Office of Mineral Resources

Round Two in Fight to Remove Hydrilla in Basin Starts Soon

Last year almost to the date a team of scientists, chemists, and state officials donned their boots, jumped into airboats and headed to Henderson to do battle. Thus, round one began in the fight to remove the noxious aquatic weed, hydrilla, from Henderson Lake in the Atchafalaya Basin.

According to the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the same herbicide application program used last July will be used this year because the menace weed has returned. "As soon as water levels permit, the contractors will use fluridone applications by air and by boat to attack this year's invasion," said DNR Project Manager Keith Lovell. He said that while $850,000 was spent on the hydrilla removal project in 2002, there is no cost involved this summer. "Our contracting partners are willing to step to the plate and re-treat the lake because their service and product has been proven to work," Lovell said.

Last December, LSU scientists who were hired to monitor the program, reported a 90 percent reduction of hydrilla in Henderson Lake. The partners in the program were pleased at the results which also cited increased commercial and recreational fishing on the lake just months after treatment. The weed is a nuisance, a problem for boaters, and particularly hard to fight.

DNR plans to request $250,000 for a long term maintenance program in its upcoming budget requests, officials say.

Griffin LLC, the contractor for the project, has agreed to re-treat the lake in about two weeks. Chem Spray South, Inc. will conduct the spray operations. There will be no restrictions for use of the lake as contractors go about their work over a four to six week period depending on weather conditions. According to the contractors, signs will be posted in and around the area so that users and the public are notified that the program is underway. Monitoring and water samples will commence after the applications are completed.

Editors: For more information on this topic, contact DNR Public Information Office at 225-342-8955 or DNR Project Manager Keith Lovell at 225-342-0202.
Also, LSU AgCenter Project Manager is Dearl Sanders at 225-683-5848.