Milfoil Survey Continued

This was a cold day to be in the water - we had snow showers late in the afternoon. However, dedicated Joe's Ponders were out there looking for (and finding) milfoil patches. Here's what Barry Cahoon sent to me a few minutes ago:

On Sunday 10/27 JPA member Jim Bernotas and his niece and scuba diving partner Josie Cicia surveyed and hand pulled Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM) along the shoreline on Sandy Beach Road, supported by JPA EWM Response Coordinator Barry Cahoon.Jim and Josie discovered a new, small but densely populated patch of mature EWM plants.  Jim described the patch as “a forest of mature plants”.They hand pulled as much as their time in the cold water allowed.

 

Indications are that a concerted effort toward continued frequent hand pulling next season by a team of JPA scuba divers and snorkelers in addition to surveillance and monitoring of the entire lake by all members will be essential for the JPA to achieve any chance for EWM containment. Application of additional benthic barriers in the spring may be appropriate for newly found established EWM populations such as was discovered today.

 

Thanks so much to Jim and Josie for what should be considered no less than heroic volunteer efforts.

 

Photos are courtesy of Susan Bouchard.

For Joe's Pond

Barry Cahoon