(NEBR) Goose Lake closed in battle with invasive water plant

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/goose-lake-closed-in-battle-with-invasive-water-plant/article_60c48110-5ac6-11e5-a00c-a78a42c39828.html

POSTED: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015 4:52 AM

CHAMBERS, Neb. (AP) — Goose Lake Wildlife Management Area in northern Nebraska has been closed to public access as officials try to keep an invasive aquatic plant from spreading.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says it is developing a plan to eradicate a heavy infestation of Eurasian watermilfoil from the lake so the area can be reopened. The plants’ leaves or stem fragments easily can be carried on boats, trailers and other aquatic sporting equipment to other bodies of water.

The plants can spread rapidly from leaves or stem fragments and can grow up to 2 inches a day. Their dense surface mats interfere with boating, fishing, swimming and other forms of recreation.

The lake is situated about 10 miles southeast of Chambers in southern Holt County.

[MineralMan]

1. Sadly, that's a battle that will never be won.

Minnesota has tried, but just about every lake in the Twin Cities metro area has Eurasian milfoil in it. The fish love it, but boaters hate it. Once it's in an area, though, there's pretty much no way to prevent it from getting in other bodies of water. It's just too prolific to stop. It can even be carried in on the feet of waterfowl. One scrap of the plant will reproduce.

It's a pest.

[ALBliberal]

2. An example of how a non indigent (European) plant can mess up an ecosystem

Very sad. Same could be said for non indigent insects and animals. Not all but very many are harmful.