Barnes Lake LMD: lowest recorded levels since 2021; board discusses weed treatments, drone application and a postponed management plan

Barnes Lake Management District members discussed low lake levels, recent aquatic-weed treatments and budget implications at a meeting in Tumwater. District staff summarized treatment dates and monitoring gaps and said a planned update to the district’s management plan would be postponed until next year.

The conversation centered on monitoring data and treatment activities. Patrick, a district staff member, said, "I can summarize what I believe went down last summer," and described two rounds of treatment: an initial fluridone application in May or early June and a follow-up application in late July or early August, plus a topical, hand-spray treatment aimed at water lilies. Patrick said the follow-up was “a bump” to raise concentration and that the contractor also performed a targeted spray on lily pads.

Why it matters: members were presented with recent monitoring data showing lake levels at their lowest since the district’s continuous record began in 2021. Patrick and other participants noted gaps in the dataset when batteries ran out and when the district switched to a different telemetry device, but the device’s records nonetheless indicate a downward trend and show the lake has not refilled to prior peaks in recent years.

Key details from the meeting: staff reported that the lake’s field transducer recorded a maximum water temperature near 83°F at one point, and that the lake’s maximum depth in the central basin is about 10 feet. A staff member said the device was installed in 2021 and that its placement is not in the deepest spot, so the absolute minimums may not be captured. The meeting also recorded that the district’s water-level structure (a leveler) was installed around 2016–2017, though the date was not stated precisely.

On weed control, staff and members discussed the performance and delivery methods for fluridone (used to control bladderwort) and topical sprays for lilies. They explained that fluridone’s effectiveness depends on maintaining concentration for a sufficient period and that it often kills perimeter plants while thicker, interior stands can survive where concentrations diminish in pore spaces. Scott (contractor) and Aquatechnics were discussed as service providers; attendees said the district’s contract with AquaTechnics is a three-year agreement.

The contractor proposed testing an aerial application next year using a drone. Participants discussed that a drone approach could avoid the permitting, wetland survey and other preparatory costs that a boat-ramp-based application would trigger; staff said using a drone could eliminate the need for a wetland survey tied to boat-ramp access. No formal decision or contract amendment authorizing drone application was made at the meeting.

Budget and work-plan items: staff presented preliminary year-to-date finances and said the district began the year with roughly $80,000 in fund balance. The district anticipated roughly $21,000 in assessments revenue for the year; as of the meeting the assessment revenue posted to the budget was about $7,500 and some collections remained outstanding. Staff said about $15,000 of planned spending for an updated lake management plan (IVAMP/IVAN as referenced in meeting materials) was postponed to 2026.

Actions and next steps: the district postponed the IVAMP-related work until next year and will solicit proposals (an RFQ/RFP was discussed) to update the management plan, with several firms and consultants named as potential candidates. Staff will also continue to monitor water levels and coordinate with the contractor about next year’s treatment approach. The district set the next board meeting for Nov. 12.

Members raised several operational and stewardship issues, including manual removal of floating mats and invasive yellow-flag iris. Residents and volunteers described past mechanical efforts (cutting or towing floating mats, using chainsaws to break them into manageable chunks, pushing material to shore and allowing it to dry) and the tradeoffs of those approaches. Staff cautioned that removing or killing vegetation without a longer-term strategy can open space for other invasives.

The meeting closed with routine business: approval of minutes as amended and administrative items for the November meeting calendar. No new ordinances, contracts or budget appropriations were adopted at this session.