Presenter/Contact
Presenter
Mark Enders, Watershed Program Manager
Contact Info
(830) 221-4639 - menders@nbtexas.org
Subject Header
SUBJECT:
Title
Presentation and discussion regarding floating vegetation mats within the Comal River system and Lake Dunlap and possible direction regarding management of floating vegetation.
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BACKGROUND / RATIONALE:
City staff and Council have previously been approached by residents along Lake Dunlap regarding concerns of floating vegetation mat accumulations in Lake Dunlap. The most recent presentations to City Council regarding this issue were in March 25th and May 28th, 2019. At the March 2019 City Council meeting, staff was directed to work with a team from the Protect Lake Dunlap Association (PLDA) to explore options for the removal of floating vegetation from the Comal River system to help minimize floating vegetation accumulations in Lake Dunlap. Staff and the PLDA were to report back to Council at the end of the Summer of 2019 regarding potential removal methods and costs.
In May 2019 the PLDA team, with the assistance of the Meadow’s Center at Texas State University, tested a method to remove floating vegetation by setting up a net across the downstream-most portion of Landa Lake to capture and remove floating vegetation as it migrated downstream. This method did not prove to be feasible.
The PLDA team presented to Council again on May 28, 2019 and presented a plan to test the operation of a Weedo vegetation removal boat to remove floating vegetation from Landa Lake. This test was conducted in June 2019. While the Weedo appeared to be a feasible option for removal of floating vegetation in Landa Lake there were staff concerns regarding access and disturbance of endangered species habitat in Landa Lake.
With the failure of the Lake Dunlap dam in May 2019, this effort stalled and the PLDA team and staff have yet to present back to Council on management options and costs.
ADDRESSES A NEED/ISSUE IN A CITY PLAN OR COUNCIL PRIORITY:
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A
Recommendation
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
N/A