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I have a 100+ year old spring-fed lake in East Texas that needs help. It's 90 acres, and is primarily LMB & crappie. The bottom is primarily sandy.

The problem here is that it gets very gunked up with filamentous algae, especially during the summer. Mats cover a majority of the banks, and it's nearly impossible to fish. It affects the whole lake, but in the neck on the northern part is definitely the worst, as it's very shallow up there.


The person in charge of managing the lake has in recent years tried fertilizing it, adding grass carp, and adding tilapia. All to no avail.

It has occurred to me, that I have not seen any other aquatic plant in the lake to compete with the filamentous algae. I was thinking that this could likely help battle it off, and the lake needs more structure regardless.

My number 1 priority is to establish some aquatic plants that can battle off the FA, while providing adequate structure for bass, and easy to fish. I don't want something invasive, or likely to get out of control. My main concern is the shallow neck in the upper part of the lake. Much of the coves and a large extending ridge through the middle part are only about 2' deep max, whiled the rest is only about 3-5' deep. I worry that something could overtake that area rather easily, not unlike the FA.

I've read about corkscrew eelgrass, and the advantages of that. A few questions though: How quickly does it establish and spread? Is it native? I'd like to keep the vegetation native, but if it's far and away the best option out there, than I can be a little flexible there.

A few other plants I've heard mentioned are water willow and blue iris. Again, I'd like to know if these can be planted without getting out of control up in the neck. I'm fine with it filling in the areas that are 1-2' in depth, but what is it's depth limit?
Also, are there any water lilies that can be controlled easily from taking over the neck?

Another little thing I'm curious of, is if any of these are attractive to ducks. We have a small population of ducks at the lake, mostly mallards and woodies, but the community isn't nearly what it used to be. It's not a priority to provide forage for them and grow the community, right now. It would just be an extra perk if any of the plants for the lake could help out with that.


Thanks in advance!

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My first thought is there were not enough Tilapia stocked. 25-30 pounds per vegetated acre (under water algae counts) of tilapia will remove a huge FA infestation and create an amazing amount of forage fish for the LMB and other predators to grow on. 10-20 pounds is considered "normal" FA control stocking levels in TX.

I like the Blue Flag Iris, but Water Willow are highly invasive water suckers...the willow grow from any broken branch, root runners, seed...and can overtake all the shoreline quickly....you think FA is hard to fish, try casting through willow branches...

The Grass Carp generally eat more desirable vegetation, but do have a place in the lake management tool shed. If you got a lot of the recent rain and your lake flushed well, you may have a much better year, plant wise, but in my experience, FA after a drought causes an even larger FA problem due to a huge nutrient influx of dried, dead grasses/plants decaying from the drought and being washed into the water.

If the budget allows, I would stock heavily on Tilapia this year, to take out the FA and allow native plants to appear and establish without being choked out by the FA. Another option could be an Alum treatment to bind up the phosphorus load in the pond, but only after testing the water to verify there is an over abundance of free P in the water.

EDIT: Grass Carp do NOT eat FA unless starving or foraging for plants growing amongst the FA.

Last edited by Rainman; 03/23/15 10:14 AM.


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Thanks for the info.

Unfortunately for us the budget this year will not allow for tilapia stocking as it has the past couple years. His plan is is to fertilize the lake with the money we have.

Regardless, the lake needs added structure and a diversifying of the vegetation. I was hoping I could take this opportunity to introduce a new species or two before the fertilization begins.

I'm aware that the grass carp do not eat FA. We have come to regret the decision, as they have become quite the nuisances.

Also, I love fishing lilies, and they used to be well establish at the lake years ago. But because they took over the neck, they had to be gotten rid of. I don't recall which species of lily they were. Are there any types of lilies that might do better? I was thinking if there were some that grow strictly shallow, preferably no more than 2' would work perfectly.

Thanks

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If you use a domestic ornamental water lily, they will be much less invasive and they can be quite attractive bloomers. However, you will likely have poor luck with anything until you get the grass carp out.

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Originally Posted By: RAH
However, you will likely have poor luck with anything until you get the grass carp out.


That's my concern, as well. I might experiment with some bow fishing, along with some other methods, to try to lessen their effect.

Thanks!

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90 acres will take some dedicated bow hunting. Maybe a few dozen large fish traps, especially if they are hungry? Hows your carpentry skills?

Or you could go old-school:

http://www.offgridworld.com/how-to-make-a-survival-fish-trap/

Also, why add fertilizer to a pond full of algae? Wouldn't that work against the goal of reducing the algae?

Last edited by RAH; 03/23/15 04:35 PM.
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Originally Posted By: RAH


Also, why add fertilizer to a pond full of algae? Wouldn't that work against the goal of reducing the algae?


That's my thought, as well. This, along with the grass carp introduction, is why I don't have faith in the current biologist. I may want to speak with the man in charge later this week and ask that he seek a second opinion.

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What do y'all think of planting smartweed and arrowhead along the shoreline/shallows? The reason I ask, is because I know where to easily get both locally. This is a fishing lake first, but like I said, duck forage would be an extra perk. Do these establish/spread well? How deep in the water can they run?

As far as submerged plants go, I know where I can get some widgeon grass. Is this a good option. Does it get out of control? How deep does it run, and how long does it grow?

Thanks in advance.

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You might consider giant bur-reed also. If others would tolerate emergent plants, they might take up some of the nutrients that the FA is thriving on. Are folks wanting shore fishing, or would they be satisfied with boat fishing?

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Would coontail and/or sago pondweed be a good option? How fast does it spread, and can it get out of control easily?

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The question about adding fertilizer is very appropriate. That's potentially throwing gasoline on the fire.
Not sure exactly where (in E TX) this lake is located, but East TX water is notorious to its poor response to fertilization - unless the lake has been limed.
Even if the lake were to respond to such fertilization - with a phytoplankton bloom as the objective - it would take a serious bloom to adequately limit enough sunlight penetration to thwart filamentous algae bottom-growth in such shallow depths; and that much of a bloom could have negative consequences of its own.
Widgeon grass: I normally only see this plant in brackish water environments. Not sure how well it would do in E TX.
Coontail and sago might do well; maybe too well - and potentially trading one problem for another.
It sounds like a very tough situation for devising an effective management strategy.
Does the spring inflow create a constant discharge? Or, does the spring basically keep up with evaporation? If the lake doesn't constantly discharge, does it discharge water during seasonal rainfalls?

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I agree with Kelly about the gasoline on the fire in regards to fertilization. There's enough nutrients in the pond to grow a huge crop of FA, why add more (i.e. fertilize)?

Check alkalinity and let us know what it is.

Have you looked at American Pondweed?


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Willcam97, my puddle, although quite a bit smaller, mirrors your pond.

A water test from A&M, and a Google Earth history search for water level fluctuations would be the first things I would do. The water test will give you info on the quality of the water, and the GE history search will let you know if some emergent plants are an option. Some plants like hardy lilies, can thrive for several years, and then a 2-3' water drop may wipe them out. At least here in the Emory area, Reeds/sages, Water Primrose, and American Pondweed seem to deal with various water issues the best.

I won't go into personal details here, but that 1-3' shallow water can be a bear to manage.

Does your pond manager have the ability to chemically treat aquatics from a boat, or does he spray/treat from the bank only?


AL


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