Week 1, May 22nd: Taking the First Steps
- Luke
- May 26, 2017
- 2 min read
The week of May 22nd was the first week of the project. After over a month of anticipation and excitement, it was finally time to begin the SURF Project with Westconn and the Candlewood Lake Authority (CLA). To learn about the basics of the project, be sure to check the "About the Project" tab!
Candlewood Lake is a manmade lake created in the mid 1900's, and is used to generate a vast amount of hydroelectric energy. Although it is primarily thought of as an enjoyable recreational lake, this energy source grants the lake's health even more importance. As such, it is critical for the CLA and surrounding towns to work together to ensure that threats such as Eurasian Milfoil do not compromise the wellbeing and role of the lake.
Wednesday, May 24th:
Today is the first day of field work, and comes with both excitement and nervousness. Early this morning, Emily, Dr. Pinou, and I met at Danbury to test the radio receiver that will be used to track the 50 unique radio signals of the carp.
After familiarizing ourselves with the receiver, the three of us headed to Echo Bay Marina in Brookfield, CT to meet our boat captain for the day, Allan. Together, we scoured the lake space around Brookfield and New Fairfield for carp, and managed to discover 11 carp throughout those regions, over a fifth of the total carp. Dr. Pinou adjusted the radio station of the receiver for all 50 of the fish to ensure we did not miss any, while I pointed the receiver in various directions hoping to find the fish. Emily was our navigator and data collector, and she helped Allan maneuver to any of the 63 test spots. Together, as mentioned above, we were able to identify 11 of the 50 carp trackers, although the next step is determining if these 11 trackers are attached to living, eating carp.
Special thanks to Captain Allan for lending his services this week!
Concluding thoughts:
Overall, I felt this first week of the SURF Project was a roaring success. The equipment is fun and easy to use, and the work environment on the lake cannot be beat. Although a lot of work lies ahead, I am confident that this project will be completed successfully, and show that the triploid grass carper do indeed reduce the amount of Eurasian Milfoil.
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