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Cutrine-Plus is used extensively for algae control in aquaculture, drinking water reservoirs, irrigation systems, golf course ponds, recreational lakes, farm ponds, etc. The following discussion addresses a number of factors and issues, which must be considered in evaluating algae control with Cutrine-Plus as compared to copper sulfate applications. Of particular concern are items relating to chemistry and environmental considerations. Both short- term and long-term factors must be considered.

The copper in Cutrine-Plus is chelated with a mixture of ethanolamines. The pH of the formulated product is approximately 10.5, which allows the copper to stay in solution even under conditions of high hardness and alkalinity. It is this soluble copper which is algicidal. The increased contact time provides for more complete copper uptake by individual algae cells. No loss of copper occurs due to chemical precipitation or binding to particulate matter.

Based upon toxicological testing and resultant EPA registration/labeling of Cutrine Plus, there are no restrictions on water use for swimming, fishing, crop and non-crop irrigation, drinking, nor domestic use. Based upon labeled dosage rates, there is a sufficient margin of safety for non-target organisms. Since copper is not lost from solution via precipitation reactions, lower dosages and less frequent applications have been required than with copper sulfate. Less elemental copper is added to the aquatic environment. The issue of bottom sediment accumulation of high copper concentrations has raised state and federal agency concerns where frequent treatments with high doses of copper sulfate have been practiced.

Copper sulfate forms copper ions and sulfate ions when dissolved in water. The strong, positive charge on the copper ion has a high affinity for carbonates, bicarbonates and any negatively charged particulate matter. In alkaline water, copper is rapidly precipitated from solution forming copper carbonate. Tests have shown that as much as 90% of the copper is lost from solution within a few hours after treatment. Such insoluble forms are ineffective for algae control. Furthermore, there have been some concerns over health effects from high sulfate levels in water. The adjacent graph shows test results of % active copper lost in water at 65 ppm alkalinity and a 7.4 PH.

Dr. Barry Rosen at the University of Tampa in Tampa, FL conducted laboratory tests on Anabaena Circinalis a filamentous cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) that produces taste and odor causing compounds episodically in the Hillsborough River Reservoir. Long-term (4 days) and short-term (1 to 24 hours) exposure of Anabaena to copper sulfate and Cutrine ranging from 0.01 to 1.0 ppm copper were conducted on exponentially growing cells. Exposure was in sterile river water collected during the Anabaena bloom period in the reservoir. Filament numbers and fragmentation of the filament into smaller filaments and single cells were determined daily (long-term) and hourly (short-term) for each treatment. In the long-term experiments with 0.01 to 0.3 ppm copper sulfate, there was significant fragmentation of filaments within one day which was proportional to concentration between 0.1 and 0.3 ppm. By day 4, only single cells were found at 0.3 ppm. In contrast, the same concentration of Cutrine did not affect filament integrity during the first day of growth and only caused slight fragmentation throughout the experiment. For the Hillsborough River reservoir, treatment with Cutrine appears to have a dual benefit: Anabaena dies upon exposure and does not fragment. Copper sulfate leaves viable cells and also causes fragmentation, which promotes propagation rather than control of this organism.

Cutrine Plus continues to be the first choice of reservoir operators for algae control treatments. Applied Biochemists has recently added a new "Ultra" formulation which incorporates a non-ionic, aquatic surfactant for improved penetration of cell walls on hard to control species.

Bristol-Myers Squibb invests in IPM's to improve water quality

As the NJDEP begins to take stock of statewide IPM uses in aquatic environments, one major corporation is setting a good example. Bristol-Myers Squibb Corporate Headquarters in Lawrenceville, New Jersey features a 16 acre lake on its immaculately groomed business campus. Like most waterbodies in suburban settings, the lake suffers from accelerated eutrophication.

To help restore the lake's water quality, the Company has incorporated a multi-faceted management approach with the services of Allied Biological. The program starts and ends with water quality monitoring, which is conducted monthly throughout the year. Field and laboratory testing analyze a broad range of data, from nutrient levels to algal species and abundance. At the next level, internal nutrient recycling is addressed with the targeted use of aluminum sulfate, or alum. Alum is most widely used as a filtration method for drinking water supplies, but is equally effective in removing phosphorus and other particles from lakes. In addition to alum, nitrogen concentrations are also managed by the introduction of beneficial bacteria throughout the warmer months. These bacteria aid in the decomposition of organic matter on the lake bottom, and compete for available nutrients in the process. An extensive submersed aeration system complements the bacterial activity and helps increase the oxidation of organic sediments from Spring through Fall. To help control nutrient loading from landscape runoff, the Company has stopped cutting grass along the edge of the lake, and ABI has plans to install the first section of shoreline biofiltration this Spring. This biofiltration is a zone of in-lake wetland plants which absorb nutrients entering into and within the lake, while providing habitat to many small fish, amphibians and aquatic macroinvertebrates. When algae growth does occasionally get out of hand, ABI judiciously applies an algaecide to regain the upper hand.

