After two summers of treating Cazenovia Lake with herbicide, the town of Cazenovia will take a break in 2011.
“2011 will be considered a monitoring year where we will closely watch the plants’ behavior and then potentially use spot treatment in 2012 if it is merited,” said Amy Mann, village of Cazenovia trustee and Lake Watershed Council member.
A study of about 300 points in the lake in September compared the current presence of Eurasian watermilfoil to what was present at those points a year ago, and also in 2008 before any treatment.
“The drop-off in ‘medium’ and ‘dense’ areas is staggering,” Mann said.
While the study did show that there is still some milfoil remaining, the density is classified as ‘sparse,’ which Mann said makes spot treatment impractical.
Allied Biological, who has administered the herbicide treatment, will review the treated areas in the spring, and a third consecutive annual study will be performed in September to study the growth of the invasive species.
“It is very possible that native plants, which are desirable, might fill in the spots previously occupied by milfoil, and help retard future growth. And there will be no harvesting to avoid the risk of spreading the currently existing milfoil,” Mann said.
