Re: [Paddlewise] Mill foil

From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2011 11:13:21 -0700
On Thu, Jul 21, 2011 at 3:07 AM, Tord S. Eriksson <tord_at_mindless.com> wrote:

> Found this link interesting:
> http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?SpeciesID=237
>
> We have it here, of course, but never heard that it is any problems with
> it.
>
> It's a serious problem here. In relatively shallow water (under about
10-feet) milfoil can completely block access to deeper water for boats and
swimmers. In power boats the plant particles are sucked into coolant ducts
and block them, tangle propellers and on jet-boats completely block the
water intake. We had a jet-ski on the southern parts of Lake Coeur d'Alene
(largest lake in Idaho) that had its water intake blocked and became
unstable due to the weight of the plant material. We had to dive on the
jet-ski to clear the blockage.

Milfoil is a perennial and in this are it disappears in the colder months
and grows into a problem around the end of June or first part of July. By
August the affected areas are choked with the plant.

Interesting link... they say that the first documented evidence of milfoil
in the USA was in 1942 and that Wyoming is the only state in the lower-48
without documented infestations.

Nasty little weed. Apparently they've used triploid grass carp to get rid of
it in many areas. I wonder why it hasn't been used here. We have plenty of
carp in this lake, however. They're big enough so that when you bump into
them (they like to loll about just under the surface) they can practically
capsize an unwary kayaker.

Craig
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Received on Thu Jul 21 2011 - 11:13:39 PDT

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