Posted: September 06, 2012
For more information
LaMarriol Smith, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority , (830)379-5822,
SEGUIN -- Beginning Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will initiate the 2012 vegetation management program to control water hyacinth in Lake Gonzales (H-4) and Lake Wood (H-5). This treatment is being done to remove excessive vegetation and improve navigation on these lakes. Weather permitting, these treatments should be completed by Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. According to John Findeisen of TPWD, prior years of herbicide treatments have proven effective and allowed for the expansion of native aquatic vegetation in these reservoirs, especially Lake Gonzales. These lakes have seen subsequent increases in the relative abundance of sunfish and largemouth bass.
“The lakes will be treated with aquatic herbicide, AquaNeat, whose active ingredient is glyphosate, and is approved for aquatic use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,” said GBRA director of Water Quality Services, Debbie Magin. “It will be used on water hyacinth infesting both Lakes Gonzales and Wood. In addition, Lake Woodwill be treated with Clearcast which is approved for use on lakes used as water supplies.” There will be no use restrictions imposed on the lakes.
Treatment proposals have been submitted by the TPWD and approved in compliance with the Statewide Vegetation Management Plan. According to Magin, the TPWD Statewide Vegetation Management Plan requires anyone, including TPWD, to submit a treatment proposal before any nuisance vegetation can be treated on waters of the state.
Additional information about the Gonzales area treatments and the Statewide Vegetation Management Plans are available at the GBRA General Office, 933 East Court Street in Seguin. For specific information about the project or the aquatic herbicides, contact Magin at (830)379-5822.
The GBRA was established by the Texas Legislature in 1933 as a water conservation and reclamation district. GBRA provides stewardship for the water resources in its 10-county statutory district, which begins near the headwaters of the Guadalupe and Blanco rivers, ends at San Antonio Bay, and includes Kendall, Comal, Hays, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Gonzales, DeWitt, Victoria, Calhoun, and Refugio counties.
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