It’s been a couple of years since we published Aquatic Plants 101 where we introduced you to Vallisneria americana, an aquatic plant that is native to coastal lakes.  At that time, Vallisneria was just becoming noticeable around Devils Lake.   This time of year, if you glance into the lake you most likely would not see any Vallisneria as its growing season has just begun; this plant is more of an issue in the late summer.  This time of year, you would likely see a thick carpet of another plant species Elodea which is considered a noxious weed in Oregon coastal lakes.  Elodea is one of the few pond plants that can remain green all winter long.

Elodea

According to Wikipedia, Elodea is a genus of 6 species of aquatic plants often called the water weeds. Elodea is native to the Americas and is also widely used as aquarium vegetation. An older name for this species is Anacharis.

Elodea, sometimes called American or Canadian water weed or pond weed, is widely known as the generic water weed. The American water weed lives entirely underwater with the exception of small white flowers which bloom at the surface and are attached to the plant by delicate stalks. It produces winter buds from the stem tips that overwinter on the lake bottom. It also often overwinters as an evergreen plant in mild climates. In the Autumn, leafy stalks will detach from the parent plant, float away, root, and start new plants. This is the American water weed's most important method of spreading, while seed production plays a relatively minor role.

This species has a wide ecological tolerance and grows relatively fast. Elodea can form dense mats which can interfere with recreational activities and navigation . In addition to this, the dense mats outcompete native plant species and therefore decrease the biodiversity in an area. It also accentuates the accumulation of finer organic silts which enhances its growth further as nutrients are released.

In Devils Lake, silty sediments and water rich in nutrients favor the growth of American water weed. These plants will grow in a wide range of conditions, from very shallow to deep water, and in many sediment types. It can even continue to grow uprooted, as floating fragments. 

Elodea is one of the most common aquatic plants in North America. In moderation the presence of Elodea in Devils Lake can also yield some benefits. It provides good habitat for many aquatic invertebrates and cover for young fish and amphibians. Waterfowl, especially ducks, as well as beaver, and otters eat this plant.  

We are now in June and as many of you know we have a terrific day planned for you on July 3rd with a fantastic fireworks display followed on the 4th with our annual boat parade.  We have a long way to go to reach our fundraising goal.  Another $14,000 and we will have the show completely paid for, your help will be greatly appreciated.  If you were thinking of donating this would be a great time to help us get over the finish line.  Just click this link to contribute. 

This time of year Elodea is the most prominent species of weed in Devils Lake. Elodea is a particularly injurious aquatic perennial. In North America, it has compromised water quality, and in some waterways has grown so abundantly that boat traffic is hindered, dissolved oxygen is reduced, and native fisheries are severely impacted. Elodea is also insidious, in that only a plant fragment is needed to infest a water body because it reproduces asexually.  So, what can you do to help solve this problem and how do you make sure your efforts do not make the problem worse?

DLWID Lake Treatments

The Devils Lake Water Improvement District (DLWID) began last season to actively attack the problem by treating areas of the shoreline where Parrot Feather, an extremely invasive plant, was growing.  Their efforts had significantly reduced the spread of the plant.  This year the District will attempt to tackle some of the plants that grow in the water column such as Vallisneria (Tape Grass) and Elodea (American Water Weed).

From currently available options, DLWID has determined that a systemic approach to herbicide application is the preferred method to prevent further spread of Elodea and Vallisneria in Devils Lake. Contact herbicides do not kill the root system of these perennial plants. Neither the District’s permit nor its budget will support lake wide herbicide application so for the time being these efforts should help curb growth but likely will not eradicate these weeds. Application areas this year will be focused where weeds grow in navigable parts of the lake and will not include areas around private docks.

Homeowner Efforts

Homeowners can take matters into their own hands and try to discourage weed growth in limited areas around their shoreline such as around boat moorings, and swim areas. Unfortunately, physical or mechanical control methods are ineffective for eradicating Elodea as this plant reproduces readily from small fragments. Any physical disturbance of the plant easily breaks the stems into pieces that are capable of reproducing in new locations. Any attempt at mechanical harvesting of Elodea should include a method of capturing the debris, such as nets, or floating vegetation control booms to prevent any fragments from escaping the work area. One simple approach is to attempt harvesting only when prevailing winds will carry clippings to your direct shoreline.  All clippings should be removed from the lake and left on shore for a period of time to de-water.  Only after the weeds have substantially dried, should the NLSS yard debris bin be used to dispose of the unwanted material.

