(Spirit Lake)-The chemical treatment of Eurasian Watermilfoil is nearing completion in the Iowa Great Lakes. KUOO’s Becky Thoreson has an update:
The chemical treatment of Eurasian Watermilfoil in the lower chain of the Iowa Great Lakes is wrapping up.
Mike Hawkins, District Fisheries Biologist with the Iowa DNR explains. “The Eurasian Watermilfoil treatment that we initiated back in September, working with the local community here, has been carried all the way through last fall, this past winter and into this spring. That treatment period is actually wrapping up, so if there’s any Eurasian Watermilfoil left in the East Okoboji Chain, it will be germinating about this time and so, the herbicide concentration that’s in the lake right now will take care of the rest of those plants. Things have been going really well. We’ve been able to maintain the concentration very precisely through that entire period. Fortunately, that does not impact native plants, so this is a very targeted approach to Eurasian Watermilfoil control.”
He adds that it’s important to not transport invasive species from lake to lake. “Things like Zebra Mussels, Curly-Leaf Pondweed, Eurasian Watermilfoil can be spread just by simply hitching a ride down the road on your boat or trailer. So, getting those live wells drained, getting the bilges drained out, making sure that you don’t have any plants hanging on the axels or on the trailer is really, really important to keep lakes safe.”
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