Washington Dept. of Ecology
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Cascade was awarded a $30,000 State Department of Ecology grant to develop a plan to eradicate milfoil on Lake Tapps
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is awarding $412,000 to 12 projects across the state to control invasive, non-native plants in lakes.
Invasive, non-native aquatic plants impair fish and wildlife habitat, restrict recreational activities, and threaten the health of lakes, rivers, and streams throughout the state. The weeds can also lead to stagnant waters that create breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
The funding comes from the Freshwater Aquatic Weeds Account, set up by the 1991 Legislature. It added $3 to annual license renewals on recreational boats. Boats are a significant source of the spread of non-native weeds.
Here are the weed-control projects by county:
King County
King County Department of Natural Resources Parks & Recreation gets $28,750 to control the noxious weed garden loosestrife in Marymoor Park wetlands along the northern shore of Lake Sammamish. The funding helps pay for a three-year monitoring effort and public education about non-native weeds.
King County Water and Land Resources receives nearly $20,000 to produce a weed plan for Eurasian watermilfoil in Bass Lake, a 24-acre lake north of Enumclaw.
Seattle Public Utilities receives $30,000 to develop an integrated vegetative management plan to manage Eurasian watermilfoil in Union Bay of Lake Washington.
The University of Washington Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit will use $60,000 to investigate the effects of aquatic herbicides on amphibians native to Washington state, in particular the Oregon Spotted Frog.
Lewis County
The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation receive nearly $30,000 to control parrotfeather in the Chehalis River. Crews will hand pull the invasive, non-native species from the river between Lincoln Creek and the Chehalis Reservation. Workers will use burlap to cover heavily infested areas. They will plant willow saplings in all removal sites.
Pierce County
Cascade Water Alliance receives $30,000 to develop a plan to control and eradicate Eurasian watermilfoil in Lake Tapps.
Clear Lake will get assistance through the Clear Lake Water District to eradicate variable leaf milfoil in that lake. The District will work with the Clear Lake Community Association to control infestations of both variable leaf milfoil and Eurasian watermilfoil.
Skagit County
Anacortes gets $15,000 to prepare a weed plan for Heart Lake. The lake suffers from milfoil. Part of the plan includes surveying the lake for other non-native invasive plants.
Snohomish County
The city of Lake Stevens receives $30,000 to develop an integrated vegetation management plan to address Eurasian watermilfoil in Lake Stevens.
Spokane County
Spokane Conservation District receives $56,250 to control Eurasian watermilfoil in Lake Eloika and promote aquatic weed education and awareness. Newman Lake Flood Control District gets $30,000 to continue its Eurasian watermilfoil management plan.
Yakima County
The Washington Department of Agriculture gets $30,000 to create an integrated aquatic plant management plan for the Yakima River basin. Target species include parrotfeather, purple loosestrife, yellow flag iris, flowering rush, and non-native common reed.
Whatcom County
In addition to these 12 grants awarded through Ecology’s competitive grant program, Ecology is also funding a project to eradicate the noxious weed Flowering Rush from Silver Lake in Whatcom County. Ecology is contributing $55,000 toward the first year of this project.