The lake is being overtaken with vegetation

I think it is hydrilla. My town has a lake of about 100 acres, devoid of all trees, that was cleared out when it was built in about 1960. I think this has been a problem before because I recall grass eating carp being put in there. I am not sure that they reproduce? I haven't seen any in a long time, they probably just died of old age. They sure got big and I recall that they did a good job on the grass. Does anyone know how to get rid of this stuff? Will a drawdown do it? Will it die with freezes or do you have to rake and burn it? That's a problem if so cuz the town has no money. Must you use herbicide? This stuff is covering probably half the lake now. The lake is 18 ft deep at its deepest near the dam. This grass is pretty much anywhere from zero to 10 feet or so now. The lake is used for swimming, skiing and gets quite a lot of fishing. For bass, bream and crappie. One thing I am going to say to the town when I alert "town hall" is... imagine you are a skier and you and nobody in your boat is aware of the hydrilla and a young kid falls while skiing or tubing and ends up with that stuff all around his/her legs and panics. That can't be good. If nothing else, it's just scary to many kids.

BTW, fishing in the lake now is pretty much curtailed.

I'll also mention that reeds have completely covered the entire shoreline in this lake and most any lake around here. It didn't use to be that way when I was young. I am not sure if all of them are cattails but that is what it looks like.

Lakes have a life expectancy, it is difficult to turn it around. Depending on lots of things it might be well past it’s prime and headed downhill, lots of vegetation is typically a sign it is really warm and fertile and likely getting shallower, 100 acres is chore to fix , dredging might an option to consider

That’s a good answer, Ketchn. All your points are good ones.
Bob

Our “home” lake is in the same shape. 174 acres being taken over with vegetation. A local college bought it and it’s gone to pot.

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Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie

Our “home” lake is in the same shape. 174 acres being taken over with vegetation. A local college bought it and it’s gone to pot.

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No pun intended?? LOL!!

A big lake near me is taken over. It’s really clear, so the junk is out to around 15 feet deep. It’s managed by COE, they have sprayed in the past, and the bass guys go apoplectic.
They say it’s good for the fish. What good are fish if you can’t fish for/catch them? One of my favorite little springtime spots, a acre or two flat averages around 12 foot deep, is choked completely out. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve caught a limit off that spot, can’t fish it at all now. SPRAY!


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It is common for lakes around here to draw down in the winter because of vegetation but I am not sure about hydrilla. I am aware of a lake very nearby, much larger, maybe 800 acres but it is private, owned by a wealthy man. I heard that hydrilla made the bass fishing fantastic until it went beyond the point of reason and they had to drain it because it took over. The hydrilla there has not come back. I don't know what they did other than drain it but he has the money to do whatever. I will ask someone who should know.

It was said above that lakes have a life. Then what? Does a lake ever become completely useless?

Vegetation is a regular problem around here. I recall lakes having trouble with coontail moss, hydrilla and the one for the past about 20 years has been salvinia. This town lake does not have any salvinia. That stuff can sure ruin a lake. They draw lakes down for that but they also spray herbicide. I seem to recall they also found a bug that kills the plant.

EDIT: We have had a few winters here that been the coldest of my life and I'm almost 70. Getting down to single digits, even zero degrees, I think if you drain a lake and it's exposed, that temp kills just about anything.

If the "reeds" are phragmites, it is very difficult to control. On top of the other issues, you may be further ahead by researching other nearby lakes.

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Originally Posted by MCG1

If the "reeds" are phragmites, it is very difficult to control. On top of the other issues, you may be further ahead by researching other nearby lakes.

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They don't look like what I see from google fro phragmite. I think they are all cattails. Wow, those things take over a shore. There is no way to fish these lakes from shore like I did as a kid, you can't get to the water!

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Originally Posted by BuckeyeCrappie

Our “home” lake is in the same shape. 174 acres being taken over with vegetation. A local college bought it and it’s gone to pot.

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Originally Posted by KokomoTerror

No pun intended?? LOL!!

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Pun accepted, for real !! :Rofl

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Originally Posted by livemusic

It is common for lakes around here to draw down in the winter because of vegetation but I am not sure about hydrilla. I am aware of a lake very nearby, much larger, maybe 800 acres but it is private, owned by a wealthy man. I heard that hydrilla made the bass fishing fantastic until it went beyond the point of reason and they had to drain it because it took over. The hydrilla there has not come back. I don't know what they did other than drain it but he has the money to do whatever. I will ask someone who should know.

It was said above that lakes have a life. Then what? Does a lake ever become completely useless?

Vegetation is a regular problem around here. I recall lakes having trouble with coontail moss, hydrilla and the one for the past about 20 years has been salvinia. This town lake does not have any salvinia. That stuff can sure ruin a lake. They draw lakes down for that but they also spray herbicide. I seem to recall they also found a bug that kills the plant.

EDIT: We have had a few winters here that been the coldest of my life and I'm almost 70. Getting down to single digits, even zero degrees, I think if you drain a lake and it's exposed, that temp kills just about anything.

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they actually turn into a vast wetland swamp before they completely die , so useless wouldnt be the appropriate terminology, useful to migrating waterfowl and other shore birds and amphibia galore as well as other wildlife in the area .
unfortunately fishing isnt in the realm at that point so useless for fish ketchn would be a good description .