An aquatic vegetation management project in Storm Lake is underway today. This project is a cooperation between the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Lake Improvement Commission, and the City of Storm Lake. It will be the second consecutive year this has taken place.
The work should be completed Wednesday, conditions permitting. The herbicide products utilized are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for use in public aquatic areas. There are no restrictions on swimming, boating, or fishing during or after the application.
Aquatic Ecosystems Consultants is once again in charge of conducting the application this year. The process is designed to control submerged vegetation, emergent aquatic weeds, floating plants, and planktonic algae.
The application will cover about 30 acres of high-use shoreline and public beach areas or around 1 percent of the lake surface.
According to DNR Fisheries Biologist Ben Wallace, while vegetation is healthy for a lake, it can negatively impact recreational use, so control efforts walk a fine line to provide the best possible ecosystem for both people and aquatic life.
