[OSMB-News] News Release -Diamond Lake Temporarily Closes to RecreationalBoating

[Ashley MASSEY]

For Immediate Release	Date: Friday, August 18, 2006

Diamond Lake to Temporarily Close to Recreational Boating 

The Oregon State Marine Board approved a temporary rule closing Diamond Lake in Douglas County to all recreational boating activity from September 5 to September 30. This closure is necessary to protect the health, safety and security of the boating public. The closure coincides with the angling closure that will be in effect on the same dates.	        

In September, rotenone, a naturally occurring pesticide, will be applied to the lake to eradicate the invasive tui chub that have proliferated and degraded water quality.  Although rotenone is toxic to fish, the hazard to human health is low due to the low concentration of active ingredients used in fishery management. A period of approximately four weeks is needed to allow for removal of dead fish and the natural reduction in toxicity of the lake. 
 
"Once the rotenone dissipates, the lake will be safe to boaters again," says Ashley Massey, Public Affairs Specialist for the Oregon State Marine Board. "The Department of Fish and Wildlife will be restocking the lake with trout in the spring and Diamond Lake will once again be a fabulous area to recreate and fish."

Chub numbers have exploded over the last several decades. During August, ODFW and a contracted fishing company removed as many of the chub as possible, using nets and other mechanical methods to reduce the biomass in the lake.  
	
Diamond Lake was treated in 1954 with rotenone and treatment was 100 percent successful -tui chub were absent from the lake for decades until they were illegally reintroduced in the early 90's, likely as live bait.

For more information about the Diamond Lake restoration project, contact Meg Kenagy, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife at 503-947-6021 or visit www.dfw.state.or.us.  For information regarding the temporary rule prohibiting recreational boating, contact Ashley Massey at 503-378-2623.
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Ashley A. Massey
Public Affairs Specialist
Oregon State Marine Board
503-378-2623
503-378-8587 ext. 82623
ashley.massey at state.or.us