Slow start to carp spawning results in few fish removed from Lake Okabena thus far

Julie Buntjer, The Daily Globe, Worthington, Minn.
·3 min read

May 10—WORTHINGTON — Fish spawning activity along the shoreline of Worthington's Lake Okabena this week had some bow hunters out shooting carp and placing them in a dumpster at the Centennial Park boat landing. The Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District is funding the dumpster as a way to encourage people to shoot the sediment-stirring rough fish and dispose of them properly.

The dumpster had to be emptied for the first time on Friday, according to Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District administrator Dan Livdahl.

The predominant species of fish in the dumpster was buffalo fish — a fish native to Minnesota that strongly resemble carp. Livdahl said with recent rains, the water coming in from Whiskey ditch and various culverts has the appearance of chocolate milk. That makes it difficult for bow hunters to know if they're shooting carp or buffalo fish, he said.

Initially, the watershed district planned to remove the dumpster by the Minnesota fishing opener on May 11 but the later-than-expected spawning time for carp means they will keep the dumpster in place until carp spawning is completed.

In other business, the board of managers:

* Was informed that a picnic table that went missing from Bella Park's north shelter was returned over the weekend and placed in the south shelter. Livdahl had already purchased lumber for two new picnic tables and built one of them.

Livdahl also told managers that he has purchased signage to inform park visitors that security cameras are in use, and had two camera systems ready for installation.

The use of the cameras is hoped to reduce property damage to and theft of watershed district property.

* Received an update on the planned water quality project on ISD 518 property along Crailsheim Road. Houston Engineering is working to redesign the project at no extra cost to the watershed district.

Livdahl reported that the new design will lower the elevation of the water storage pond by 2.5 feet and lower the top of the dam by 1 foot. These changes will reduce the watershed's pollution prevention goals by 21%, he said.

Even with the reduction in expected benefits, the Board of Water and Soil Resources said the watershed district is still eligible for the grant it was already awarded, Livdahl reported. He also said that none of the permits have been granted yet for the project — those will be issued in August at the earliest.

If the permits are granted, Livdahl said the district could still see fall construction on the project.

* Decided to schedule a Lake Ocheda Management Plan amendment meeting with riparian landowners around the three-basin lake during the third week in August. During the meeting, the watershed district will talk about the need to try a year-round drawdown of the lake and two attempts at wintertime drawdowns failed to result in a total fish kill. High populations of carp in Lake Ocheda have resulted in its placement on the state's impaired waters list for water quality. The lake lacks vegetation that would help to improve its health.

* Learned that Katie Jacobson CPA, Slayton, will do the watershed district's audit at an estimated cost of $3,000 to $4,000. A motion to accept the offer was approved.