To document aquatic vegetation, both good and bad!Lake Gaston has 350 miles of shoreline and all needs sampling.
This survey is an important tool that determines how to keep Lake Gaston healthy for swimming, boating, fishing, and recreational enjoyment.
1. You will need access to a boat, kayak, or jet ski and a few hours to spend on the lake.
2. The shoreline is divided into survey sections and volunteers can choose sites close to home.
3. Equipment to be provided:
a. Handheld electronic tablet for data collection
b. Double-sided Rake
c. Plant ID booklet that will cover most of the plants you will encounter at Lake Gaston
d. Training will be provided through several online videos that will explain the vegetation survey in detail and provide tips for aquatic plant identification.
Go to the LGA Environment Committee at LakeGastonAssoc.com and click on the survey form:
The Lake Gaston Association, in partnership with the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission, NC State Aquatic Plant Management Program, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Dominion Energy, NC B.A.S.S. and VA B.A.S.S. Conservation have developed a new 5-year Operational Habitat Enhancement Plan for Lake Gaston.(see the plan here)
This is a commitment by all partners to continue habitat enhancement efforts on Lake Gaston.
The objective is to improve physical habitat for sport fishes by diversifying and establishing self-sustaining native aquatic plant communities while helping to prevent the spread of nuisance aquatic plants. The plan includes establishing new re-vegetation sites, maintaining existing sites, and establishing new fish attractor sites. We hope to improve physical habitat for fish and wildlife while suppressing Hydrilla and Lyngbya growth by encouraging reestablishment of native plants in areas where they do not currently exist.
There are currently 14 revegetation sites that include multiple planted areas. Aquatic vegetation has successfully expanded well outside these planted areas and will continue to thrive with continued cage maintenance and planting. Each year volunteers build new cages, repair cages and plant native aquatic vegetation. This year partners worked 531 hours on the project and have worked over 4,130 hours since 2015. While revegetation efforts take time and patience, this project has been a success because of the determination and hard work put in from the Lake Gaston community and its’ partners.
The Lake Gaston Weed Control Council (LGWCC) continues to fund herbicide treatments based upon recommendations from a Technical Advisory Group with support from the Lake Gaston Stakeholders Group.
Aqua Services, Inc. www.asilakemanagement.comwas again awarded the application contract for Lyngbya Treatments which will increase to +/-376acres in 2022.
The initial treatment for Lyngbya will take place April 19th-22rd
Additional treatments for Lyngbya are tentatively scheduled :
May 17-20th
June 14-17th
July 19-22th
August 16-19th and
September 13-16th
The products to be used are Captain XTR, Cutrine Ultra, and AMP.There are no swimming, irrigation, or fish consumption restrictions.
Here is a link to maps showing the specific Lyngbya treatment areas:https://arcg.is/1ObSq4
PLM Lake and Land Management Corp. www.plmcorp.net was once again selected as the application contractor for Hydrilla treatments. No specific treatment areas have been designated at this time for Hydrilla. Should infestations occur, treatments will be scheduled.
LGA volunteers participated this past fall to survey the entire 350 miles of Lake Gaston shoreline. This was a tremendous effort and “hats off” to all those who participated.
36 teams comprised of 80 volunteers surveyed a total of 4,084 sites. These teams put in a total effort of 400 hours. This level of sampling is comparable to past years.
74% of sites surveyed contained some form of aquatic vegetation. The aquatic plant community was made up of 70% emergent species, 5% submergent species, 4% floating leaf species, and 21% algal species. Water willow made up the largest percent of the overall vegetation at 48% and has consistently been the most abundant species found throughout the lake since 2018. The most abundant species, water willow, lyngbya, and chara, were all well distributed throughout the lake.
Hydrilla is still located throughout the lake, primarily found in very shallow water, small and patchy sites. Standing acreage of hydrilla is estimated to be 154 acres. Tuber bank surveys show an almost undetectable level with a slightly higher density in Lizard and Hawtree Creeks.
Lyngbya was found at 20% of surveyed sites and is estimated to cover 1317 acres. Lyngbya is the second most prevalent species and has displayed a steady overall increase since 2014.
These results were present to the Technical Advisory Group or TAG on February 15, 2022. TAG then made recommendations for integrated management including Grass Carp stocking, revegetation with natives, and Aquatic Herbicide treatments to the Stakeholders Group on March 4th, and the Lake Gaston Weed Control Council (LGWCC) on March 10th.Members of the LGA Lake Environment Committee are active participants in this management process.
The report states, Continued yearly surveying of Lake Gaston's aquatic plant community is recommended to monitor growth and distribution in both the native and beneficial communities, as well as, noxious and harmful species.
Thanks again to all who volunteer to make this process successful.Your work is critical to keeping our lake environment healthy!
On December 20, 2021 Dominion Power submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission changes to its Shoreline Management Plan appendices. These changes are the product of a required 5 year review which was delayed one year due to pandemic restrictions. Dominion received input from the general public on September 15th and from a working group, including state, federal, county agencies, contractors, real estate developers, the Lake Gaston Stripers Club as well as the Lake Gaston Association on October 3rd.
Summary of Changes
(1) Construction and Use Procedures. (Appendix C to the Plan) The proposed changes add a
statement prohibiting the use of submersible pumps, increase restrictions in Sensitive areas to
exclude any new clearing of land or building of docks, clarify that new bulkheads are not being
approved and clarify definitions of grandfathered landscaping.
(2) Aquatic Weed Control. (Appendix E to the plan) There are two proposed changes: the first
clarifies who may apply weed control chemicals in the lakes, removes the requirement to notify
Dominion prior to aquatic weed control activities and adds a requirement for registered
applicators to submit an annual report providing information regarding location of treatments,
area treated, chemicals applied, and species treated. The second change removes the requirement
to obtain permission from Dominion to clear native aquatic plants from a 10’ wide boat lane
providing access to the lake but makes clear that removing Water Willow will not be approved.
Special Management Area Maps
In Dominion’s 2005 Plan submittal, there were 23 maps that delineate areas within the project
boundary that warrant special protection. Those maps have not been changed and have not been
