At 8.4 square miles, Candlewood Lake in Western Connecticut is the largest lake in the state. It is a popular year-round tourist destination, and the area is home to many second homes of New York City residents.
The lake has an ongoing problem with the growth of eelgrass and Eurasian milfoil in the shallower areas. Various methods have been deployed to manage the aquatic such as drawdowns, mechanical harvesters, and both chemical and biological methods; such as weevils and grass carp.
In 2015 and 2017, Candlewood Lake was stocked with thousands of sterile grass carp to combat invasive Eurasian watermilfoil — but the fish wound up eating more than just the invasive weed. And their presence is believed to be one of several factors that contributed to the lake’s recent rapid decline in vegetation.
In an effort to revitalize plant life the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has started to remove some of the carp from Candlewood Lake.