curly leaf pondweed – Aquarius-Systems

Long-Term Aquatic Plant Management on Lake Ripley

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 17:48:07 +0000

Curly-Leaf Pondweed in Minnesota Lakes and the Role of Mechanical Harvesting

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 21:29:29 +0000

Curly-lead pondweed is an invasive aquatic plant that has been found in 759 lakes in 70 of the 87 counties in the state of Minnesota. Curly-leaf is unique in that it begins growing in late fall and continues to grow under the thick ice. When spring arrives it is usually the first plant to appear after ice-out. Then when most native aquatic plants are growing, curly-leaf pondweed is dying back.

As the dying weeds decompose it contributes to increased phosphorous concentrations in the lakes. The excessive phosphorus provides necessary nutrients for algae to grow causing additional recreation and water-quality problems.

Mechanical harvesting (raking, cutting, or harvesting) is effective if performed in the spring – before Memorial Day. This process does need to be performed yearly however, but since curly-leaf can spread from just a small plant fragment; it is imperative that the harvesting method include collecting and disposing of the clippings.

Mechanical Harvesting Tackles Curly-Leaf Pondweed in East Okoboji Lake

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 19:06:15 +0000

Invasive curlyleaf pondweed has been choking East Okoboji Lake, snarling boat propellers, burning up motors and shutting down swimming, tubing and other water sports in an area that depends on recreation.

The weed’s invasion is driving heated debates about how to control it — from using mechanical removal to administering herbicides that raise concerns about drinking water safety.

An aquatic weed harvester has logged 300 hours this spring, chopping and pulling out about 450,000 pounds of weeds from East Okoboji Lake. The plants are drying in a couple of remote spots, with the hopes that farmers might be able to use them for fertilizer.

Study Finds Plant Diversity Does Not Prevent Aquatic Invasions

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:20:49 +0000

A new study from the University of Minnesota challenges a common belief that lakes with diverse plant life are more resilient to aquatic invaders.

The study by the U’s Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center looked at 13 years of vegetation survey data collected from about 1,100 lakes by the Department of Natural Resources.

The surprising results: Researchers found no evidence that having a diverse plant community somehow keeps invaders such as curly-leaf pondweed or Eurasian milfoil from taking hold.

Research Questions Herbicide Benefits for Curly-Leaf Pondweed Control

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 20:44:09 +0000

According to Nick Brown, DNR invasive species specialist, herbicides used to treat curly-leaf pondweed on Minnesota lakes may not lead to improvements in water quality.

Curly-leaf pondweed is an invasive plant found throughout much of Minnesota. The plant grows slowly throughout the winter under the ice, but once the ice has left the lake the plants start to grow very rapidly. Curly-leaf pondweed gets a jump start on native aquatic plants, leading to dense mats on the surface by May or June. Sometime around mid-July, curly-leaf pondweed dies off and decomposes in the lake.

In the past, many lake managers thought that early treatment of curly-leaf pondweed might lead to better water quality and improved native plant populations. However, recent research has proven that large scale treatments in lakes with high nutrients levels did not produce water quality benefits or increase native plant populations.

Herbicide control is restricted to 15% of the littoral area of the lake, but mechanical harvesting allows for up to 50% of the littoral area of the lake to be harvested. A combination of both methods may be used as well. A limit on what areas to be treated or harvested insures that native plants, which provide water quality and fish and wildlife habitat benefits, will be protected.

August 2021 Newsletter

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 22:19:42 +0000

Aquarius Systems Is the Solution

New Weapon in Fight Against Aquatic Invasive Species

Aquarius Systems Is the Solution!

How’s Your Waterway?

Weed Harvesters Collect Large Amounts of Milfoil

Curly-Leaf Pondweed Washing up On Shore

September 2018 Newsletter

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 20:46:16 +0000

Water War is Brewing

Even in the US, a Water War is Brewing

Contaminated Recycling

New Weapon in the War on Curly Leaf

Aquatic Weed Harvester Used to Manage Lake Levels

Lake Wausau Removes Tons of Curly-Leaf Pondweed to Prevent Algae Blooms

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 18:13:55 +0000

The Lake Wausau Association is hoping to remove several hundred pounds of Curly-leaf Pondweed from the water and they’re working non-stop to make sure it happens as soon as possible.

Curly leaf pondweed grows under the ice during the winter, but in the summer months it dies off after it reproduces. As it dies and decays, the plant releases nitrogen which causes algae blooms. These algae blooms cause water restrictions, illness, and fish kills.

Over 250 tons of curly leaf pondweed were removed from Lake Wausau, in Wisconsin, over the last four years and taken to the city dumpsite where people can pick up to be used as fertilizer in their gardens.

Boat Wash Station Helps Protect Schroon Lake from Invasive Species

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 16:16:11 +0000

Schroon Lake in New York is infested with curly leaf pondweed and milfoil, two invasive species. But lake advocates and state and local officials are working to keep other aquatic invasives out through a new boat washing station in Severance.

Partners are working to keep Schroon Lake free of invasive species, though the lake is already populated with milfoil. Signs are seen at the Schroon Lake boat launch in the town of Schroon, warning boaters to stay away for the milfoil as prop chop will spread the invasive species.

One sign posted to warn boaters states, “Your hull & prop will chop & spread this invasive weed creating a MAJOR THREAT to the health of this lake!”

Managing Curly-Leaf Pondweed in Iowa’s East Okoboji Lakes

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 18:35:19 +0000

The Iowa Great Lakes area is an incredible place to live, visit and recreate. Much of their economy is tied to these area lakes. Sometimes, difficult decisions come along, such as the curlyleaf pondweed issue on the north end of East Okoboji. It is an exotic that showed up in the 1950s, but in recent years has become a major recreational and navigational nuisance by growing to the surface in May and creating a dense mat that pretty much weed-locks the north end of East Okoboji and on Lower Gar. It takes until the end of June until it dies off.

Iowa Lakeside Lab and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have worked together the past two years to devise a plan to help open up navigational lanes and paths to help lake home owners, recreationists and anglers be able to at least be able to utilize portions of the affected areas.

A combination of mechanical harvesting and an aquatic herbicide was used in 2018 with plans to do this again in 2019. The herbicide is used about five miles from any drinking water intakes and testing showed the herbicide did not travel from the treated area and water tests showed no danger to fish, animals or humans.