Despite its limitations, mechanical harvesting, cutting and dredging have become widespread techniques to control outbreaks of Elodea. The most widely used instruments for mechanical aquatic weed management are weed-cutting boats, weed rakes usable from shore, or bucket-like shallow dredges. There are many aquatic rakes that might work for your situation such as the OWS Lake Rake, Jenlis Razer Rake and the Muck Razer Roller.

Unfortunately, Elodea appears to be quite resistant to cutting and plant survival is usually not impaired in the long term. On the contrary, cutting produces and spreads plant fragments with a high potential for regeneration and the residual plant tends to form more lateral branches in response to cutting. Furthermore, light availability increases in cut regions, which promotes faster re-growth. Biomass production can, however, be significantly reduced when harvests are performed at the time of the beginning of regeneration of Elodea plants after winter and can be further reduced to almost zero by a second harvest before the beginning of the fragmentation of Elodea plants in spring. Alternatively, the use of biodegradable jute matting or benthic barriers for covering Elodea has been investigated, but up to now only with effects on growth for one vegetation period; after this, the mattings are often damaged and ineffective.

The Devils Lake Water Improvement District (DLWID) recently was informed that they are to receive $310,000 from the State of Oregon. The Oregon State Legislature recently approved this new funding.

These new funds will be used to help fund the DLWID second year of active vegetation management as well as ongoing algae monitoring services. Tina French, DLWID board president, recently commented to the News Guard that .“Lake vegetation management is our number one priority, especially considering our recent reduction in algae from the new aeration system. This new funding will help us accomplish our vegetation management plan. On behalf of the Board, thank you Representative David Gomberg for making this happen.”

This funding will support the District’s vegetation management plan for the 2022 recreational season. The plan will expand on the efforts made during the 2021 season which focused mainly on shoreline invasive species such as parrot feather. This year the District will initiate new lake protocols designed to better manage plant growth in the open water column. This effort will include extensive monitoring of vegetation by District staff via boat and by use of a professionally piloted drone allowing for detailed mapping of vegetation.

The primary focus of this effort will be in areas of high plant growth beyond the reach of most private docks. The complexities surrounding private docks limit the District’s ability to control surrounding vegetation. At this time, the homeowner may attempt some control methods directly off shore from their property. We will be publishing an article on those methods which could be used and those which should be avoided, in an upcoming issue.

Everything is set for another great holiday weekend.  We will complete the holiday weekend with our eighth annual boat parade.  Safety is the name of the game so please take a look at our boat parade safety plan and our fireworks safety plan to ensure your day is as safe as it is fun.  Here's the details.

Boat Parade
Date: Monday July 4th
Time: 4:00 PM

The Devils Lake Neighborhood Association board has decided to once again proceed with our annual fireworks display on Devils Lake.  The location of the display will be similar to the last two years as it maximized the viewing available from shore.  Please note that the display will not be visible from Regatta Park, but Brown Bear State Park and Sandpoint Park should prove to be good locations to enjoy the show.  

This is the time of year we ask for donations to fund our show.  This year we need to raise $16,000, follow this donation link or the button in the sidebar to contribute. It's never too early to help us meet our goal.

If you're thinking about spending money on a personal fireworks display consider donating to our professionally produced display instead. During the Lincoln City City Council’s regular meeting April 11, the council voted 5-2 to draft an ordinance that will temporarily ban the sale and use of personal fireworks this year and place an item on the November ballot to allow residents to vote on whether to make the ban permanent.  With this in mind you may find the safe and sane way to enjoy the Independence Day holiday is to enjoy the best fireworks show in town on Devils Lake.  

Mark your calendar. Fireworks Display Date: Sunday July 3rd Time: 9:30 PM (or Dusk)

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management Division, announced their Spring in-person community presentations. The in-person community presentations are free to the public and do not require registration.

