The survey offered in this post has closed. Results will be posted in the comments below. If you would like to provide feedback to ISDA regarding invasive and noxious weed treatment, please email Jeremey Varley.
Jeremey Varley, Noxious Weeds Specialist for ISDA, has asked the Improvement District to gather input on aquatic weed treatment dates for the North Arm of Hayden Lake. If you live north of Henry Point, your input is needed to help inform ISDA’s decision.
Treatment Date Options:
ISDA will survey the North Arm for Eurasian and Hybrid Watermilfoil during the week of July 5. If survey results indicate herbicide treatment is necessary, a ProcellaCOR application will occur in either late July or late August, depending on multiple factors, one of them being the community’s response via the survey below.
Late July Treatment Scenario: ISDA predicts that irrigation of ornamental, broadleaf, and food plants will be restricted from one to three weeks.
Late August Treatment Scenario: more Milfoil will have grown; a higher dose of herbicide will be needed to bring it under control. ISDA predicts water-use restrictions for three or more weeks.
Who and what will be affected?
ISDA will use plant survey data to determine if and where the herbicide will be applied. Since treatment areas will be defined simultaneously with the gathering of your input, it’s too early to say whether you will be directly impacted or not. You should assume that you will be impacted if you live north of Henry Point.
Eurasian Watermilfoil and Hybrid Watermilfoil will be removed. Most native plants will not be affected.
Water Use Restrictions in ProcellaCOR herbicide-treated areas:
- Drinking-Water – There are NO RESTRICTIONS on the consumption of treated water for potable use by humans, livestock, pets, or other animals.
- Recreation – There are NO RESTRICTIONS for swimming or fishing in the treated areas.
- Turf irrigation – there are NO RESTRICTIONS for irrigating turf.
- Non-food ornamental and broadleaved plants – DO NOT IRRIGATE ornamentals until ISDA lifts this restriction.
- Food Crops – DO NOT IRRIGATE edible plants until ISDA lifts this restriction.
Treatment Decision:
The Improvement District will compile your input and report it to ISDA on Tuesday, July 6.
ISDA will use your input, the plant survey data, and recommendations from the herbicide manufacturer to determine treatment dates. If you have questions, please contact Jeremey Varley.
9 Responses
We need a short term fix and a long term strategy. Dredging is a logical plan but that needs to be vetted out. We need to get the right chemicals and provide enjoyment of the lake. I draw from the lake but would bury a tank to help the program by not having to worry about drinking weed treated water. We need a louder voice to get this going.
Survey results:
30 residents living north of Henry Point responded to the survey.
Of 23 residents requesting treatment in July, 5 irrigate ornamental plants, 1 of which does not have an alternative water source.
Of 7 residents requesting treatment in August, 4 irrigate ornamental plants, none of which have an alternative water source.
The weeds have taken over, making it impossible to boat or swim in North arm. The first treatment didn’t work, and we need to get ahead of the growth.
With low water levels, we are seeing a large amount of cut up weed mass floating on the surface and decaying. There is increased use of Sportsman’s launch with Honeysuckle parking being further restricted for boat trailer parking.
I agree with other comments that dredging is a better long-term solution. But something has to be done short-term too. By late August, the situation will only be worse and the summer is basically over. Better to control it sooner rather than later.
The weeds are chocking out the lake. There needs to be consistent treatment with appropriate chemicals. Whatever used earlier just didn’t work. Cannot omit a year like you have in the past.
Consistent application of herbicide will be needed to resolve past practice that allowed seeds to be released and to control growth and resultant fragments.
Throwing chemicals in our lake is not a good long term solution and leaving the dead plants at the bottom of the lake is not responsible lake management. Although I voted to do the early treatment for less chemicals – I am concerned that the decaying plants will promote algae and more weed growth.
We have a 500’ well located 150’ from high water. Appreciate all your efforts but maintain that until the growing medium is removed we are battling a long term problem with short term solutions. Dredging is the only answer long term and the expense associated will be reflected by the positive increase in property values
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