A study conducted on three lakes in the Three Lakes Chain of Lakes found improvement in slowing the spread of aquatic invasive species.
The Three Lakes Waterfront Association had Onterra LLC survey Virgin and Townline Lakes and from Long Lake to the Burnt Rollways Dam. The survey was looking for Eurasian Water Milfoil, which the Waterfront Association has done extensive removal work in those lakes.
Oneida County Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator Stephanie Boismenue says milfoil is easily transported from lake to lake. But the fall survey she says found promising results... "....preliminary results have been very promising with the treatments they've had. Virgin Lake they found EWM to be in low densities. Single plants or clumps here and there. That lake group is going to be managing it via hand harvesting with scuba diving..Townline they found a single plant back in 2015. I don't think they've found any since that plant was found in 2015. If the lakes management company performing the survey and they just see one or two plants they will pull it out...."
In Long Lake they found 12 plants which is low density and she says doesn't warrant herbicide treatment.
The results were preliminary and Boismenue says the full report will be available in the near future.
Eurasian Water Milfoil grows early in the spring before native plants grow, and tends of block sunlight to the later native plants. It also can clog up portions of the lake, making it difficult to navigate in.
