AquaTechnex launches R.A.D.A.R. Program targeting toxic algae

Starting this coming season, AquaTechnex will offer a unique program targeting toxic algae blooms throughout the Western United States.  R.A.D.A.R. stands for Remote Algae Detection and Response.  These cyanobacteria blooms are becoming more common and threaten the health of lake and reservoir users.

The RADAR program is centered around our partnership with Blue Water Satellite.  This technology will be used to monitor for cyanobacteria levels in our clients lakes and reservoirs.  The satellite system will sample these reservoirs from twice a month to every eight days depending on need.  The patented algorithm can detect and map these species by focusing on a pigment that exists only in these forms of toxic algae. 

When problems are detected, the RADAR program mobilizes our teams to combat the threat.  We use this information to focus testing for the toxins these algae produce when they are show to reach critical levels.  We then can bring to bear a wide range of tools to reduce the populations below problem levels.  This can include nutrient precipitation or algae management applications.

For more information, log into http://aquatechnex.com/consult_request.html

Zebra and Quagga Mussel Control Announced

As the SePRO Preferred Applicator and Agent for much of the Western United States, we would like to pass this announcement on to our market place.  As this product is registered and launched this Spring, Aquatechnex will have a tool to complement our Mussel Detection Program.  Where Mussels are found, there will be a management option. 

Marrone™ Bio Innovations enters technology development agreement
with SePRO Corporation

Marrone Bio Innovations will join forces with SePRO Corporation to develop MBI’s naturally occurring microbial-based product, Zequanox™, for use in controlling zebra and quagga mussels in open water situations.

Sacramento, CA – December 9, 2009 – Invasive mussel populations have been found widespread in the great lakes and Midwest regions of North America for two decades now.  More recently, quagga mussels have established themselves in the Colorado River and are rapidly spreading to other water bodies in the western states.  These invasive zebra and quagga mussels are tiny, the size of a person’s fingernail, yet can wreak havoc in freshwater lakes and rivers.  The mussels have been found to clog intake pipes that draw water from infested lakes and rivers.  They coat the bottom of lake and reservoirs, disrupting biodiversity and the aquatic food chain and spoiling swimming areas with the sharpness of their shell’s edges.  And, they attach to anything with a hard surface in the infested waters, like boats and their outdrives, hulls and intakes, leading to over-heating and drive-train wear.  Invasive mussels grow rapidly to maturity within a year, and reproduce prolifically.  A single adult female can produce 30,000 – 100,000 eggs each year, and researchers have found up to 700,000 adult mussels per square yard in some locations.

Marrone Bio Innovations’ proprietary microbial-based product, Zequanox, is highly effective in selectively controlling both of these invasive mussel species in flowing and static water, and has been effectively applied at power facilities in North America.  Under this agreement, SePRO, a leader in the North American Aquatic Invasive Pest Control market, and a recognized expert in providing invasive aquatic weed and algae control solutions, will work with MBI to validate the product’s efficacy, optimize product formulation, and perfect delivery into open water environments with the objective of controlling invasive mussel populations found in lakes, reservoirs, forebays and any other large water impoundments.  SePRO will also be conducting a detailed evaluation into the commercial potential for such a product for open water applications, retaining an exclusive North American right to license this technology from MBI for Zequanox products sold into these open water environments.  Zequanox will be the first naturally sourced and environmentally safe method for invasive mussel control in open water.

Commenting on the agreement, Marrone Bio Innovations’ founder and CEO Pam Marrone  stated: “We are excited to be working in close cooperation with SePRO Corporation to bring  this badly needed product into open water aquatic applications.  SePRO’s in-depth knowledge and experience with controlling invasive aquatic species in open waters, and their devotion to environmental stewardship, makes them the perfect development partner for commercializing Zequanox in the open water market.”

About Marrone Bio Innovations:  Marrone Bio Innovations (MBI) discovers, develops and markets effective and environmentally responsible products that fill unmet needs for weed, disease, and invasive pest management.  Through a combination of in-licensed technology and its own R&D, MBI uses plants and naturally occurring microorganisms from unique habitats to develop better and safer pest management products.  The company has an impressive pipeline of new products coming, including two insecticides, two herbicides, and Zequanox for controlling invasive zebra and quagga mussels in waterways (EPA pending).

If you would like a copy of the fact sheet, go to http://aquatechnex.com/consult_request.html

Aquatechnex teams with Blue Water Satellite to detect toxic algae blooms

Cyanobacteria/Toxic Algae Blooms are a significant threat to human health. Blue Water Satellite technology helps us detect and manage these problems.

AquaTechnex has partnered with Blue Water Satellite to offer their unique detection and monitoring services throughout the areas we serve.  Blue Water Satellite has patented technology to detect and map cyanobacteria in surface waters using satellite imagery and processing down to parts per billion levels. Each subject lake can be mapped from twice a month to once every 8 days.  The system processes five samples per surface acre, providing a clear picture of levels present and the bloom’s patterns.  These maps and data are available to the client through a secure server rapidly so decisions can be made regarding health alerts or targeted control.  This cost effective monitoring program provides a wealth of data not available from conventional water sampling programs and is a key component of a successful management plan. 

The low cost is one thing that is extremely attractive.  Conventional water sampling can run as high as $100.00 per sample plus travel time to acquire it.  As an example, a 2,500 acre reservoir can be sampled twice a month using the Blue Water System for a fraction of that cost.  In addition, as the image processing samples five points or pixels per surface acre, 12,500 locations are sampled using this technology to build a map of cyanobacteria concentrations.  This system can be used to track bloom conditions and plan response programs. 

Cyanobacteria or Blue Green Algae pose a threat to human health.  These single celled organisms thrive in nutrient rich lakes and reservoirs.  Under bloom conditions they can produce toxins that have killed pets and livestock.  There are numerous cases of these blooms causing sickness in humans and recently deaths have been attributed to injesting tainted water.

