Local News - January 2004

Board Oks lake weed extraction

Published January 14, 2004

By AMY WADSWORTH, Staff Writer

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The Marine Commission approved a Management Plan for preventing the spread of hydrilla weed on Lake Norman at Monday night’s meeting.

Hydrilla is an invasive non-native aquatic weed that can negatively impact a lake or reservoir in a short amount of time if left unchecked.

Dense strands of the plant can lower the dissolved oxygen in the water. This can interfere with power generation, boating and swimming and cause extensive sedimentation and lower property values.

Approximately 8,000 acres of Hydrilla habitat is available on Lake Norman.

Chairman Randy Reece stated that Hydrilla is a real problem in surrounding areas.

“I have seen several lakes that have this problem,” he said. “If you have never seen the damage it can do, it is pretty amazing.”

The Lake Norman Marine Commission appointed a Hydrilla Committee last spring to study the problem.

The Committee decided an expert should be hired to assist. Dr. Phil Kirk, a research fisheries biologist with the Corps of Engineers was chosen.

He developed a plan which will use sterile grass carp rather than chemical herbicides or mechanical harvesting to help with the problem. This method is cheaper better for the lake environmentally as it uses no contaminating chemicals.

The sterile grass carp will be put in the lake this spring or early summer.

It is estimated the plan will take a year to start to become effective.

A motion from Commissioner Terry Davis was made to approve the plan.

The next step for the plan will be to submit it to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to request a sterile grass carp stocking permit and to the North Carolina Division of Water Resources Aquatic Weed Control Council to request matching funds.

There are roughly 400 acres of hydrilla on Lake Norman. Whereas the problem is being addressed early enough, the spread and cost can be limited.

The estimated cost for the first year is $40,000. If matching funds are approved from the Aquatic Weed Control Council in the amount of $20,000 the remaining $20,000 can be obtained from water utilities from the four surrounding counties and from other agencies such as Duke Power.

In other business the Lake Norman Marine Commission:

· Approved their budget for the 2003-2004 fiscal year

· Listened to several complaints from residents who live in the Brawley School Road peninsula who are fighting the possibility of boats slips on a small strip of shoreline

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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