The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District issued the following statement.
Giant salvinia, an aggressive non-native aquatic plant, has been found in the Pelahatchie Bay area of Barnett Reservoir near Jackson, the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District announced.
Efforts to eradicate giant salvinia will require multiple applications of multiple herbicides, which the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) said will also have an unfortunate impact on important native vegetation, such as lotus (lily pads).
MDWFP first discovered giant salvinia in a small isolated patch along the Bay’s north shore earlier this summer, but recently located more of the problematic plant in pockets spread through a five-acre area. Efforts to contain its spread have begun, and the MDWFP will soon begin an aggressive spraying campaign to eradicate it.
Giant salvinia, an aquatic fern, is native to Brazil and was first found in the U.S. in South Carolina in 1995. MDWFP biologists say it is one of this country’s most dreaded invasive plants because of its rapid growth potential and the difficulty of eradication. Research has found that it is capable of doubling its biomass in 36 hours in optimal conditions, which include warm, still waters.
If unchecked, the plant can take over an entire lake cove in a matter of weeks with mats up to three feet thick, choking out all aquatic life and making boating, swimming or fishing impossible in affected areas.
This is the second time giant salvinia has been found in Barnett Reservoir. In 2013, a biologist recognized a small patch in the harbor at the Goshen Springs Boat Ramp on Mississippi Highway 43. It was quickly eradicated and removed from the water.
Since it is believed the plant is introduced to new waters primarily by boaters, PRVWSD and MDWFP officials say it is important that anglers and boaters clean, drain, and dry their boating equipment after each use to limit the spread of invasive species, and to report all non-native aquatic species they encounter to MDWFP Fisheries Bureau.
19 comments:
It won’t be long before this takes over Lake Caroline, Reunion, lake cavalier, and any other lake in the area that allows outboards to run. People are too lazy/careless to take the necessary precautions to prevent this from spreading.
Whahaha, my evil plan is working!
What about people who eat fish from the Reservoir and below on the river? What kind of herbicides?
Meanwhile; flying carp have now been spotted in Lake Washington, the only oxbow to not have experienced those invasive fish to date. And wild hogs continue to take over all hunting areas along the Mississippi River.
As always, MDWFP is asleep at the wheel and does nothing pro-active. Too busy planning retreats and hunting expeditions.
It's high time the governor appointed a commission to meet quarterly in Jackson to study these issues.
12:58, an engine being an outboard has nothing to do with it. Plant matter more often than not attaches itself to the trailers of any boat or watercraft ie:JetFlea.
Just sayin.........
The Government should look to Louisiana for learning how to deal with this. They’ve been fighting it for years. More or less, herbicides only make it meaner and don’t kill it.
There is a guy in Bossier City that modifies his boat to cut and bag it insitu. It seemed the best option.
It was the non-professional Game and Fish commissioners who created the hog problem in 1972 by introducing the Russian Boars into our woods against the advice of Mr. Bill Turcotte, He said then that we do not need any exotics
Any hog Russian, domestic or otherwise, left to their own devices or released in to the wild will become a feral nuisance in a matter of months.
Probably came from some drunk TSUN frat boy driving in Daddy's boat and drowning his sorrows over that awful defensive effort on Saturday.
We ain't obsessed with y'all!
1972---Hmmm...Let's think about this...Democrats ruled the state. Surely you can't blame Republicans for this!
2:48, just what the hell do you think MWFP or anybody else could do - as you call it - "proactive" about this issue? Proactive - stop it before it gets here.
Hmmm. Would you propose that they should be at every boat ramp between Burnside and the spillway making sure that each and every boat, trailer, and all fishing equipment be sterilized before they entered the waters? Also, putting a net over the entire area so that birds couldn't enter the water after having been in other water where this crap exists?
Seems to me that they are at least acting now that it has gotten into the res, just as they did last time it was found. But as far as I can determine, there is not a 'proactive' solution that would ensure that it could not enter the waters.
But, am waiting with baited breath to hear your suggestion, since you're butt-hurt over not being hired by MWFP as a game warden or some such reasoning. Please give us all your proactive suggestions so that we can protect our private and neighborhood waters.
Think kudzu-
4:23,It was Members of the Mississippian Party that continues to run this state. National party tags are something that are added and taken away at will in this state ! I do not know of one elected official in Rankin County that is a true Republican.
Can you imagine being so unemployed that you give two shits about "muh water-zudzu"
As with Israeli Carp (which spawned flying carp) the State Game and Fish Commission, as it was called in the sixties, not only allowed, but promoted and advocated (and in some cases sponsored) the importation of these carp into our waters to 'take care of' vegetation that was beginning to take over Delta ponds and lakes. And the rest is history. Same with their importation of hogs.
There's your 'pro-active', 5:21. The only agency more incompetent than MDPS/MHP.
4:21 is a jealous doggie.
the PRVWSD and the MSDWFP are such bozos they could not organize a 1 car funeral. invasive plants, animals and fish have been destroying the ecosystem in this state for the past 40 years and these two administrative agencies are helpless to do anything other than cash their bi weekly paychecks. as far a PRVWSD goes, they got employees who cant even brush their teeth. just check out that rotten tooth redneck reservoir cop from oregon. by the way 4:23pm, the people that ran the democratic party back in the 70s now have a new name........ they call themselves republicans. you are not aware of that because back then , assuming you were even born then, you were busy crapping in your hands and rubbing it in your hair.
I flew out of the Charleston airport 2 days ago to come home early. I usually spend 8 weeks there each summer. I had to board up beach house and sandbag the areas around doors. Hopefully it will miss Charleston area and people will be safe. Back in NE Jackson with hopes for the best. I just rebuilt part of beach house 3 years ago with smaller previous storm. This is a monster.
"What about people who eat fish from the Reservoir and below on the river? What kind of herbicides?"
You should only be eating fish from the reservoir-north of 43, not those below the dam or from the Pelahatchie Bay area. That way you'll only be eating fish that consumed runoff ag chemicals from Madison, Leake, Scott, Attala, Choctaw, Winston and Webster Counties.
Otherwise, your question is reminiscent of the 'pee in the shallow end' theory of pool safety.
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