Lake Conroe has a volatile history of aquatic vegetation management. Hydrilla infested the reservoir soon after the reservoir filled, resulting in coverage of approximately 10,000 acres by the early 1980’s. To control hydrilla, large numbers diploid grass carp were stocked. Grass carp not only controlled hydrilla, but also eliminated most other aquatic vegetation in the lake and continued to inhibit plant growth into the late 1990’s.
Identified as poor habitat for fish and other aquatic wildlife following loss of aquatic vegetation, efforts to re-establish native vegetation in Lake Conroe were initiated by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), the US Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center’s Lewisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility (LAERF), and local stakeholders.