For over a decade, lakes across Northern Wisconsin have spent staggering sums of money attempting to control Eurasian water milfoil with herbicides. The Lower Eagle River Chain of Lakes Commission, formed in 2007 specifically to tackle this invasive species, is a case in point. Eurasian water milfoil grows aggressively, uprooting native vegetation, disrupting aquatic habitats,
A new invasive type of water hyacinth, Salvinia spp., has been discovered in Lake Victoria. It reproduces rapidly, doubling its biomass within 8 days due to high nutrient levels caused by human activities such as improper waste disposal and deforestation. Over 36 tons have already been removed, but the plant continues to spread, threatening fish
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
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
Eurasian water milfoil is an exotic invasive species that is thought to have been introduced to the U.S. in the 1800’s in the bilge of ships. Once established milfoil can never be completely eradicated, but it can be managed with an aquatic weed harvester or repeat treatments of aquatic herbicides. Any relaxing on the spraying
The war against milfoil in Lake Sunnyside, New York has largely been won — but at the cost of leaving the lake vulnerable to invasion from another plant. Now, curly-leaf pondweed is taking over the lake, and stewards must fight that one too. The problem was that milfoil occupied nearly all of the shoreline, the
Elodea is a plant commonly found in aquariums that, if released in the wild, will dominate certain lake or river habitats, choking out native vegetation and altering the food web at all levels. It increases sedimentation rate, allowing more sediment to settle out of the water. And it can decrease the dissolved oxygen concentration in
Lake Hallie Lake Association is making some headway in the war they’ve been waging against the hybrid watermilfoil weed. First discovered in Lake Hallie in 2005, watermilfoil is an invasive aquatic plant that has an aggressive tendency to form a thick mat-like layer as it floats on the water. If left unchecked, this plant can
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is aiming to reduce invasive plant species in Lake Whitehall in a plan that calls for herbicides and mechanical harvesting. The reservoir has extensive growth of “exotic nuisance aquatic vegetation,” including fanwort and variable-leaf milfoil, according to a report by ESS Group, a firmed hired by the state.
Aquarius Systems was featured on a National Geographic Cable Channel program broadcast in the United States on April 2nd and 5th, 2003. The Swamp Devil Aquatic Vegetation Cutter (formerly known as the Cookie Cutter) has been used on Lake Victoria since 1998 to help control dense mats of water hyacinth. A film crew from National