Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Controlling unwanted plants Hello, New Here & would love to talk Milfoil

Hi guys, I've been reading this forum for the last few days and have learned a great deal: Thanks.

But, I guess before I completely outline my plan of attack I'd like to bounce a few things off the forum.

My family has a 100 acre lake in central IL that has a serious milfoil problem.

The water is very clear, averages 8 ft deep & is self contained (no water entering or leaving the lake).

The milfoil covers almost all of the lake and will reach the surface in most places by the end of the summer.

For the past few years I believe they have used AquatholK with very limited results. I am sure this is due to the fact that the budget to control the situation has been around 5 grand, and the maker calls for 10X that amount.

I think I could come up with around 10 grand to try and help the fight this season (I rarely if ever use the property, but hate seeing it go to hell), but I need a plan of attack.

1. I won't have $10k to contribute to the fund every season, I think the budget would be half that or less in the future. Is this an exercise of futility due to the size of the lake? I don't need to completely eradicate the weed (but it would be nice) but I need to know that this $10k effort will at least help provide some residual effects.

2. A great deal of what I have read here and elsewhere recommends fluridone instead of AquatholK.

3. They use the lake mostly for fishing and light boating, no swimming.

Thoughts?

Fluridone is non-selective, meaning it will do a number on many of the aquatic plants present, including some that you would probably like to keep around.

A 100 acre BOW is going to be challenging in both the efforts expended, as well as the $$$ involved. Have you considered calling in someone with expertise in dealing with large bodies of water, and getting them to evaluate the lake?

I would suggest contacting Golden Sands RC&D and ask for Paul Skawinski. They are quite well versed in the subject of AIS and while they are in Central WI he should be able to point you in the right direction.

http://www.goldensandsrcd.org/our-work/water/aquatic-invasive-species-program

Welcome to the forum!

In your best guess, what is the average depth of the lake? The water is clear due to all the milfoil (you're positive on the ID?) utilizing the nutrients. Kill off the milfoil, and you could end up with greenish colored water to greenish colored water with Filamentous Algae in places.

An estimate of how many gallons of water are in the lake is needed to figure out the amount of fluridone needed. You typically can't "spot treat" with fluridone.

A fluridone treatment doesn't have to be done every year. If it's done correctly, you whack it once, early this year before the plants can produce seeds, and give it a "bump" a few weeks later. Keep an eye on the BOW, and whack back (spot treat) any plants that show up later on in the year before they can go to seed. Pay close attention to the lake next year in the early spring. Spot treat any milfoil that germinates from seeds. You might have to hit it again with fluridone the 3rd year, maybe not.

The key is doing it right the first year.

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Tony:

The thing that I really like about using Fluridone for Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) and Curly Leaf Pondweed (CLP) is that those plants are very sensitive to fluridone. You can treat a BOW with fluridone and kill both without killing other species that need a higher dosage. For instance, take my pond last year.

I hit it with fluridone 4-5 weeks before the seminar. Not too long after that I had an influx of water in the pond. The EWM didn't show it's typical signs of a fluridone treatment. I thought I'd have to hit it again after the seminar with a full dose. I didn't look at the pond for a few days and the next time I looked, all the milfoil disappeared. Some shoreline emergent plants showed some white streaks about that time too.

You saw the FA problem and the bloom. But, the Narrowleaf and American Pondweed weren't affected. The CLP was in the pond also died back, but this fall I noticed some sprouting from the turions. I was able to treat the pond before the EWM went to seed, so hopefully I'll just have a small amout to deal with this spring.

That is true, EWM is very susceptible to Fluridone, while other species require higher dosages. Better be very accurate in your estimation of lake size however!

Very true! Measure 3x dose once.

I had a chance to talk with one of my DNR contacts and he said that they have seen some success with milfoil weevils.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.457391147626927.134056.198443196855058&type=3

http://www.weau.com/news/headlines/Weevi..._128038303.html


search Holcombe milfoil weevil

Ask them where we can buy them?

Thanks Shorty. I read the data. The only data that had reference to both container size and number of weevels introduced shows that they worked at the rate of 3,136,000+ per surface acre. Other data showed that they worked, and gave either quantity stocked, or surface acres, but none had both listed together (unless I missed it, which is possible). But, nowhere could I find a price for them. Did you see a price for them when you were looking?

Esshup, I didn't see any pricing listed but if you have to ask you might not want to know.

Just reading about the weevels life cycle it sounds like they don't migrate and should stay put and reproduce once introduced. The distribution map where the weevels have been found was interesting, there might be a lake near you that already has them established. I know of several public lakes around here that have milfoil present that don't get overrun by it. My best guess is that the either the weevel is present or the water clarity is such that it keeps the mifoil from getting out of hand.

D47, Welcome to Pond Boss. Very interesting thread! I'm trying to find the pricing also.

Tis the season to treat the lake... just wanted to re-affirm that most here thought fluridone was the answer.

BOW is 100 acres averaging 8ft deep, wanted to get a feel for how much to apply.

Thanks!

I'd apply enough to achieve 10 PPB dosage.

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