There’s a salvinia problem on Black Lake. In fact, there’s been a chronic salvinia problem throughout the state for over 20 years.
Wildlife & Fisheries combats this invasive plant with biological (salvinian weevils), chemical and physical measures.
The NPJ recently received photos from residents on Sibley Lake who are concerned the salvinia problem on Sibley Lake has increased significantly just over the last month.
LDWF Biologist Manager Villis Dowden said this is due to the higher than normal precipitation Natchitoches Parish has received throughout August. The rain flushes vegetation from private ponds and upstream of the Oak Grove Bridge and the area upstream of the gas plant.
Treatments by both the LDWF and the City of Natchitoches have been underway and increased over the last two weeks to control any expansion into the main lake. To date this year, the Department alone has treated 85 acres of giant salvinia on Sibley Lake, primarily in the Oak Grove area.
Villis said he expects with the current and future treatments, along with drier conditions, that salvinia coverage will begin to decrease in both of these upper tributaries as it has in the past. The lower end where the potable water intake is located has never had a salvinia issue. Salvinia cannot remain still in open water conditions, wave action or in currents through the spillway.
The City Utility Department is also on the lake spraying a chemical that is designed to target the giant salvinia. This is a coordinated effort with the LDWF.
That spray the city is using,. Is that the same stuff they sprayed on highway six west.? That should work really well.
I don’t know anything about eradication of salvinia but I do know that the lakes around Houston years ago were infested with the stuff,. The authorities released thousands of fingerling grass eating carp. The carp were hybrid and were therefore sterile and could not increase their numbers and would reduce their population to zero over the course of time. In the meantime, they totally eradicated the invasive salvinia.by feeding on it. Is there some reason why that method can not be used in our area?
Is it really a good idea to spray all these chemicals into our drinking water source? Are they filtered out during the water treatment process? These are troubling issues.
Is it really a good idea to spray all those chemicals in our drinking water source? Are they filtered out during the water treatment process? I understand the lake is also used for recreation, but these issues are troubling.