EWM Report: Training to Help Residents Stop the Spread
By Larry Stokes, GLA Board Member
During the 2024 season, our efforts to manage Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) faced challenges due to lake flooding and reduced water clarity. Unfortunately, this prevented us from using divers or Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) to remove milfoil.
The annual EWM mapping survey, conducted in mid-August, indicates that EWM presence in the North Basin remains similar to last year. However, individual plants are beginning to spread into shallow areas elsewhere in the lake. It’s crucial for everyone to help by avoiding the milfoil beds as much as possible. While accessing your own docks and shoreline is fine, please stay mindful of nearby EWM beds and try to reduce “prop-chop.” To assist with this, GLA will continue posting signs and placing buoys in the North Basin to discourage boat traffic near the larger EWM beds.
In early August, we held an informative education session led by Emily Moore, our lake consultant. She gave an excellent presentation on identifying EWM versus native plants and performed a live demonstration on water plant removal. We’ve uploaded videos from the session to our new YouTube channel. We hope they will help you safely identify and manage EWM in shallow waters (less than 4 feet) near your shoreline, which can help slow its spread.
Looking ahead, we plan to resume milfoil treatment in the 2025 season and are actively pursuing a WDNR grant to help fund these efforts. Our commitment to managing EWM remains strong, and we are prepared to use all available methods, including herbicides, DASH, and hand-pulling.
If you’re interested in volunteering for on-the-water surveys or other tasks related to EWM management, please contact Larry Stokes or Kristi O’Kane.
Your help is invaluable in preserving the health and beauty of Gilmore Lake.
