Clear Lake council updated on Eurasian Watermilfoil

CLEAR LAKE — Clear Lake’s City Council this week received an update on the management plan for combating Eurasian Watermilfoil in the lake. A small area of the invasive aquatic plant was originally found in the fall of 2023 east of McIntosh Beach and was treated in May of this year, but a larger area was found earlier this summer near Farmer’s Beach, with a more aggressive spot treatment in August to help prevent its spread.

Mayor Nelson Crabb says the DNR is planning future treatments. “We are going to be a partner with that. The first application, some of it  has been done already with spot treatments in 2024, but in 2025, and then there will what they call a bump, perhaps several months later than the first one, and it will be applied during that time in the year 2025 and thereafter.”

Crabb says the public will be safe during those future treatments.  “That chemical does not restrict us on any water, drinking water, that we would have. It won’t have any effect on fishing. It won’t have any effect on those who choose to swim. It won’t have any effect on pets or any of the irrigation water that you may be using on your residential lawn.”

Crabb says he knows a number of people have complained about the impact of Eurasian Watermilfoil. “I know people, including myself, were really grumbling about that in the late spring because it was creating havoc with the boating in particular, and of course then some people choose to swim off of their dock or in the area of around the beach would have problems there too, so we’re taking care of that.”

Crabb made his comments on the “Ask the Mayor” podcast on northiowanow.com. Click on this link to listen to the program. 

Click here to read more about Eurasian Watermilfoil.