Minnesota Lake Associations Get Creative to Weed Out Invasive Plants

(Mitchell Lake Association via the Minnesota News Connection)

(By Mike Moen. Minnesota News Connection) – Minnesota lakes will soon lose their ice cover. Ahead of the seasonal change, crews are deploying the latest strategies to restore lake ecosystems overwhelmed by invasive plants, with hopes of making boating and other water activities easier.

Minnesota implemented a higher surcharge on boat licenses this year to help local entities pay for controlling aquatic invasive species.

Meanwhile, in Scott County, the Cedar Lake Improvement District hired PLM Lake and Land Management to drill holes through the ice and insert an herbicide that specifically targets invasive plants, such as curly-leaf pondweed.

Patrick Selter, vice president for PLM’s Midwest Region, said this plant grows throughout the winter, wreaking havoc when boating season arrives.