Blue Water can also perform phosphorus detection and mapping both in the lake and on the watershed to detect sources of this key input. Blue Water can also provide review and detection over the past 27 years from historical satellite data.

Lone Lake Brazilian Elodea Control Project Stunning Success

Lone Lake is a 110 acre waterbody on Camino Island in Washington State.  This waterbody is relatively shallow and the entire lake surface area comprises the littoral zone.  In 2005, this lake was heavily impacted by the noxious aquatic weed Brazilian Elodea.  Boat passage was next to impossible throughout much of the lake, and the annual triathlon swimming event was jeopardized.  The community turned to Aquatechnex to develop and implement an integrated management plan.

The first component was treatment of the lake with Sonar Precision Release (PR) aquatic herbicide.  This herbicide is extremely effective against this target species when levels from 8 to 12 ppb  can be maintained over time.  Our team used Sonar PR because that pellet technology allows for a controlled release of the herbicide over the required time frame.  We calculated the lake water volume and made an initial application, followed by monitoring of herbicide levels in the lake and two additional dosing applications based on those results.  At the end of 2007, the Brazilian Elodea population in the lake was completely impacted.

In 2007, phase two of the integrated plan took root.  The lake was stocked with low levels of triploid grass carp to maintain aquatic plant populations.  The successful treatment allowed our biologists and the community to use fewer fish that would normally be recommended. 

As the end of the season in 2009 has come, the community reports that this was one of the best years ever on the lake for recreation, fishing and other sports.  This project shows what can be accomplished through the integration of aquatic plant management tools over time.

NALMS attendees hear about progress on Lake Pend Oreille

The North American Lake Management Society annual meeting was held last week in Hartford, CT.  Aquatechnex biologists presented a paper on the progress made on the Lake Pend Oreille Eurasian Milfoil Project over the past six years. 

Eurasian Milfoil 2006 Pre Treatment

We began working on this project in 2004 at the request of Bonner County’s Public Works Department.  Eurasian Milfoil at that point was having a stunning inpact on this lake and river system.  In 2005 our team performed a mapping mission over 90 miles of shoreline and detected over 6,000 acres heavily infested with this noxious aquatic weed.  In 2006 we deployed to target about 4,000 of these acres using ISDA funding.  The primary tool used that summer was Sonar PR aquatic herbicide.  The majority of those acres treated in 2006 remain milfoil free during the summer of 2009 gaining four years of control from that first application.  Areas in the river with higher water exchanged were targeted with selective aquatic herbicides.  Treatments during 2007 and 2008 further reduced these populations.  By the time our team began work in 2009, the milfoil populations had been reduced from a peak of 6,700 acres to under 700.

Summer 2009, Renovate Treated area remains milfoil free four seasons post treatment

This past summer a new product, Sculpin was used in conjunction with liquid triclopyr.  Sculpin is a new granular formulation of 2,4-D on a biodegradable pellet.  This material was applied using our new eductor

U of Florida Announces 2010 APM Short Course

The University of Florida is again gearing up to put on one of the premier training sessions for aquatic plant managers this coming May.  The Aquatic Weed Control Short Course will be held from May 3-6 at the Coral Springs Marriott, Coral Springs, Florida.  This comprehensive training program helps applicators new to the field or experienced hands.  For more information go to http://www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/aw/

EPA hosts NPDES for Aquatics Web Cast

As many of you know, by April of 2011 the majority of aquatic herbicide and larvacide applications made in the United States will require a NPDES permit.  There are a number of stories on this blog that highlight this development (search NPDES)  EPA is in the process of developing a national general permit that may be adopted by state agencies to meet this requirement.  They recently hosted a webcast on this topic.

Those interested in keeping up to date on this can visit http://cfpub2.epa.gov/npdes/courseinfo.cfm?program_id=0&outreach_id=483&schedule_id=1072 to download those documents.

Aquatechnex featured in new Australian Cabomba Management Manual

The NSW Government has published an excellent new guide to the management of Cabomba.  This invasive aquatic species has impacted a number of sites throughout the United States.  Australia has classified this invader as a “Weed of National Significance” because fo the potential impacts on biodiversity of their aquatic systems.  The manual is about 80 pages in length and provides very interesting reading. 

Aquatechnex was happy to provide the photography on pages 43 and 44 of benthic barrier installations.  To download this manual, go to http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/302166/Cabomba-control-manual.pdf

Aquatechnex New Granular Application System

New eductor system eliminates dust and does an excellent job of distributing granular aquatic herbicides

Aquatechnex deployed our new granular aquatic herbicide eductor system on the Lake Pend Oreille Project this past summer.  This system uses a water stream to apply these granular products.  Two eductor systems on the vessel allow us to increase the production rate of the application.  This technology also eliminates any dust from the granular application that occurs when using conventional granular spreaders and removes any possibility of drift.

Aquatechnex applied over 40,000 pounds of Sculpin, a new herbicide that targets Eurasian Milfoil, in about 20 hours of actual application work. 

The vessel is also equipped with a new precision application system.  The GPS application manager shows us the exact path and coverage of the application swath.  It calculated the location of the next pass and shows the applicator steering ques, calculated acres applied and helps better manage the flow of materials in the field. 

These systems are key to helping us target invasive aquatic weeds accurately and will become an important part of our entire application fleet.

Michigan State University Publishes New Milfoil Weevil Report

My alma mater, Michigan State University, has recently published a report on the use of the Eurasian Milfoil Weevil for management of this noxious invasive weed.  Glad to see my old department putting out useful information.  Go to http://web2.msue.msu.edu/bulletins/Bulletin/PDF/WQ61.pdf