Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Balance of plants in the environment HOA going nuts with Aquatic Herbicide

I am requesting help to head off a potential disaster (I think) on our private lake.

I live on a 50 acre private lake with approximately 50 homes on the water. The LMB, Redear, Bluegill and Green Sunfish population is healthy although this lake is almost void of any underwater structure of any type and has virtually no trees of any kind on the waterline with the exception of a few Cypress and one or two Willow's the Beaver have not destroyed.

It is an electric motor only lake.

Access to the lake is only by each homeowners property and one common area at the dam for homeowners who live on the lake.

It is not heavily fished or even used by paddle boats or swimmers very often.

What we have is a variety of aquatic vegetation that provides cover for the fish but in defense of the non-fishing homeowners, is a nuisance that I understand. The weedline is about 30' deep surrounding the lake.

The HOA after hearing complaints from some homeowners allowed one homeowner to take on the task of hiring a company to spray the weeds. I found out about two weeks ago after reading the HOA flyer in the mail and contacted the President who listened to my concerns and directed me to the committee chair (committee of one) who I could not reach by phone.

Tonight I went out to fish and see that the company made a complete pass around the lake and did kill about 8' of the weedline. The water has turned a milky green and the area at my end of the lake smells absolutely foul.

I contacted the President tonight and she said she has received phone calls from concerned homeowners and agree that we should discuss the issue before the next application of herbicide.

I know this is a long post but I have one week to become better educated and hope to reach a compromise that works for all residents. I fish, so maintaining a balance of vegetation for the forage fish makes sense and I agree that all homeowners should have a clear and accessible water around their docks or along their shoreline if desired.

The herbicide is Clearcast Aqua and has a long list of vegetation it will kill. The most invasive plans are Alligator Weed and Four Leaf Clover that make up about 95% of the current vegetation.

When I first talked to the President I offered a suggestion for the application of the herbicide that would include the areas around the private docks and along the shoreline of the properties where the homeowners specifically wanted the weeks removed leaving a balance of vegetation where no homes exist.

I was told it was too late, the first application was the day before we spoke.

I expect the company who is applying the herbicide has only one real goal, to kill the problem weeds per the contract and do not intend to kill the trees. However, I also expect the company has no real interest in the long term effect of complete removal of the vegetation and the effect on the fishing.

My concerns are the following:

1. We need to maintain a balance of vegetation to support forage fish.

2. What are the effects of killing to much vegetation at once where decomposition of the plants may be an issue.

3. Preventing the destruction of Cypress trees, Cattail and other plants that are nice to have along the water front and not at this point and issue.

4. Demonstrating with some knowledge that applying herbicide around the entire perimeter of the lake for each application may be detrimental to the fish habitat and not address the real issue of removing weeds that restrict access to the lake.

5. Assure that the contract with the company provides for replacement of trees with same caliber trees and damage to non-targeted plants.

I hope this post is relatively coherent and that you all can help me with a plan of action that will bring people to a common ground to solve the issues to the majorities satisfaction. I fully understand that not everyone will be happy with the outcome and it could very well be me and the fisherman but I have to try.

Thanks in advance,

Sparky

At least 30 members viewed the thread, should these questions be in a different forum?

It's in the right area and is certainly coherent.

Disclaimer: I've never lived in a HOA and am not licensed in herbicide usage. I'm also not an Attorney and have no intention of giving legal advise.

For small fish, up to 20% cover is OK and some cover is certainly desirable.

I've not personally seen Alligator Weed but have heard that it can get out of hand pretty quickly and become a real problem. Due to it's invasive nature, it can be the wrong type of fish cover. It may return even after spraying. I know nothing about 4 leaf clover in an aquatic setting.

Decomposition (rotting) can be lethal due to oxygen deletion. However, it the fish can go elsewhere, there is seldom a problem. With just 8 ft done, they should be OK. Some of the small fish that were using it for cover will certainly be eaten but that's the way nature intends it. I expect the smell should soon end.

Your last 3 points are common sense type things that any licensed aquatic professional should be versed in. I would certainly agree that your concerns are valid. You might ask to see the Contract/Work Order to see what is covered. Look for Unintended Consequences type of clauses.

Well put Dave! I agree.

Thanks for the replies, I am not looking for legal advice even though "HOA" in a subject normally points to a fight with an HOA. Not the case here, I as well as some other property owners are concerned but this will probably be resolved without to much drama.

I talked to BASF yesterday and many of my concerns are less of a concern. The product is Clearcast Aqua.

The tech did not see decomposition of the weeds as an issue if the amount the application and results I described were accurate. He said the product would not harm the trees unless the foliage was sprayed and that makes sense.

I came home yesterday to see an airboat blow past my house and of course they could not hear me so I went out on the lake to talk to them. The Contractor was very professional, a Biologist with a BS and MS as well as a fishermen; he took a good thirty minutes to answer questions.

He did say that if it were his money and his lake, he would eradicate 100% of the clover and alligator weed and replant with native plants. In this case, he wanted to address the concerns and modify the application strategy if needed <<< but he needs direction from "one" contact, not every concerned homeowner and I agree 100% with this request.

Since he had already made another pass around the lake I will have to wait until the HOA meeting in two weeks and talk to the homeowners and board.

Blue algae is floating everywhere and he said the algae is feeding off the decomposing plants. He also said it will take months for the water to clear. I will probably take my boat out of the water for the remainder of the summer. Fishing gets real tough on the lake in the summer and this won't help.