Forum and CFL Annual Meeting 2023 

The Connecticut Federation will be holding its annual meeting on April 29, 2023 at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. from 9am to noon. This event will be offered free of charge. We will kick the meeting off with a "State of the CFL" presented by our interim president James Fischer. The scheduled guest speakers include Tracy Lizotte from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) and Dr. Gregory Bugbee from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CEAS), Invasive Aquatic Plant Program (IAPP).

Tracy Lizotte, Environmental Analyst for the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Water Bureau’s Monitoring and Assessment Section. 

Bio: As an Environmental Analyst, Tracy works on various projects that include managing the Bathing Beach Water monitoring program, Cyanobacteria monitoring, and monitoring to determine if Connecticut’s rivers, streams, and lakes comply with the Clean Water Act. Tracy is also part of the Cyanobacteria Monitoring Collaborative. Before joining CT DEEP, she worked for New England Bioassay for 9 years, managing and working on various aspects of performing aquatic toxicology work. As well as working for CT DEEP Tracy is a member in the North American Lake Management Society serving as a Co-Chair of the 314 Committee.

Abstract: The North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) is seeking to bring back funding to Section 314 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), which was known as the Clean Lakes Program. The federal CWA has many different sections to address various aspects of water pollution.  Section 314 the Clean Lakes Program was established in 1972 under the CWA to address lakes and was initially funded in 1976. A total of $145 million of Section 314 funds was awarded by Congress over a 20-year period, the majority of which went to the implementation of projects to help local communities restore their lakes. However, Congress has not funded the Clean Lakes Program since 1995. The Clean Lakes Program helped states, tribes and local communities manage their lake resources with financial and technical assistance and this presentation is about NALMS’ efforts to raising awareness to restore funding to a new enhanced 314 Clean Lakes Program.

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 Bio: Summer Stebbins has been an Aquatic Biologist/GIS Analyst at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station since 2015. She is the lead surveyor for the Invasive Aquatic Plant Program, having performed over 100 aquatic plant surveys of Connecticut’s lakes, ponds, and rivers. Her most recent work includes documenting the extensive infestation of a genetically distinct strain of hydrilla in the Connecticut River and the development of an online app showing the hydrilla locations.

Abstract: Connecticut’s lakes and ponds are among the State’s most important natural resources. They face an ever-increasing threat from invasive aquatic plants. Since 2004, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Invasive Aquatic Plant Program (CAES IAPP) has assessed the severity of this problem through detailed vegetation surveys of nearly 400 waterbodies, multifaceted research on invasive aquatic plant management, and public education through workshops and other forms of outreach. We have documented over 100 native and 14 invasive plant species. Approximately two-thirds of the lakes and ponds contained one or more invasive species including Eurasian watermilfoil, variable watermilfoil, fanwort, curlyleaf pondweed, and minor naiad. New arrivals to the State include hydrilla, water chestnut and Brazilian waterweed. CAES IAPP has recently documented a novel strain of hydrilla throughout the Connecticut River. This presentation will provide an update on these subjects as well as recent findings on the effects of grass carp on vegetation in Connecticut lakes, proposed collaborative efforts to test management options on the Connecticut River hydrilla, control of variable watermilfoil in Bashan Lake with ProcellaCOR, new legislation regarding prenotification for aquatic herbicide applications, and last but not least the formation of an Office of Aquatic Invasive Species at CAES.