Bristol-Myers Squibb is one of the few lake owners and managers to employ such a broad scope of management activities, and should serve as a model for other lakes throughout the state.

There are many reasons why a fishkill can occur, including disease, spawning stress, angler activity and water quality conditions. One of the first steps to diagnosing a problem is to identify the dissolved oxygen level within the waterbody. Fish and other aquatic animals require oxygen to survive. When the level of oxygen in the water becomes too low, fish mortality may occur. This situation becomes more prevalent in summer, when natural circulation decreases and warmer water temperatures hold less oxygen.

Dissolved oxygen is influenced by changes in water temperature, weather conditions, and the abundance of weed and algae growth. Oxygen enters the water through photosynthesis of these aquatic plants during the daylight hours and is then consumed by their respiration at night. When oxygen isn't adequately produced, the process of anaerobic decomposition can occur releasing noxious gases, such as hydrogen sulfide and methane from the lake or pond bottom. Treatments designed to control nuisance vegetation can also contribute to reduced oxygen levels through the decomposition process of treated vegetation.

Aerating the water and increasing the circulation assures an appropriate supply of dissolved oxygen, thereby preventing fish mortality associated with inadequate oxygen levels. Proper aeration creates an aerobic (oxygenated) condition that also promotes the breakdown of organic compounds and minimizes nutrient recycling from the sediment. Supplemental aeration systems can be critical to fish habitat in July and August, and beneficial to your lake or pond throughout the year.

As with any unusual changes in pond or lake conditions, fish kills should be reported to Allied Biological immediately. It is often necessary to dispatch a biologist or technician to investigate existing ecological conditions, as well as, decide on any appropriate action to be taken. If your fisheries habitat is a concern, contact ABI for an aeration system design and installation.

Your summer home is located on a lovely waterfront in New York State that is overrun with weeds. You begin to do some research and find out there is much to be done if you want to treat the lake with a herbicide. A million miles of permitting paperwork, public notifications, outflow containment requirements and much more. The logistical nightmare makes you think that rowing through weeds may just be easier after all.

Allied Biological has been very successful in wading through the logistics of herbicide applications for years. One special case was the spring, 2001 treatment of Sodus Bay. The Sodus Bay Improvement Association (SBIA) and the Town of Huron, New York contacted Allied Biological to conduct treatment to areas of this 3,080 acre embayment along the south shore of Lake Ontario. The bay watershed is populated with vacation homes and cottages representing several individual homeowner associations. Extensive shoreline areas support dense infestations of Eurasian Watermilfoil and by mid-summer most of the lakefront homeowners are unable to access deeper water through the dense mats of floating plants.

In order to conduct an aquatic herbicide treatment, New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Region 8, requires a pesticide permit. Among other things, permit stipulations include individual notices to everyone with lake rights, and confirmation that the water can be held for a certain period of time. No small job for a 3000 acre bay!

NYSDEC recognized the problem that faced users of the bay, and that to apply the standard set of restrictions would sink the entire project. To allow the treatment, NYSDEC proposed notification of additional residents that might be affected by the treatment, in lieu of stopping the outflow of the bay. Officials also realized that posting 3,080 acres of shoreline every 50 feet was not feasible, and permitted posting of key access roads as an alternative. Allied Biological, with much valuable assistance from the SBIA, was responsible for preparing the permit and for the tedious job of mailing over 500 riparian owner/users treatment notifications. NYSDEC's Region 8 office officially approved the permit for the use of the herbicide Aquathol K in May.

The application was conducted on June 12, 2001, the one day stipulated on the permit for the treatment. Treatment on this day allowed for adequate notification of all area residents, and provided the 14-day restriction window for irrigation uses to elapse before the July 4th weekend. The treatment represented the well-coordinated efforts of the Sodus Bay Improvement Association, the Town of Huron, the Region 8 NYSDEC staff and Allied Biological Inc.

On the southern shore of Long Island, Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge provides extensive marsh habitat to a variety of birds and other wildlife. Some time ago, Common Reed, or Phragmites was introduced to the marsh and has since engulfed large areas. Several research studies throughout the Northeast have documented a decline in the diversity of wildlife in reed-dominated marshes. In an effort to improve the marsh habitat, Refuge biologists have begun a program to restore native plant diversity to phragmites-dominated areas and enhance wildlife habitat.

In October, 2001, Allied Biological kicked off this initiative by applying the herbicide Rodeo (glyphosate) to 28 acres of 10'-15' tall reeds surrounding an impounded marsh. Out of sensitivity for the concerns of surrounding communities, the Refuge decided to have the application conducted using ground-based equipment, rather than by helicopter. The application commenced under the supervision of NYSDEC, Region 1 Wetlands and Pesticides staff personnel, Suffolk County Environmental officials and Refuge biologists. The most difficult aspect of the treatment was application to edges of the impoundment. Since the water was too shallow for a normal boat application, applicators had to walk next to the boat and spray by hand. Nevertheless, the treatment was easily completed in less than three days. Within a month, the difference between treated and untreated areas of the marsh was obvious.

