Quagga Mussel Treatment in Idaho Raises Concerns Over Chemical Use

/ Published in Aquatic Herbicides, Aquatic Invasive Species, Blog
Handful of quagga mussels that are smaller than a dime.
In 2023, invasive quagga mussels were discovered in the Snake River near Twin Falls, Idaho. To stop the spread, officials carried out a large-scale chemical treatment using copper-based products. Two years later, the results show just how much damage these treatments can cause—and how little success they’ve had in eliminating the mussels. Chemical Treatments: Lethal

Starry Stonewort Battle Could Switch to Hand-to-Hand Combat

/ Published in Aquatic Herbicides, Aquatic Invasive Species, Aquatic Plant Management, Starry Stonewort
Dense mat of the invasive aquatic macroalgae known as starry stonewort
Heidi Bunk, a water resources management specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, said while the long-term effectiveness of hand pulling the invasive species starry stonewort is still being evaluated, it can be advantageous because it allows for the removal of starry stonewort without harming native species in the way chemical treatments might. She

Florida’s War on Weeds is Killing Fish and Supercharging Red Tide

/ Published in Aquatic Herbicides, Aquatic Plant Management, Lake & Waterway Management
On any given day, helicopters and an armada of airboats fan out across Florida’s fresh waters to spray tank after tank of poison. Pouring millions of gallons of herbicide into rivers and lakes to kill the weeds. What started as sensible navigation and flood control has turned into a million-dollar-a-month chemical addiction that is killing

Aquatic Invasive Plants, Toxic Herbicides, and Bad Permits

/ Published in Aquatic Herbicides, Aquatic Plant Management
Boat Applying Chemicals to Water
Invasive aquatic plants represent a serious problem in many lakes and waterways. To combat the aquatic weed infestation, herbicides are often applied directly to the water to kill the plants. Many of these herbicides are quite toxic and while permits are required prior to the application there may be flaws with the permit process. Aquatic

Weed Harvester Cleans Up Half Moon Lake

/ Published in Aquatic Weed Harvesters
Mechanical Weed Harvester in Wisconsin
The water of Half Moon Lake in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, will hopefully be clearer once the city’s parks, recreation, and forestry division is done harvesting the aquatic vegetation. Due to the significant amount of floating weeds throughout the lake, the city and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are working together to solve the problem. 

Herbicide Destroys Aquatic Vegetation

/ Published in Aquatic Herbicides, Aquatic Plant Management, Lake & Waterway Management, Recreation & Fisheries
Chemical Treatment of aquatic plants.
Lake Pinehurst does not permit power boats making it an ideal lake to host cocktail cruises, sail, swim, and fish. Well, maybe not fish. This 200-acre manmade lake is owned by Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina; a premiere golf and recreation resort. Residents of the area and resort guests trolled for largemouth bass and other