Contractor Scott summarized the Barnes Lake treatments and next steps for the Barnes Lake Steering Committee. Scott said his crew applied two Sonar treatments this year (Sonar is the trade name for floridone) and that the product was used as a systemic, whole-lake treatment. "I'm currently working on that still," Scott said when asked about delivering a written report, and he committed to providing one in time for the committee's January meeting.

Why it matters: Sonar (floridone) is a systemic herbicide used here infrequently because of cost and its broad effect across the water column; Scott and members said the product can require a sustained concentration (members discussed keeping the concentration above roughly "4 or 5 parts per million" for about 30 days to be effective) and is usually reserved for major treatment cycles (Scott noted the systemic application gets used only every several years in lieu of cheaper contact herbicides).

What Scott told the committee: Scott described this season's operation: two applications of Sonar, use of MASMox on portions of the lake, and a partial inability to complete a full fall survey because of low-water conditions. He described pilot work with drones to apply product in future seasons: the drone currently in use can carry under 50 pounds and roughly "3 gallons of product in 1 trip." Scott said drone spraying is still new for his company and that pilot work and FAA and operator licensing issues remain.

Members' questions and safety concerns: Committee members asked whether drone operators and equipment would meet safety and FAA line-of-sight requirements and expressed worry about a heavy payload crashing in a backyard. Scott said the company will comply with FAA rules and licensing and will develop standard operating procedures. "That would not be good," Scott said of a hypothetical crash; members requested documentation of safety protocols in the contractor's written report.

Permits and timing: Scott said the permit for applications was updated this year and Fish and Wildlife is reviewing fish-protection windows that can restrict when contact herbicides may be used; he noted the fish-time window may change and the county/state permit language could be modified so application timing may no longer be constrained to the late-July window the committee had previously expected. Members pressed Scott to recheck Fish and Wildlife's updated window and to state in writing which fish species and window apply to Barnes Lake.

Alternatives and pilots: Scott reported preliminary results from separate pilot projects showing muck reduction (he cited about 15 inches of muck reduction in one case where aeration plus a microbial product was used). Committee members discussed aerator/blower sizing and whether small-scale, property-level trials are allowed under current permits; staff said adding a product to a water body would require permit revision but that the permit could be updated to list the product as an option.

Next steps: Scott will provide a written report and the bio-based mapping data he referenced. Members requested cost details for the bioproduct and asked staff to verify permit language and Fish and Wildlife timing. The committee also discussed continuing monthly sampling during the treatment window and seeking drone safety documentation before authorizing drone use.

Source and provenance: Contractor presentation and Q&A (committee discussion and member questions).