(Spirit Lake)– Another lakes area entity is stepping up in the fight against Eurasian Watermilfoil. The Dickinson County Taxpayers Association announced at its September Board of Directors meeting Friday its intent to grant $25,000 to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to combat infestations of Eurasian watermilfoil in East Lake Okoboji, Upper and Lower Gar and Minnewashta.
The DNR has already begun herbicidal treatments in Upper Gar Lake and is seeking financial assistance from county resources to pay for treatments estimated to cost about $335,000. Dickinson county, the state of Iowa, the Okoboji Protective Association and the East Okoboji Lakes Improvement Corporation have previously contributed to the project.
In a statement, Mark Sullivan, incoming president of the Dickinson County Taxpayers Association, says “This is one of the most serious attacks on the lakes area environment in decades”, adding that if it isn’t stopped now, it “has the capacity to negatively and significantly impact tourism, sales tax revenue and property values”.
