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Monday, November 11, 2002
Homeowners set to fight Lake Arrowhead's milfoil
Copyright © 2002 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. | ||
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WATERBORO - Homeowners around Lake Arrowhead are joining the fight against variable-leaf milfoil, which they say has the potential to turn the centerpiece of their community into a swamp. Milfoil is an invasive aquatic plant that grows extremely fast, crowding out native plants. Besides impairing boating and swimming, the plant also can deplete oxygen levels in the water and kill fish. "It's taken over," said Eric Herrle, a Waterboro selectman. It is estimated that milfoil already has clogged 200 acres of the lake. To combat the problem, a group called the Friends of Lake Arrowhead had proposed that the 1,100-acre, man-made lake be drawn down 4 feet, which has been done in past years. In theory, such a draw-down freezes milfoil and kills it off. But the Department of Environmental Protection disagreed, saying it wanted a study on the impacts of the proposal first, and a draw-down probably would not fix the problem. The two recently negotiated a 2-foot lowering of the lake, but members of the group say they will continue to prove that a 4-foot drop is their best shot at stopping a plant that could not only overrun their lake, but others around it. "If we can't control Lake Arrowhead, what's going to happen when it gets to Little Ossipee Pond?" Herrle said. "And it will get there."' Invasive aquatic plants such as milfoil have become a growing problem in Maine. Variable-leaf milfoil has been spotted in 14 ponds and lakes in the state. The plant is dangerous because it grows so quickly. When a piece of milfoil is broken, either by a boat propeller or even by the waves from a swimmer, it breaks into many pieces that fall to the bottom of the water and take root, growing more plants. Milfoil is spread when small bits of the plant become attached to boat hulls, outboard motors, trailers and other equipment and are introduced into another body of water when the boats are relaunched. Last summer, the state launched a major education campaign on milfoil, requiring all motorboat owners to display a sticker on their crafts. The fees for the stickers - $10 for residents, $20 for non-residents - go toward fighting the plants. Lake Arrowhead residents say the lake has had milfoil for years, but it was kept in check in the past by lowering the level of the lake 4 feet. That practice stopped in 1987, and in the following years, residents have seen an increase in milfoil. Besides the recent 2-foot draw-down to harvest some of the milfoil, the DEP also has given residents permits to remove the milfoil in certain sites. John McPhedran, coordinator of the department's aquatic invasive species program, says he understands residents' frustration with the plant, but draining the lake is not the solution. "Even if you were to draw down the lake, the majority of the milfoil is actually in depths greater than four feet," he said. Plus, McPhedran says, there is evidence that milfoil can grow out of gravel and sandy beaches, another reason why a draw-down may not work. The state also is worried that the draw-down would adversely affect wildlife in the lake, such as fish, because they would be crowded into a smaller area of water. "The key here is that that draw-down affects all aspects of the habitat," McPhedran said. "We feel very strongly about the need to assess the impact not only on the milfoil but on everything else." But Friends of Lake Arrowhead argue that the lake was drawn down for years with no problems. Furthermore, they argue, the state has no plan for eradication of the milfoil, and is instead locked into a plan that focuses on prevention. "I think that people would say that DEP's priority is on prevention for the other 4,000 or 5,000 lakes and where there is infestation, there is very little commitment," said Joe Guarino, a member of the group. State Sen.-elect Richard Nass, R-Acton, agrees. "We have spent a lot of time developing rules that focus on education, not eradication," he said. Nass says he plans to work on a program that would ensure the state uses the sticker fee income to pay for environmental studies on lakes with milfoil, and to develop a plan for eradicating the plants. McPhedran acknowledges that the state's plan has focused on prevention and education, but says there has been no case study where milfoil has ever been eradicated. The plans that have been proposed to kill milfoil, he says, involve using herbicides in the water, something that is not permitted in Maine lakes. In the meantime, Guarino says Friends of Lake Arrowhead will spend the next few months raising money for an environmental study on the effects of a 4-foot draw-down. The group has received indications from the state that it will pay for some of the costs of the study. And while the group does concede that there is mixed research on the efficacy of a draw-down, they also ask: What can be lost by at least trying? "About three lakes a year are being infested; it's a matter of time before all of them are," Guarino said. "Why not put money into Lake Arrowhead as a pilot program experimenting with the draw-down and see how we can help other lakes?" Staff Writer Jen Fish can be contacted at 282-8229 or at: Staff Writer Giselle Goodman can be contacted at 324-4888 or at: ggoodman@pressherald.com
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