Check back at this page to get updates on the status of our Brazilian Elodea Eradication Project. (BEEP)
--- Updated September 5, 2010 ----
BE found during Rake Toss Survey - August 23, 2010
The Three Lakes Council hired our lake manager, ABI, to do a rake toss study in Lake Waccabuc. This was primarily to search for Brazilian elodea (BE) in our lakes. The survey will also give us some idea how aquatic plant density changes from year to year.
The good news is that ABI did not find any Brazilian elodea (BE) in the north cove. Unfortunately, a fragment of BE was found on one rake toss on the north shore of the island. This means that BE escaped our "containment area" of the north cove. They did not find BE anywhere else in the lakes, but we need to continue to be alert for it.
Searchers began to scuba and snorkel around the island. We have found more BE plants and fragments in a dense patch of plants on one section on the north side of the island. At the current time, our best estimate is that this area probably had BE plants since last year. It also appears that there is a relatively small area where BE was growing.
Our current plans are to hand harvest the area where the BE was found, which requires Town permission. We also intend to continue to search nearby areas, since it now appears that BE may have spread.
I'll repeat what Scott Kisbaugh from the DEC told us: "While the location is discouraging, the very small quantity of BE seems pretty encouraging. I don't know of any EWM or other eradication efforts that have shown such strong control in the first year."
We're going to continue our efforts to eradicate Egeria
You can help! Please contact threelakescouncil@gmail.com if you see any unusual plant.
BEEP Monitoring 2010 - Second pass complete
Volunteers completed the second pass of monitoring in the North Cove in 2010. The second pass occurred from 7/26 to 8/12, and covered most of the harvested areas and all of the places where Brazilian elodea had been found in 2009 after the harvesting. No Brazilian elodea (Egeria densa) was found. However, there is ample growth of aquatic vegetation. Our lake manager will supplement our volunteer survey with a rake toss survey later in August.
BEEP Monitoring 2010 Gets Underway!
In May, our volunteers began to search the cove for the invasive plant. In June more intensive searches with scuba and snorkeling began. From June 8 to July 9, searchers covered the littoral areas of the cove where the invasive plant had been seen in 2009. Over 2 acres were searched. Here's the great news: so far no Brazilian elodea (Egeria densa) has been found! (knock wood). There is a lot of aquatic plant growth so life is returning quickly after the suction harvesting. We'll continue to search the cove this summer.
How you can help right now!
If you live on the cove, you can help by "weeding" along your shore. The fewer plants, the easier it is to identify what's there. Just make sure you remove all fragments.
If you are elsewhere on the lakes, please contact us if you see any strange plants. And please check, clean and dry anything that has been in other waters before bringing them into our lakes.
Thanks to everyone for their support!
BEEP MONITORING PAUSED FOR THE SEASON - OCTOBER 2009
Brrr! That water just got too cold, even for wet and dry suits. The monitoring for Egeria densa in the cove ended in late October for the season. During August, September, and October, volunteers had been swimming in the north cove generally a few days every week, monitoring the regrowth and removing any Egeria densa that they found. The number of plants and plant fragments found in the cove got smaller as we continued to search, and the last fragments of the season were found on October 8. Since almost any recognizable fragment can regrow, vigilance is required. Although the water is colder, the plant can still grow. If you see a plant in the lake that you don't recognize or that you think might be Brazilian elodea, please contact Paul Lewis or Jan Andersen. We'll be back out in spring.
BEEP the Sequel
Unfortunately, we have found some fragments of Egeria in the north cove. We first found a few fragments, then we found some plants. It appears that there were several plants where the tops were pulled, but the root crowns were left intact. When pulled, these show new growth right next to older broken shoots.
We have also tried to grow some of these in buckets in an area away from the lakes. Some rootless fragments were put into the buckets, and within a few days had grown long roots. We are now trying different sizes of fragments to see what size will grow roots. We had some with roots and some plants and are watching to see how they grow.
Come wade, snorkel, or scuba to find fragments and bring them in. While there is limited plant growth in the cove, it's much easier to spot what is growing.
BEEP PROGRESS
Suction harvesting began with curtain installation on June 8, and was completed on Friday July 10. The fragment curtain was removed on July 11. The pontoon boat was removed from the lake on July 20. The monitoring period has officially begun. Watch your weeds and please call if you spot any plant that you'd like to have checked out. Thanks to everyone for their support and patience.
BEEP BACKGROUND
On May 15, 2009, the council presented the BEEP status at WCC.
The executive committee met with our suction harvesting vendor on May 21 to review the proposal, timing, and procedures.
Fundraising - we set a target to raise at least $50,000. Many people have been very generous - thank you. Every contribution helps.
Logistics -
A scuba survey at the end of April indicated that the cool spring weather had kept the plants from beginning to grow, and the lake was still extremely murky from the lake turnover. We found plants beginning to grow on May 10, but not vigorously enough to accurately determine the exact area of their growth.
Thanks to everyone who attended the Planning Board's public hearing, and thanks to all who have sent letters of support and donations to date.
Support our Fundraising Efforts
We expect the cost of the eradication efforts to be about $50,000. We have applied for grants, but we expect the majority of the expense will have to come from our watershed residents. If you are part of an organization that may give grants to community organizations, such as the Lions, Kiwanis, Elks, or other organizaitons, please consider whether our project might qualify. Thanks to all of our generous donors!
Please respond generously to our fundraising appeal. Donations may be sent to:
Three Lakes Council - EEI
PO Box 241
South Salem, NY 10590
Contact us if you see an unfamiliar plant in the lakes
If you see a plant that doesn't look familiar, contact Jan Andersen or Paul Lewis and we will come take a look. If we don't know what it is, we know how to find out.
Help with Education and Awareness
The most likely way that this plant got to our lakes was that someone dumped an aquarium. Please help communicate the dangers of transporting water or living plants and animals from one body of water to another. Be cautious with fishing gear and boats, especially from service providers who may have trailers at many lakes each day. Remember the guidelines of Check, Clean, and Dry. See more.
Learn more about the invasive plant
You can learn more about Egeria densa, the invasive aquatic plant, by clicking here and reading more about this plant. It should help explain why we are so concerned about the appearance of Egeria on our lakes. That page also has a link to the presentation that was given last September to many of the residents on the cove.
News coverage
The Lewisboro Ledger has been covering the effort to eradicate Egeria.
Council attacks crippling plant September 11, 2008
Waccabuc Cove weed removal plan presented February 10, 2009
Lake Waccabuc ownership question stalls weed eradication February 13, 2009
Board may have solution to end lake infestation March 6, 2009
Council to remove weed from lake April 4, 2009
The Journal News also covered this project. Their page with news coverage and a video has expired, but you can see a pdf here.