Fall 2002

Membership Dollars at Work: McAlpine's Lake : A Community Lake Enhancement And Restoration Project

THE CLEAR PROGRAM With very little increase in the acreage of water in Mississippi and an increase in fishing pressure, maintaining quality fishing relies on quality management of community lakes. The McAlpine's Lake Project is the first project of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Community Lake Enhancement And Restoration (CLEAR) Program.

The Foundation's CLEAR Program is a technical assistance program that partners with a local entity ( town/ city/ county government, state agency, private foundation, civic club etc.) to provide financial assistance to restore and enhance park and community lakes that may have become silted in, taken over with aquatic vegetation suffer from bank erosion, need additional habitat, restocking, improved fisheries management or in general need of restoration.

According to Leila Wynn, President of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation, "The long-term goal of the Foundation's CLEAR Program is to provide quality fishing opportunities in community and park lakes in urban areas. Many lakes of this type, constructed when the town or city was incorporated, have degraded over the years. They were the center of family gatherings, community events and recreational opportunities."

"To maintain a sustainable fishery, fish need good water quality, food to eat, places to spawn, rear young and hide, and fish populations need to be in balance. In some lakes, only one component of this equation may be damaged or missing. Yet most lakes are not beyond repair. Some lakes only need access to the fishery," continued Wynn.

THE McALPINE'S LAKE PROJECT With dual objectives of creating a demonstration area for community lake enhancement and restoration of a public body of water in their hometown of Amory, Mississippi, the father/daughter team of Arch and Martha Dalrymple and the Dalrymple Family Foundation provided the necessary funding and desire to improve the quality of life in Amory -through fishing. They worked with the Foundation to start the CLEAR Program for Mississippi.

The objectives of the McAlpine's Lake project are to:

1) Demonstrate that community lakes can be enhanced and restored with a high degree of success.
2) Increase available fish structure to allow for an increased carrying capacity to support additional fishing pressure.
3) Increase area of gravel spawning areas to act as fish attractants during the spring spawning period.
4) Eliminate bank erosion.
5) Improve fishing access.
6) Develop rules and regulations tosustain the fishery.

McAlpine's Lake suffered from shallow water due to siltation, low dissolved oxygen levels that can contribute to fish kills, poor water clarity, erosion of lake banks, poor habitat, an unbalanced fish population and poor access to the fishery. It was an eyesore to the community.

Unlike today's growing housing market, the underwater housing market for Mississippi's community lakes is often limited. And in order to have a sizable fish population in a given area, you must have housing. Fish need more than just water and food to survive. They need habitat for reproduction, feeding and protection from predators.

More often than not, there is a need for an increased amount of fish structure in community lakes. The placement of artificial fish structure can increase the carrying capacity when fishing pressure and harvest on community lakes is high.

"Fish structure used in the McA1pine's Lake Restoration Project was made of unhealthy trees taken around the lake. In this case, they consisted of oak and cedar. The trees were anchored with concrete blocks (2 to 2.5 feet in length) weighing approximately 60 pounds each. They were placed in a variety of locations and depths to accommodate both fish and anglers. These locations include points, an artificial creek channel and drop offs. We have found that materials can be obtained at little or no cost and can be recycled into usable fish habitat," continued Wynn.

Fish structure is also made or various designs. For example, one proven design consists of three or four full trees crossed to form a pyramid. The bases of the trees are braced together using four to six feet long pieces of lumber. Holes are driven through the base of the trees and the weights attached using #12 UF cable. The structures stand upright on the bottom and have a height between 10 to 16 feet. Structures are either set out as single structures or in groups of 3 in either a triangular setup or set in a line down the slope of drops-offs. Another design is the use of stake beds, which were employed at McA1pine's Lake.

Spawning beds were made by covering portions of McA1pine's Lake with gravel to create areas desired by bluegill. Spawning beds were located in 2 to 4 feet of water near locations that are convenient for fishing. Approximately 3 to 5 cubic yards of washed gravel (1/2 to 1 inch in diameter) were placed to make a spawning site about 12 to 15 feet in diameter.

You may ask yourself, "Why are fish attracted to this artificial structure?" There are several reasons. First, fish use these areas for spawning sites and newly-hatched fry can use these for cover. In addition to providing areas to escape from predators, structures can attract microscopic aquatic organisms such as algae and zooplankton, which are important in the food chain of small fish. Bluegill, commonly called bream, are attracted to these areas because of the insects and benthic organisms. Predatory fish, such as bass, like the structure because of the numerous small fish within it.

"The primary goal of this habitat development is simply to concentrate the fish; however, the structure can add to the quantity of fish because of the additional food resources it creates. You'll catch more fish around structure," stated Wynn. You may also lose more tackle.

Sustainable Community Fishing Lakes: I) Give us time to relax. 2) Provide an activity to enjoy with friends and families. 3) Provide a wholesome, safe outlet for the energies of young people. 4) Provide an opportunity to enjoy the natural world. 5) Improve the quality of life of the community. 6) Have a positive economic impact on the community. But by casting to the edge of the structure, using weedless lures and floats to keep your hook above the structure, you will minimize losses of both tackle and fish.

The Foundation plans to establish a fishing tackle loaner program at the AmQry Public Library where children can check-out rods and reels.

FUNDING This project was funded by the Dalrymple Family Foundation. The pier was constructed by the Mississippi Department of Wildljfe, Fisheries and Parks with funds from federal excise taxes collected on fishing and boating equipment and boat motor fuel. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Private John Allen National Fish Hatchery provided the fish. The Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation provided technical assistance through its CLEAR Program for the project.

Restoring Mississippi's community lakes is a key component of maintaining or improving the quality of life in Mississippi's communities. It may be the key to more fishing fun in the months and years ahead. Be sure to take a young person with you. He or she needs to learn about fishing too!

If you would like to participate in this program, please contact Rob Ballinger, Field Biologist, Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation, P.O. Box 10, Stoneville, Mississippi 38776, (662) 686-3375.