Lake Waccamaw is infested with hydrilla and officials are hoping fluridone is the answer to killing the invasive aquatic plant.
Officials have chosen fluridone because it is supposed to point only hydrilla with no effect on other plants or animal life. The first treatment cycle will cost $196,660 for three applications and will need to be measure each year.
Rob Emens, an invasive species specialist with the North Carolina Division of Water Resources estimates that the cost will spiral to a total of nearly $500,000 this year and to $4 million within eight years.