There are two main invasive weeds in Lake Guntersville, hydrilla and milfoil. Neither plants are native to the lake. In fact it’s believed that milfoil entered the Tennessee River system by someone dumping a home aquarium in the Watts Bar Lake, upriver from Lake Guntersville.
Tennessee Valley Authority allowed the news media to see how the weeds are managed. While the spraying of herbicides is contracted out, but TVA employees operate the harvesters to clear channels through areas of heavy hydrilla infestation so boats have clear paths to get to the main river channel.