This article was updated 10/12/2021

So what’s the skinny on this election?  Supporters of Ballot Measure 21-203 are asking for a “Yes” vote which will ban all new STR’s from operating in Lincoln County, and will phase out existing STR’s over a five year period.   The opponents of the Ballot Measure are asking for a “No” vote which will let the County’s public process of review and revision continue resulting in revisions to the STR licensing regulations hopefully by year-end.  

The following is our best description of what will happen should the Ballot Measure succeed or should it fail.  This is an honest attempt to describe only what will change in the rules.  We have provided a link in each case to those who support each side so you can review their reasoning for the positions they have taken. 

Where do these rules apply

To begin, it is important to realize that this debate only impacts unincorporated portions of the County.  Each City in our County has their own STR rules therefore, all homes and current STR’s that are within the city limits of Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Toledo, Walport, and Yachats will not be affected by this election.  That said all registered voters in those cities will be allowed to vote on Ballot Measure 21-203.

If the “YES” vote prevails

The Board of Commissioners will be instructed to discontinue their current public process and abandon the current draft set of revisions specific to Short Term Rentals in Sections 4.405 to 4.460 of the Lincoln County Code. These rules by order of Ballot Measure 21-203 will be revised to reflect these specific changes.

• Effective on the date of adoption of the measure, no new STR licenses shall be issued in R-1-A, R-1 and R-2 zones in unincorporated Lincoln County.  As of September 2021, there were less than 55 known to exist outside of the restricted zones. (See Lincoln County STR Map)
• Phase out all STR’s contained in R-1-A, R-1 and R-2 zones over a five-year period.  As of September 2021, there were 477 licensed STR’s that will be phased out in these zones.
• Will override the HOA bylaws, CC&R and similar documents in planned community neighborhoods that explicitly allowed vacation rentals for all owners from inception.
• For STR’s during the transition period and STR’s outside of R-1-A, R-1, R-2 zones after the transition, impose an occupancy restriction of two people per bedroom, currently it is three people per bedroom plus two.
• For STR’s during the transition period and STR’s outside of R-1-A, R-1, R-2 zones after the transition, require a septic system evaluation by a state licensed inspector.
• For STR’s during the transition period and STR’s outside of R-1-A, R-1, R-2 zones after the transition, require off street parking for all STR association vehicles.
• Enact several changes to the current complaint process.

You can review the position of proponents of Ballot Measure 21-203 at 15neighborhoods.com.

If the “NO” vote prevails

The Board of Commissioners complete their current public process and enact revisions specific to Short Term Rentals in Sections 4.405 to 4.460 of the Lincoln County Code. The current proposal for rule changes was published by County Counsel on September 29, 2021.  This proposal includes these specific changes.

• Impose limits on the total number of STR’s in 5 regional areas based on percentages.  This would reduce the current number of STR permitted with some growth in areas East of Hwy 101 and some reduction through attrition in areas West of Hwy 101.  Will reduce current licenses by 35 and establish a lottery process for new applications that exceed the limit.
• Reduce the occupancy limit to two per bedroom plus two persons or alternatively impose limits resulting from the septic system review if applicable, whichever is less.  
• Require all existing STR’s to have On-Site Septic Systems inspected by a DEQ authorized professional and any deficiencies cured to continue as a STR’s, all new license applicants will require inspection as well.  Septic evaluations may result in lower occupancy rates for individual STR’s.
• Parking rules remain unchanged and currently requires one off street parking spot for each bedroom plus one additional parking spot. 
• Create a more robust complaint process adding an Administrative Hearing procedure to give the County more tools to address issues that may arise with individual STR’s.

You can find a complete record of Lincoln County’s process at this link Short Term Rental 2021 Workshops. 

You can review the opposition to Ballot Measure 21-203 at https://www.viaoregon.com and isupportoregoncoasttourism.com/.

Additional Quick Reference Resources

• Text of Ballot Measure 21-203
• Most Recent STR Licensing Language From Lincoln County
• Mapping of Current STR's, City Limits, and STR Restricted Zones under 21-203