LIVING HERE
An invasive species of mussels has been identified in Geneva Lake waters.
Invasive species of aquatic animal and plant sea life have been introduced to the lake more than most are comfortable with. Zebra Mussels were introduced to Geneva Lake some time ago and have been able to adapt fairly well to the species. Starry stone wart is another invasive species in the lake. Starry Stone Wart has been a huge concern, as this species has been known to grow in freshwater lakes fairly quickly. Many meetings were conducted to brainstorm on how to deal with this lake killer. Keeping the lake free of any invasive species is always best for the overall health of the lake but if it does happen eradication of invasive species, is the best solution.
Eradication is not always possible, and many lake communities have spent an abundance of money with no guarantees. The green-blue algae that popped up recently came out of nowhere. Closing of public beaches was implemented due to health and safety concerns. The Geneva Lake Environmental Agency, along with the DNR was not completely blindsided with the blooms. The lake has been invaded before and it is more than likely to happen again, and it has. Geneva Lake just became Wisconsin’s first inland lake to be discovered with a potentially threatening version of the Zebra Mussel.
The Quagga mussels were located in Geneva Lake in late July through the GLEA monitoring and laboratory testing, coordinated by the Wisconsin DNR. The quagga is believed to have come from Europe to the Great Lakes via shipping and then transported from another boat from the Great Lakes to the Geneva Lakes. Quagga mussels can live on the bottom of a boat out of water for 3-5 days making it easy for any average boater transporting very easy. These mussels can clog water pipes and can seriously damage aquatic ecosystems. Quagga live in deeper waters making Geneva Lake a nice home for this species.
The GLEA has spent a lot of time working on the Clean Boat Clean Lake Campaign which began after Starry Stone wart was identified in the lake. The CD3 machines are at all public boat launches around the lake. The only way to keep Geneva Lake sparkling with clarity is to keep the boats going into it free of foreign life. The CD3 machines are a dry vacuum system to be used on the outside of boats before and after going and leaving the lake. Unfortunately, the CD3 machines are very underutilized (hell, those expensive devices are never used). The DNR emphasizes the importance of prevention steps such as the use of CD3 machines, inspecting, removing, and not moving aquatic plants and mud on your boat from lake to lake. This will help keep other lakes safe as well. Geneva Lake is the crown jewel of Lake Geneva, and we all have to treat it as such so it will continue to be for years to come. The mussels mentioned in this article are much more common to depths of one hundred feet or more than they are to surface or near-surface waters. The average depth of Geneva Lake is 61 feet and the maximum, in only a very small area, is 135 feet. Just how big a problem is this?
Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition. It occurs when the 13th day of the month falls on a Friday, which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year. A month has a Friday the 13th if and only if it begins on a Sunday. The superstition seems to relate to various things, like the story of Jesus’ Last Supper and crucifixion in which there were 13 individuals present in the Upper Room on the 13th of Nisan Maundy Thursday, the night before his death on Good Friday.
What we do know, though, is that both Friday and the number 13 have been regarded as unlucky in certain cultures throughout history. It wasn’t until the 19th century, however, that Friday 13th became synonymous with misfortune. Fast forward to the 1980s, and a hockey-masked killer by the name of Jason Voorhees in the slasher flick franchise “Friday the 13th” ensured notoriety.
Then came Dan Brown’s 2003 novel “The Da Vinci Code,” which helped popularize the incorrect claim that the superstition originated with the arrests of hundreds of members of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307. This Friday is Friday the 13th, which is a great night for the Ghost Tour Walk in Lake Geneva. They take you on a guided tour throughout downtown and explain the haunted history that surrounds it. Emagine Theatre will be showing a horror film also.
