Pelican Lake Drawdown Update

[lanyard]

We shoot more cans than before the pumps. They can be spotty. Red heads are wired, too. Some days you're covered in all of one species.

There were game fish in the lake, but those have mostly been killed off. Likely a couple left.

The lake froze somewhere around the 6/7 of November

[Bailey]

[quote="Bailey"][quote="lanyard"]There are 3 damns in the system:

Nicklemoe Slough into Christina at Christina's north end allows for water control on Nicklemoe and has fish wire gate.

Christina into Pelican: this was where my comment was placed on the "wayyyy back when" reasons. I don't know if it was to keep Christina full, like they do at Heron Lake, to manage water fluctuations better at Pelican since the watershed area for Christina is so huge, or both..... Whatever it is, high water on Christina kills duck hunting for the whole area. This dam is located off Cty Rd 82 by the public access and controls the flow between Christina/Pelican. This dam also is where the pumps are housed to lower Christina by pushing water into Pelican. There is also a fish barrier here.

Pelican Lake Outlet into Pelican Creek: This is at Highway 78 south of Ashby. This one is designed to keep water in Pelican. It currently does not keep water high on Christina as the damn at the Christina outlet to Pelican does that work. Additionally, I don't know if the elevation on this one would be sufficient to back water up into Christina. There's not a lot of drop between Christina and Pelican, 1' or 2', but the watershed would indicate it would find a way South before it finds its way North.

Cabin and resort owners on Pelican, as an association, prefer that Pelican Lake stays at a controlled elevation. They also, in some cases, prefer the algae blooms and lower secchi disc readings because if the water is too clear then the fish patterns change (their go to spots aren't good anymore), and small crustacean populations apparently grow exponentially (leaving beach waters littered with little shells that hurt feet).

The pumps were installed to encourage winter kill and plant growth. Yanking dams is still tough to do and the interest in controlling effluent flows downstream is strong throughout the watershed. This includes the Pomme de Terre down to it's confluence with the MInnesota. The pumps also can work more quickly/controlled to achieve goals. The goals of the lake management plan: 1) encourage growth of chara and other "pond weeds" that are critical to waterfowl; 2) decrease the fish population through winter kill. Whereby the 2nd goal directly impacts success of the first goal.

Risks to the system's success: there is a connection from Anka Lake to Lake Christina that will allow fish to pass during high water. Anka is deeper than Christina and can harbor fish longer. High water down stream: if the water is too high for the watershed to take it they cannot pump.

Signs of success: the statistical measurements of success are in coverage per acre of chara and other duck food. This is used since, unlike ducks, weeds don't migrate. Observationally: for duck counts on the lake it depends on water level and weather. A couple years ago there was a good mix of water levels throughout the summer that encouraged weed growth and relatively calm, high pressure systems. The shooting sucked, but I also had never seen waterfowl in those numbers at any one time in my life. I could sit out after pick-up and watch thousands of ducks pouring into the lake.

Then there are years like this year that the water level was too high most of the year to encourage significant, healthy vegetation growth. They turned the pumps on at end of August and managed to lower the lake between 1.5' and 2'. This exposed the vegetation, and I found a new spot that was incredibly successful. But the birds were only ever in for a day or two and talking with a trusted source there was more mid-week migration. Not saying the ducks know it's easier to fly on Tuesdays, just how it worked out, and they were only sticking around a couple days.

Other Observations: since the pump installation you see more swans than pelicans on Christina. There are more geese being shot at Christina, success goes up as the water level goes down, particularly if some mud flats get exposed. The variety of species has increased: our group shot something like 10 different species: mallards, rings, cans, reds, bluebills, spoonbills, buffies, widgeon, pintail, gadwall..... we let ruddies go, but set a record on hooded mergs.... they were THICK!

If you're interested in learning more I recommend John Schneider the local DU biologist. Additionally, the public access is a very nice paved ramp and at current water levels was accessible until freeze up. It's a shallow body and freezes early. If you need accomodations, the Ashby Motel is across the street from the public access. If you use an outboard, and it's not in shallow drive or being cleared every once in awhile, the water is too deep for the lake. Ashby is the closest town with services, about 3 miles away. Melby has a bar and stray dogs. There is also top notch fishing in the area if you like October fish.

Vegetation and winter kill go hand in hand: due to anaerobic respiration, the more decaying veg in the body of water the better the winter kill.

So have the cans come back at all ? Other than your reports I have not heard dork on the vaunted Christina since this whole thing started. Oh and the big money guys at the 3M duck camp all giddy in a newspaper article. As far as ducks sticking around only a day or two I think that is pretty common in Minnesota unless they have a refuge. Simply too many hunters who will find them quickly and blast them out of here imo.[/quote]Not true with hunters making ducks leave. At least down here. There isn't decent habitat to hold birds. They only stop for rest and drink. I've watched birds in my area for years now that land, drink, sit for an hour and leave without any shots fired.

sent from deez nutz lay'n on yo chin[/quote]Obviously the habitat stinks as well. All I am saying is if they do stick around a few days they normally get blasted at. Really no reason for ducks to stay either way. Most potholes are polluted mudholes.

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[Bailey]

We shoot more cans than before the pumps. They can be spotty. Red heads are wired, too. Some days you're covered in all of one species.

There were game fish in the lake, but those have mostly been killed off. Likely a couple left.

The lake froze somewhere around the 6/7 of November

Wow with that every freeze I hope the 3M boys got them in October. After all I think they are one of the reason Christina keeps getting millions of dollars to be restored. Money talks.

[lanyard]

We shoot more cans than before the pumps. They can be spotty. Red heads are wired, too. Some days you're covered in all of one species.

There were game fish in the lake, but those have mostly been killed off. Likely a couple left.

The lake froze somewhere around the 6/7 of November

Wow with that every freeze I hope the 3M boys got them in October. After all I think they are one of the reason Christina keeps getting millions of dollars to be restored. Money talks.

They might be, but I think it has more to do with it being one of the largest conservation bodies of water in the State with significant bio-contribution to migrating Waterfowl . And it's not going to get drained with drain tile, etc.... It's a 4,000 acre management project. When the water is pumped to winter kill, the rich dudes have 40 yards of mud flat to the edge of the water.

[JayRo]

It's offseason Lanyard and I need something to read. What is the synopsis of the 2019 season on Christina?