Anyone hear of this.

[Gordie]

I was talking with a guy yesterday and he asked where I hunted for ducks I told him Onamia he smiled and said to bad that we may lose this lake for hunting.

My mouth kinda dropped and asked what he ment by that.

He went on to say that he had heard that they were going to seed it out with rice along with Ogechie. Then they will open the dam to flood it out and no boat travel will be allowed.

Now I don't know how true this is and it just maybe hear say but I was just wondering if anyone else had heard this?

[Gordie]

This the info I found on it so far.

Lake Ogechie Wild Rice Restoration Project

Record of Decision on Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW)

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), as the Responsible Governmental Unit for environmental review of the Lake Ogechie Wild Rice Restoration Project in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota has issued a Record of Decision regarding the Need for an Environmental Impact Statement for the project.

The MDNR has concluded that an Environmental Impact Statement is not required because the project does not have the potential for significant environmental effects. The justification for this determination is contained in the Record of Decision. The Record of Decision also contains the Department's responses to all substantive written comments received on the Environmental Assessment Worksheet during the 30-day review and comment period.

Issuing this Record of Decision concludes the State environmental review process for this project according to Minnesota Environmental Quality Board rules, Minnesota Rules, part 4410.1000 to 4410.1700. This project can proceed to permitting and approvals.

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A 30-day public review and comment period is open from February 21, 2011 through March 23, 2011. Public notice of the availability of this EAW is in the February 21, 2011 EQB Monitor.

The Proposed Project

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (MLBO) are proposing to restore historical wild rice beds of Lake Ogechie within Mille Lacs Kathio State Park in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota. This will be accomplished by decreasing the height of the existing water control structure (Buckmore dam) at the outlet of Lake Ogechie and constructing a new water control structure at the outlet of Mille Lacs Lake to replace the water level control function currently served by Buckmore dam. Lake Ogechie will be lowered approximately 2.5 feet while maintaining existing water levels in Mille Lacs Lake. The connected river and lakes system within this portion of the Upper Rum River downstream of Mille Lacs Lake is expected to serve as an important waterfowl, feeding, resting and staging area with the resurgence of wild rice.

[brittman]

Shallow wetland with more rice should equate to more ducks.

[Gordie]

Shallow wetland with more rice should equate to more ducks.

Yes this is true but if the body's of water down stream turn into water fowl resting areas and are closed to hunting . That is loss of hunting land and it's hard enough to find good puplic waters to hunt.

[GooBack]

Onamia is "good public waters to hunt"?

[RumRiverRat]

Onamia is "good public waters to hunt"?

One of the best places in that area to hunt.

I have killed so many limits on that lake.

It is almost a guaranteed limit when you hunt there.

The best shooting is between 11am and 1pm when all the ducks come back to the lake after leaving at sunrise.

[GooBack]

What about goose?

[Scott M]

There were already some efforts made on Ogechie by MLBO, DU, and the DNR to restore rice (saw a talk on it a few years ago), I believe they are going to do the same on Onamia. It wouldn't make sense to flood it, but I could see drawdown. Still, on other wildlife lakes around the state, designated as such or not, they don't close public access during this process. Somebody filled you full of bee ess.