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Battle against salvinia continues
Giant salvinia continues to grow on Turkey Creek Lake, although Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries officials say that the free-floating vegetation has mostly been contained after last year's drawdown of the lake and ongoing herbicide spraying.
A boat trip on the lake taken late last week by Franklin Sun reporters revealed that large patches of unwanted vegetation remain, but most of it is not giant salvinia.
While scatterings of salvinia were found, infestations of vegetation such as water hyacinth, penny wart and duckweed are much more prevalent on Turkey Creek Lake.
State employees are using herbicides and floating booms to control other plants on the lake as well as salvinia, but they consider salvinia to be the biggest threat because it spreads more quickly if left unchecked.
It's all a problem, said Johnny Ferrington, a retired Wildlife and Fisheries employee who served as a tour guide for the trip.
Knowing how quickly salvinia can spread, Ferrington is afraid that the plant could once again threaten fish populations in the lake if more effective measures aren't taken to get rid of it.
The drawdown wasn't enough, he said. Ferrington doesn't believe spraying will eradicate the plant either, especially with waters rising the way they are on the lake.
"The drawdown just didn't work. It was something that they tried, but it wasn't successful. When the backwater comes and spreads the salvinia all around a little bit, this place will look like a pasture," Ferrington said.For the full story, subscribe to the The Franklin Sun's NEW E-Edition! |
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