The Refuge plans to conduct the next phase of restoration this Spring, with a controlled burn of the treatment area. Burning is an effective means of removing the reed biomass, and can also destroy a portion of the existing root mat. Based on results of the first years' work this Summer, additional areas of phragmites may be added to the program in the Fall of 2002.

Plant Invader
Common Reed
(Phragmites australis)

The Common Reed is often found along roadsides and in wetland areas. The reed is able to grow in freshwater, brackish, water and saline marshes. It grows in large dense stands that can reach 15 or more feet high. This reed out-competes native wetland species in the competition for resources, creating a monoculture. Stands of phragmites are poor habitat for most wetland animals. May 2001, Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Management.

Algonac State Park is home to some of the rarest natural communities in Michigan. Its lakeplain prairies and lakeplain oak savannas are considered globally significant. These special habitats include nineteen species that are on the state list of endangered, threatened, and special concern species. Prairies and oak savannas require periodic burning to remain healthy. Several stewardship efforts, such as the phragmites control project, are underway to restore Algonac's prairies and savannas.

In mid-August, 2001, Allied Biological partnered with Army Corps of Engineers scientists to conduct the first phase of a research project on phragmites (Common reed) control and wetland restoration. The Corp's Waterways Experiment Station staff designed a project encompassing a series of test plots in two disturbed marshes along Michigan's Lake St. Clair, one of them within Algonac State Park.

Under the direction of lead scientists Dr. Kurt Getsinger and Linda Nelson, ABI professionals and members of Aquatic Nuisance Plant Control of Michigan applied various combinations of Eagre (glyphosate), Arsenal (Imazapyr) and Cygnet Plus surfactant to eighteen individual research plots. Each specific application required rigorous quality controls to ensure specific dose rates were evenly applied. The ingredient glyphosate, more commonly known as Rodeo, is used widely throughout the United States for control of undesirable aquatic and terrestrial plants, including phragmites. Imazapyr, marketed as Arsenal, has been used extensively in Florida, but only experimentally in other areas of the US. Results from Florida using Arsenal note quicker control of phragmites and substantially less re-growth in treated stands in subsequent years.

Test applications were conducted using ABI's amphibious application vehicle and methodology developed in our many wetland programs along the East Coast. Following treatment, monitoring programs were initiated by the Corps to measure plant response over the short and long term, and identify more efficacious product combinations. The Corps deemed the application phase of the project a complete success, and is planning to expand the project to new areas this coming summer.

The newly formed Lake Hopatcong Commission is up and running under the direction of Mr. Donald Feliciano. Their office is located on the west side of Landing Boulevard, just up from Lake's End Marina. The Commission has invested significant funding for the purchase of new harvesting equipment, but has also been eager to coordinate with community groups who contract for weed treatment services.

The Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society held its third successful Annual Conference in Sturbridge, Mass. this past January. This year's program was outstanding, and attendance was up again. At the annual business meeting, Jim Sutherland was elected as Vice-President, and Glenn Sullivan was elected as Treasurer for the Society.

The national Aquatic Plant Management Society has designed and produced a 5th Grade lesson plan on Invasive Aquatic Plants. Each regional chapter, including NEAPMS, has been allocated a portion of these plans to be distributed. Allied Biological and NEAPMS Editor Ralston Bartholomew have been chosen as the distributor for the northeast region.

Allied Biological has recently been named a distributor for Keeton Industries, a manufacturer of Aquaculture and Aquatic Management products. Keeton is best known for its wind and solar powered aeration systems which are used in some of the most remote locations in the United States. Allied Biological is proud to represent a business which encourages renewable energy resources.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection recently passed new regulations for pesticide applications. One of these requires the posting of one legal notice and one display ad for certain pesticide applications. While the purpose of improving public notification is commendable, the implications include a potential 200% - 400% increase in the cost of notifications for applicator businesses.

Allied Biological would like to welcome our new biologist, Mr. Antti Koskelo. Antti is a native Espoo, Finland and a recent graduate of Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Antti will be responsible for most of the firm's water quality programs,as well as marketing some of the firm's specialty services abroad.

Smoke Rise, one of New Jersey's premier gated communities, is a 3,500 acre wilderness only thirty five miles from NYC. The community's recreational centerpiece is the spring-fed, 118 acre Lake Kinnelon. Although distinctive homes surround the lake throughout the hillsides, the lakes' entire shoreline is preserved for all to enjoy. The only exception is the main island's historic stone chapel, a popular site for intimate weddings and other gatherings.

Water sports on the lake include excellent fishing, canoeing, rowing and sailing, and a large sandy beach. Off the lake, Smoke Rise members enjoy a Tennis Club with 4 hard and 6 HAR-TRU courts, and a fully equipped stable with trails, bridle paths and riding rings. Evenings are often spent at the Smoke Rise Village Inn, where traditional elegance, gracious hospitality and gourmet cuisine come together. Smoke Rise is found in the Borough of Kinnelon in northern Morris County, just off Route 23.