Why Herbicides are Needed on our Lake – Chautauqua Lake Partnership

Economic Impact of Chautauqua Lake

66% of visitors to Chautauqua County utilize a lake or a waterway

47% of sales tax of the county is generated in the municipalities immediately surrounding Chautauqua Lake

$282 million dollars is spent annually by tourists in the county, with associated state and local taxes generating $36 million dollars for our communities

Chautauqua Lakefront properties pay 25% + of County property tax

Invasive Species are a problem that requires sustained local actions to control

Excessive growth of invasive species in Chautauqua Lake occurs (without herbicide treatments)
Native plants do NOT typically reach the surface, form canopies, or reach the density of these invasives (curly leaf pondweed and eurasian water milfoil)
Dense stands of invasives
- Crowd out and displace native species
- Inhibit water movement and warmer water temperatures (both conditions that promote HABs)
- Can lead to fish mortality
- Eventually decay and lead to muck build-up on the lake bottom
- Interfere with all types of recreational use

**THIS IS NOT NORMAL FOR NATIVE AQUATIC VEGETATION:**

Herbicides need to be considered when the problem can’t be managed by other means

Benthic Barriers – These are similar to landscape fabric placed on the lake bottom; they are not selective (kill everything underneath) and not practical for large areas

Biological/Milfoil weevils – No proven successes, stocking company went out of business

Hand-pulling & DASH (Diver assisted suction harvesting) – Not efficient or cost effective for large areas

Mechanical Harvesting – CLA capacity is limited

2.5 acres/day x 6 harvesters x 5 days = 75 acres/week
Cut milfoil typically re-grows to the surface within 6 weeks
6 weeks x 75 acres = 450 acres (Best Case Scenario)
The CLA operational season is typically 12-13 weeks, so only 450 acres can be cut 2x over the entire season, then will continue growing into the fall
For context, the Chautauqua Lake littoral zone is about 4000 acres, and has had up to an estimated 2345 acres of milfoil infestation (2021)

Herbicides used in Chautauqua Lake since 2020

Aquathol K for Curly Leaf Pondweed Endothall Fact Sheet_FINAL

Applied (not Sprayed) into the lake
Controls Curlyleaf pondweed at an application rate that is lower than what affects other plants
No fishing or irrigation restrictions
Studies show no impact to largemouth bass spawning
Swimming restricted until the day after application (only in New York)
Temporary drinking water restriction (more than 4.5 miles from CI intake)

ProcellaCOR EC for Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) procellacor-fact-sheet-wisconsin-dnr

Applied (not Sprayed) into the lake
Systemic – Kills entire plant including roots & impact persists for 3 years!
Selective – Minimal to no impact on native plants
No restrictions on drinking water, swimming or fishing
1ppb limit on irrigation & livestock watering (to prevent having to evaluate the unanticipated impact of livestock manure on terrestrial plants)
Extremely low application rates (2-6ppb)
Concentrations unmeasurable (<1ppb) within 3-4 days

Herbicide treatments have contributed to a healthier, more enjoyable Chautauqua Lake

References

Excerpt from 1989 report by the CLA to the Chamber of Commerce

Response to CLA Statements regarding herbicide use in Chautauqua Lake: Solitude-Chautauqua-CLA-response-022321.docx

Lake George controversy: The Lake George Commission vs. Lake George Association

Vermont Federation of Lakes: Assessment of control options for Eurasian Watermilfoil, Just another weed?

New York DEC: Invasive Species Tiers, DEC video The Univited (fast forward to minute 38), Diet for a Small Lake

Why Herbicides are Needed on Chautauqua Lake