Freedom — September 16, 2009 – More milfoil has found its way into Ossipee Lake. Late Tuesday, state officials confirmed that samples taken from Pickerel Cove on Broad Bay are invasive variable milfoil.
Lake property owner Jim Fitzpatrick reported the weed to Ossipee Lake Alliance, and a volunteer collected a sample for processing by DES.
After viewing the area, which is east of Cassie Cove, Alliance co-director Susan Marks said the infestation is in deep water and is extensive but appears to be relatively young. She said the Alliance will work with state and local officials to develop options for treating it, which could include mechanical harvesting, hand-pulling or an application of chemicals.
Milfoil is spread from lake to lake by boats, making inspections of boats and trailers an important preventative weapon. There are yearly Lake Host inspection programs at the Pequawket Trail and Pine River public ramps, but all other ramps rely on boaters to inspect their boats and trailers voluntarily before launch.
Once established, milfoil is spread within a lake system by currents as it is chopped up by boat props, with even the smallest fragment capable of establishing a new infestation. At present, there is no method of permanent eradication.
Other infested locations in the lake system are upper and lower Danforth Pond, Danforth Brook (Ossipee Lake Marina vicinity), Phillips Brook and an adjacent portion of Leavitt Bay, and the Ossipee River.
Phillips Brook is completely consumed by milfoil and the weed had spread out to the beach areas and dock areas adjacent. It is worse than ever. Will there be more work done in this area? Every time a boat goes by these areas, it is spreading it more. I would be helpful to have a special site on the website, or more info as to what can be done to stop or inhibit it from spreading more.
Thanks.
Portsmouth Cove is again infested with Milfoil. Went in the water once this season and when I got up to about five plus feet could feel it on my legs. The previous harvesting lasted over a year. It is in deeper water than previously,
Danforth Pond, the shoreline of my property, has an infestation that has also returned. THis wasa site of initial treatments for variable milfoil. I can now feel when I swim. what is the best response for a property owner?
Phillips Brook has been milfoil heaven since I was a boy in the 1970s.
What does the research show about combatting milfoil with herbicides? Or maybe we can make milfoil tofu and sell it to the Obama voters at Wild Oats.
On another note…
Just came from Long Sands (my first visit this year) and I want to congratulate the State on allocating such a large section for public use. I assumed it would be much more restricted.
Also, the 25-foot kayak landing area is a riot. I enjoyed imagining an entire summer of mandal-wearing Obama voters cramming their recycled-plastic eco-canoes into that space.
After bearing witness to harvesting efforts of milfoil for the last five years I am completely convinced that harvesting (despite the pick up efforts) leaves pieces of the plants all over the lake, and that harvesting spreads the milfoil more than a thousand propellers do. I am an advocate of Herbicide use and am frustrated by the reluctance to use it.
I agree… it’s hard to imagine that microscopic fragments aren’t scattered 1000-fold to the currents when milfoil is harvested. But I applaud the efforts of the divers. We know the path of good intentions, however.