Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Herbicides weighed in hydrilla fight


Ithaca -- Two herbicides are being evaluated by a local task force to treat an invasive hydrilla infestation detected in the Cayuga Inlet late last summer, and county officials are urging the state to fund the eradication effort.

Tompkins County Environmental Health Director Liz Cameron said some combination of endothol and flurodone may be used to knock back several beds of hydrilla in the inlet.


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Native plants key to Harris Chain productivity


The recent Bassmaster Southern Open tournament results showed that bass fishing on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Florida continues to shine, and it should. Florida communities and natural resource agencies have spent a lot of time and money improving the water and wildlife habitats.

Cleaning up the water has yin-yang consequences. When nutrient pollution is reduced, it lowers algae blooms and clears up the water. When the water clears, aquatic plants grow more. If you add an exotic plant to this mix, the normal balance is severely one-sided, in favor of exotic plants.


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State updates permit for irrigation weed control


OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) invites the public to comment on an updated permit that regulates the use of pesticides to control aquatic weeds and algae in irrigation systems.

The permit – called the Irrigation System Aquatic Weed Control General Permit – covers 17 irrigation districts in Eastern Washington. The permit is required by the Washington State Water Pollution Control Act.

The modified permit would allow the irrigation districts to use the pesticide endothall at a more effective rate so it can be used instead of acrolein. Endothall is a less toxic alternative to acrolein. The draft permit reduces and eliminates the use of acrolein, where feasible.


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Weed whackers: Lake Istokpoga hydrilla treatment under way


SEBRING -- Look for helicopters hovering over Lake Istokpoga for the next three or four days. Aerial spraying is scheduled there through Friday, weather permitting.

"This is something we do periodically," said Corine Burgess, "The problem is, hydrilla grows so doggone fast. It has been a huge problem for a long time because it gets out of control."


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DETERMINATION OF NON-SIGNIFICANCE


PURSUANT to R.C.W 43.21C, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT on February 1, 2012 the Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District (LEAD AGENCY) did issue a determination of non-significance relative to the environmental impact of the following described proposal:

An application was submitted by the Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District to conduct aquatic weed harvesting activities throughout Moses Lake. Weed removal would occur in numerous locations throughout the lake. Weed harvesting removes both noxious aquatic weeds and beneficial weeds when plant densities build to nuisance levels and hinder recreation in the lake. Aquatic weeds will be mechanically cut by a pontoon-mounted weed harvester, stored in the weed harvester hopper during transport, deposited directly into trucks and hauled away for disposal.


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Aquatic Noxious Weeds


The Washington Department of Ecology has revised a permit that protects people and the environment when herbicides are used to curb the spread of noxious weeds growing in wet areas.

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Weed-spraying planned for Lake Harris


The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission plans to kill invasive hydrilla weeds in Lake Harris.

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State considers controversial cure for polluted Lake Apopka: Let hydrilla spread


The sickly Lake Apopka has been healing at a snail's pace despite undergoing some of the more costly environmental rehabilitations in Florida history.

So a state agency is thinking about speeding up the process by encouraging an aggressive, aquatic weed — hydrilla — to take root in the lake.


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Water weed discovery at Capel


A COUPLE of motorbike frogs have led to the discovery of one of Australia’s worst water weeds at Stratham in the Shire of Capel in the South West.

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Caddo Lake Gets Help Fighting Giant Salvinia


Caddo Lake Initiative is getting a $100,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife's Pulling Together Initiative to help fight the invasive weed known as Giant Salvinia.

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$8m war on weeds


Maitland will benefit from an $8 million warpath designed to control noxious weeds and protect the environment.

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MMDA wages war on water hyacinths


The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has started using a locally developed “water hyacinth harvester” to speed up the removal of the fast-growing aquatic plant, a river-choking nuisance partly blamed for flooding in the metropolis.

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Friday, February 17, 2012

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Water Watch - Volume 1 Issue 2 (Fall 2011)

Information from the Fall 2011 meeting of the Gulf & South Atlantic Regional Panel (GSARP) on Aquatic Invasive Species.

Highlights include
  • AVM Threat Linked to Invasive Aquatic Plants
  • Why People Release their Pets into the Environment
  • Zebra Mussels in North Texas

Download PDF

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Hydrilla gains hold in Buggs Island Lake


Steve Hoyle, an aquatic weed specialist with N.C. State University who spoke at the Clarksville Lake Issues Committee symposium Thursday, confirmed that the invasive weed hydrilla has established itself in Kerr Reservoir/Buggs Island Lake.

“We don’t know what’s in Kerr. That’s a big question mark,” he said.

He said a rough survey of the North Carolina portion of the lake last fall provided the first documentation. 


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PRVWSD Spraying For Hydrilla


Herbicide Applications to be conducted at the Ross Barnett Reservoir

On September 28 and 29, 2011, herbicide treatments for control of hydrilla will be performed at the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

The treatment will include liquid application of herbicides Reward and Komeen, which are approved by the EPA for aquatic use. The use of these herbicides at the prescribed rate for hydrilla control does little or no damage to the native vegetation species present in the treatment areas.


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Legislature Approves Funds to Eradicate Hydrilla


Meeting in special session, the Legislature approved an emergency appropriation of $26,100 in contingency funds to enable chemical treatment to eradicate the invasive plant species Hydrilla from the Cayuga Inlet.  The vote was a unanimous 11-0, with Legislators Kathy Luz Herrera, Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Frank Proto, and Brian Robison excused.  

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Saturday, February 4, 2012

Hydrilla Discovered In Davis Stream


The invasive aquatic plant hydrilla was found recently in Davis Stream in Jefferson. The infestation is the second instance of the plant in the Damariscotta Lake watershed.

In addition to removal efforts already underway in the stream, officials from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection are pursuing restrictions on surface activity beginning about 200 feet upstream of the Jefferson Market.

For now, all boaters are strongly encouraged to stay out of the stream.  


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Thursday, February 2, 2012

Hydrilla Causing Multiple Problems at Lake Varner


Covington’s Lake Varner has anglers talking about something other than the giant bass it produces. The word on lips these days is “hydrilla” and the affects it’s having on fishing, wildlife and the lake’s ability to efficiently produce drinking water.  

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