Milfoil Eradication, Is it Possible?

Milfoil Eradication, Is it Possible?

According to a report released from the MNDNR, Schmidt Lake in Hennepin County contains no Eurasian Water Milfoil.

After only three years of lake wide management the lake is free of milfoil.  In the fall of 2004, a survey conducted showed Eurasian Water Milfoil percent occurrence to be at 54%. In the spring of 2007, surveys of the lake conducted showed levels of Eurasian Water Milfoil grew to 87% occurrence.  By August of 2008 Milfoil disappeared.

How did they do it? After years of spending thousands of dollars on treatments, Schmidt Lake Improvement Association turned to PLM Lake & Land Management Corp. (PLM) in Pequot Lakes, MN for help.   PLM advised the Association that the current program was actually impairing the lake.
PLM introduced an Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM) to the association.  IPM’s are not new to pest management and are conducted in nearly every pest management program.  IPM relies on a series of events that identify the problem thru assessments, prescription and implementing best management practices (BMP’S) to control the pest. The association immediately adopted this new plan and began an intense program which utilized the combination science and technology to manage the problem lake wide.

The result, no Eurasian Water Milfoil, an improvement in water quality and a significant reduction in another invasive species, Curly Leaf Pondweed.  The association continues to work in cooperation with PLM, the MNDNR, and other stakeholders to ensure that milfoil never returns to the lake, and if it does they have a scientifically based program to mitigate the Invasive Species.  The Schmidt lake IPM plan doesn’t stop with the milfoil, the Improvement association is now working on several other programs including biological nutrient reduction and sediment evaluation to restore the lake.

Milfoil Eradication - Interview with Patrick Selter of PLM Lake & Land Management Corp
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