentrated. The permit is currently on hold while the DNR consults with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission ("GLIFWC") through the Voigt Task Force — a required step under state rules when a proposed activity may affect wild rice habitat in the Ceded Territory. There is no published timeline for that consultation. We remain persistent.

Tribal Engagement

MFA committee members have separately been in contact with GLIFWC to open a direct dialogue. The MFA’s position is that EWM itself poses a threat to wild rice — invasive species can crowd out native plants — and that the two organizations share an interest in addressing the problem. A chemical flow study previously overseen and funded by Wisconsin DNR in fall 2014 and spring 2015 showed that current on the Flowage moves away from wild rice beds, meaning herbicide applied in the proposed treatment zones would not reach them.

Other Tools

The committee is also evaluating contracted mechanical harvesting for targeted areas, particularly Serenity Bay and the navigation channel. All other potential management tools remain on the table.

The MFA will provide updates as the permit process progresses. Members can learn more about the treatment strategy on the Milfoil Fight page.