FirstLight Power has informed the Candlewood Lake Authority and the CT DEEP that they are lifting their voluntary restriction on summer pump ups into Candlewood Lake, which is when zebra mussels are able to reproduce in the Housatonic River. The CLA disagrees with this decision, believing that it is premature, and requested that FirstLight refrain from pumping summer Housatonic River water into the lake for at least two more years. The CLA believes that additional time is necessary to study and better understand zebra mussel population trends in Candlewood Lake before introducing countless additional zebra mussel larvae into the lake from the Housatonic River.
Since 2012, FirstLight has voluntarily only pumped water into Candlewood when the Housatonic River was too cold for zebra mussels to reproduce, preventing the introduction of mussel larvae from the river into Candlewood Lake. This restriction has limited the company’s ability to generate power during the warm weather months.
This summer, FirstLight worked with a team of zebra mussel ecologists to conduct a dive searching for zebra mussels below the level of the drawdown where they could continue to survive over the winter. During that dive, unfortunately, they found a total of 370 adult zebra mussels across over 30 dive sites in the lake. In addition, The CLA’s environmental DNA chemical analysis (in partnership with WestConn) also showed two samples with low concentrations of Zebra Mussel DNA in the water, which could be an indication of reproduction in the lake and is also an indication of adult mussel growth and survival. While all this data does indicate an increase in the size of the population over the past two years, Candlewood has not yet seen the tell-tale spike in zebra mussel population. The population found thus far is a relatively small population for a lake the size of Candlewood, with minimal impacts to recreation.
While the CLA continues to object to FirstLight’s plan to pump water containing zebra mussel larvae into the lake, we will continue our expanded monitoring, including chemical tests and mussel larvae analyses, over the course of this year. We will also be continuing our Lake Steward program, offering voluntary boat inspections at public launches on peak boating days, has been active this year and will also continue this boating season.
Regardless of the pumping status, however, it is critical that boaters understand the importance of Cleaning, Draining, and Drying their boats and trailers both before & after launching in and out of Candlewood Lake. While we do not want to add any species, including zebra mussels, into the lake, we also don’t want any species found in Candlewood Lake (milfoil, mussels, etc.) to spread to other nearby bodies of water. Be sure to remove any visible plants and mussels, drain bilge and ballast water, and wash the hull and motor of your boat and trailer with hot high-pressure water before entering and after exiting Candlewood Lake. Be sure to also allow your boat and trailer to fully dry to kill off any zebra mussel larvae, before going to a new lake.
The CLA continues to work diligently with the state DEEP, FirstLight, and other experts to continue to advocate for the protection of Candlewood Lake. We thank everyone in the community who has taken and will continue to take steps to protect Candlewood Lake from invasive species!
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Candlewood Lake
Regulatory Buoys & Moorings
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Please see the important information below from the CT DEEP and FirstLight regarding regulatory markers, buoys and moorings on Candlewood Lake.
Under state law and regulation the placement of any marker, buoy, sign, or device on or near Candlewood Lake regarding the operation of vessels is strictly regulated.
Regulated markers requiring a permit include, but are not limited to:
· Slow No Wake speed markers or beacons
· Swim Area markers or unmarked roped off areas
· Danger markers
· Informational markers
Prior to placing such marker, a person must apply for, and receive, a regulatory marker permit from the Boating Division of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
A regulatory marker permit cannot be issued unless an ordinance, regulation or statute exists that explicitly supports the instruction conveyed by the marker, buoy, sign or device.
If issued, a regulatory marker permit will detail the final configuration and location requirements of any subject marker.
· Failure to obtain a permit from the DEEP prior to placing any marker, is a violation of state law and regulation.
· In addition, any such unauthorized marker, may be considered a hazard to navigation and, if so, be subject to removal by order of the Commissioner at the expense of the responsible party.
· The responsible party may be subject to fines.
· Unauthorized markers may also make the responsible party liable in the event of an accident or injury.
· The permit number MUST be clearly marked on all permitted markers.
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How to apply for a Regulatory Marker Permit
Once the application is complete, obtain approval from the Candlewood Lake Authority and submit the completed application to DEEP via e-mail deep.boating@ct.gov.
Do not purchase any markers until after consultation with DEEP. DEEP has specific regulations and requirements on the size, banding, wording and layout for markers.
Following the submission of that completed permit application to DEEP, it will then be reviewed. If approved, DEEP will issue a permit with specific instructions for deployment, location, buoy specs and maintenance, along with a permit number.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Boating Division at (860) 434-8638 or deep.boating@ct.gov.
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Except as previously authorized by FirstLight, vessel moorings are prohibited on Candlewood Lake.
FirstLight shall have the discretion to approve new vessel moorings where, at FirstLight’s determination, site conditions are not conducive to dock installation.
Unauthorized vessel moorings and other buoys shall not be used as marker buoys to demarcate swimming areas or prevent boats from traveling near the shoreline.
If found, these unauthorized moorings or buoys are subject to removal by FirstLight without prior notice.
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Substantial Lake Plant Community Changes
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Over the course of the first half of the boating season, it has become clear to the CLA, as well as other lake stakeholders and experts that the plant community in Candlewood Lake has been reduced to virtually zero plant material -- including both invasive and native species. We are working with the state DEEP, FirstLight, and aquatic plant experts in Connecticut to decipher exactly what the current status of the entire plant community in the lake is, and what the exact cause of a drastic change like this was.
In the coming weeks, FirstLight will be conducting an entire plant community assessment, the results of which should provide some possible insight into the current status and possible causes. The CLA will also be conducting similar smaller-scale assessments and will work with the state DEEP to work out the next steps. While historically the plant community (dominated by the invasive species Eurasian Watermilfoil) has been over-abundant to the point of being a recreational nuisance, the plants do provide a critical ecosystem service as both a part of the food web and providing fish habitat, so complete removal of the plant community could have serious negative effects on the lake ecosystem.
The CLA, through a permitting process with the state DEEP, stocked sterile grass carp in Candlewood Lake to help manage the milfoil in 2015, and re-stocked again in 2017 to raise the total of fish stocked in the lake to around 8,000 -- a number determined based on the acreage of milfoil in the lake at the time. Since that time, FirstLight has continued the annual drawdown of the lake to help control the over-abundant milfoil, working with the CLA and state DEEP to determine the best drawdown strategy based on the acreage of plants the previous year. The drawdown is a control program that has been in place since the 1980s. As the season continues, the CLA and state DEEP will continue to work with experts in the field to assess the past control methods and any other possible sources that may have contributed to the dramatic change in the lake.
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