Eurasian
watermilfoil (scientific name Myriophyllum spicatum L.) is a non-native aquatic plant that currently infests a number of Vermont lakes,
including the state's largest, Lakes Champlain, Memphremagog and
Bomoseen. Eurasian water milfoil is considered to be the worst aquatic weed in
the US, occurring in more
than 30 states. This plant is known for its rapid growth and ability to spread, which
can lead to significant problems within a lake. Commonly found in shallow bays
and along the shoreline, milfoil forms dense beds that can seriously impair the
recreational use of a lake, reduce the availability of fish spawning grounds,
out compete beneficial native plants, and otherwise alter a lake's natural
environment.
The growth and spread of Eurasian water milfoil is a threat to all our lakes and
ponds. Once Eurasian water milfoil has infested a lake there is no known way to
eradicate it. Lake managers can only seek to control it by integrating the most
effective, economically feasible, and environmentally sound methods available. |
In nutrient-rich
lakes, such as Lake Parker, it can form thick underwater stands of tangled
stems and vast mats of vegetation on the water’s surface that interfere with
boating, swimming, fishing and other water recreation. It also crowds out
important native water plants. One of the most insidious things about
Eurasian watermilfoil is that it propagates by stem fragmentation. Imagine a
motorboat passing through a patch of watermilfoil with the propeller cutting
away at the plants. Each of the separate pieces can take root and form new
plants. In fact, the plant is spread primarily when pieces of milfoil become
entangled on boats and trailers that are transported from infested lakes to
uninfested lakes. This is why we ask people to thoroughly clean their boats
and props when leaving a lake.
So far, Lake Parker
has been spared the problems that a Eurasian watermilfoil infestation
creates. However, we should be vigilant and redouble our efforts in watching
for the plant in our lake because an infestation that is discovered early is
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cheaper to control than one that gets a good head start before
being discovered. Just ask your neighbors at Lake Elligo in
Craftsbury. An
identifying characteristic of Eurasian watermilfoil is that each
leaf has from 12 to 21 pairs of leaflets, whereas the native
northern watermilfoil has from 5 to 9 pairs of leaflets. If each
of us learned to identify Eurasian watermilfoil and got in the
habit of regularly checking the lake in front of our camps, we
would have a much better chance of detecting an infestation
early enough for effective control measures to be taken. |
Learn
more about it here.
Learn to identify it here.
Learn about spread prevention here.
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