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Messalonskee Lake Group Uses Aggressive Approach to Attack Milfoil

July 31, 2007 - Oakland -- Later this summer, divers will begin fighting the spread of milfoil by plucking strands in the lake bed and using submerged tarpaulins to cut the invasive plant species off from sunlight.

This will be the first time that members of the Messalonskee Lake Association have taken such a hands-on role in fighting the plants' spread, according to board number Michael Willey.

"It's not going to be a big expense," he said. "The general process will be pulling it and trying to prevent the fragmentation while they are pulling it."

Willey said the milfoil plants would then be placed into some sort of container and disposed of.

The Messalonskee Lake Association has already decided to go forward with the project, and members of the association and local residents are invited to a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Willey's residence on Willey's Point to discuss particulars of the plan.

The variable leave milfoil is an invasive plant species that threatens to take over Messalonskee Lake. It would probably do the same to other lakes if it took root elsewhere. A 1 inch piece of milfoil sticking to the bottom of a boat and hitchhiking to another body of water could begin a new infestation.

Until now, Lake Association members have limited their role to inspecting boat bottoms and monitoring the plants' spread. But now they are taking a more aggressive approach, Willey said.

In this project, three teams of three people will take on the project, which will serve as a small-scale experiment to determine the effectiveness of the measures.

The project will focus on a small cove near Willey Point Road, not far from the Oakland boat launch.

Each of the teams will include a diver, who will be assisted by someone in a boat and someone wading in the water.

Besides removing the milfoil from the lake bottom, divers will try an alternate method. It will consist of spreading and anchoring tarpaulins just above the milfoil. Called a "benthic barrier," this approach should stop the plants growth, since it will prevent them from receiving sunlight, Willey said.

News of this project comes weeks after the state opened a new boat launch in Sidney to direct water traffic away from the Route 27 launch, the site of a large milfoil infestation, Willey said.

"The goal is not to eradicate it," he said. "The point is to use this pilot project to see if we can reduce infestation levels."

This article appeared in its original form in the Morning Sentinel, July 24, 2007

Lakes: Messalonskee Lake
Regions: Belgrade


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